When to harvest basil

Basil is considered a very aromatic condiment used in the preparation of a huge number of interesting dishes. This plant is used both fresh and dried. The main thing is to know how and when to collect basil so that it can preserve its beneficial properties and taste characteristics with an excellent aroma for a long time. In this article, we will analyze in detail the correct way to cut the leaves of basil, so as not to harm the bush, which will continue to grow, and also so that you have a delicious cut and with a rich aroma of the crop.

When to harvest basil to dry for the winter?

When growing a plant such as basil in your garden, you need to understand exactly when it needs to be harvested so that you can grow another 2-3 harvests of greens during the season. The right time frame for this process will help maintain its pleasant scent for a long period of time. In general, you need to collect basil when a young bush grows to 15-20 centimeters in height. This usually falls on the last days of July or the first half of August. If you want to dry the basil leaves, then you need to start harvesting it before the plant begins to bloom.

As soon as you see the first buds formed on the plant, then immediately cut off your first crop.

After flowering, the leaves of the plant already largely lose their rich spicy aroma.

Basil seeds for drying are harvested from the plant quite later, then, when the inflorescences have already passed the flowering of the basil bushes and have dried up, acquiring a brown tint. The main thing is to have time to collect the seeds before its inflorescences begin to crumble.

Many people ask themselves: when do you need to collect basil? We answer: there is simply no such definite time. You can be engaged in stockpiling at any time of the day.

The main thing is that at this time there should be dry and sunny weather. Since during rainy and damp weather, excess moisture accumulates in the leaves of the basil and there is an unpleasant probability that the harvest will mate.

When harvesting basil, you should not pull out the leaves directly from the root, but rather carefully cut them off, so that this plant can give you several more harvests this season, because if you pull out the bush by the root, then it is quite natural that you can also not to think. It will be correct to cut off not the entire bush completely, but only part of the leaves, while leaving about 4 leaves on the main stem.

It is this method of partial cutting of the leaves that will allow you to get an even thicker harvest in the future. If you cut off all the leaves from the bush, you will not see the harvest for a very long time.

There are several rules for how to harvest basil, here they are:

• When harvesting the basil for the first time during one season, the leaves should be trimmed along with the upper part of the shoots, so that the culture begins to branch much more.
• The next time the leaves are cut, the tops should be left so that the plant has inflorescences.
• After harvesting, the plant needs to be watered abundantly, plus, together with watering, you can feed the plant.
• Be sure to loosen the soil between the bushes.

It should be noted that when growing basil at home, the harvest can be harvested all year round. If the cultivation takes place in an open space, then the crop of this plant is obtained about 2-3 times in one season, before the beginning, or at the very beginning of the basil flowering period, since it is during this period that the leaves of the plant have the most intense spicy aroma.It is possible to harvest the first greens in about 25-30 days after planting. Basically, these are either the last days of July or the first half of August.

The next basil harvest is held in the second half of September. But the third harvest takes place right before the very frosts. The main factors that can affect the frequency of basil harvest are the soil in which the plant grows and the weather conditions. This plant loves the attention of the sun, from which it feeds, therefore, it grows very poorly during wet and cool summers. And this herb also has a negative attitude towards heavy or acidic earth, with a lot of clay.

How to collect basil seeds?

It should be said right away that seed production is used only in the south of our country, in the northern regions and in Central Russia, this is possible only in greenhouses and greenhouses.

Let's take a closer look at the rules for collecting basil seeds:

• The inflorescences of the plant, which have already faded, are cut off. As a rule, they are already dry inflorescences with a brown tint.
• They are placed in a sufficiently dry and ventilated area, they must dry completely.
• Dried inflorescences are crushed, and the litter is removed.
• Basil seeds are placed in special tissue bags or paper bags. This is done so that during storage the seeds cannot be dampened.

Basil seeds are stored at room temperature in a fairly dry place. After that, they will remain viable for about 5 more years.

When to harvest and how to dry basil?

In order for all the basil leaves to dry completely and reduce the likelihood that they become moldy, they need to be tied in small bunches and hung in a warm, darkened and well-ventilated area. Another option is to lay it out on a straight horizontal surface, but always with a small layer in thickness. It is forbidden to dry the plant in the sun. Otherwise, basil will lose its healing qualities, and all the essential oils accumulated in it may evaporate.

Basil should be stored after collection at a temperature of no more than 35 degrees. If basil turns into powder very easily in your palms, then it is completely dry. With proper drying and storage, the plant will be able to retain its pleasant aroma and natural color for a long time.

Harvest basil in the designated period of time, while following all the tips and tricks we told you. And only then will you be able to preserve all the beneficial and taste characteristics of this spicy herb. And also, thanks to this, you can provide yourself and your loved ones with natural vitamins for the entire winter.

How to harvest basil correctly: video