All green-fingered folk know that spring is the perfect time to sow basil, but one gardening expert has shared a little-known trick that will "double your harvest".
The leafy herb has gained popularity for its distinctive flavour, which is commonly added to salads, pasta, and pizza dishes. It can be grown from a seed indoors or purchased as a potted plant, and is considered "easy" to look after by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).
What’s more, it’s simple to grow new basil plants from cuttings, making it a cost-efficient option for those on a budget. With the herb ready to harvest in June, one planting guru has revealed a clever hack that will help you get the most out of your crop.
Ecological vegetable grower Jamie Walton, who goes by @nettlesandpetals online, took to TikTok to urge gardeners against pulling on individual basil leaves. He said: "It can be tempting to do this, but instead you should follow the stem up until you see a node and a node is the point at which the leaves meet the stem."
Pointing at his basil plant, he continued: "At this point you will usually find a couple of new stems forming. So instead of pulling the leaves, you should simply cut just above those nodes." This will leave you with a "nice bit" of basil to use, as well as "two new stems forming".
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"This will result in a far bushier plant that will last a lot longer and produce a lot more," he concluded. Impressed followers flocked to the comments to share their reaction to the video, as one user penned: "Oh I’m doing it wrong. I have really tall leggy basil because I just pull leaves."
A second confessed: "I’ve ripped at my basil with abandon. I wish I’d seen this earlier. Mine is still growing but the stems are so woody." Another gushed: "I started doing that and my supermarket plant literally exploded with new leaves."
In another video, the expert shared his best advice for growing basil from a seed, and highlighted another common planting mistake. He said: "A mature basil plant needs plenty of water, but as a seedling, it really doesn’t. They can easily be overwatered causing issues like oedema, because basil seeds are very small and air is a vital component to the seedlings early development."
Jamie explained that he opts for open-structured organic seed starting mix, and includes additional vermiculite to increase aeration. He added: "I add this mixture to a pot, then sprinkle in some seeds, and cover them with a very thin layer of compost.
"I then water really well once and leave them somewhere warm to germinate and I won’t water again until the leaves start to show. Then, I prick them out into their own individual pots and keep watering to a minimum, until they reach a few inches tall. At which point they can be planted out and watering can be increased."
The RHS reports that basil thrives in a greenhouse, in pots, grow bags or a greenhouse border, where it enjoys the warmer temperatures. This is usually more successful than growing outdoors, especially in colder locations. Protecting the plants from slugs and snails is vital, so growing in containers is often a safer choice, as plants are usually less accessible.
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