Growing Basil

[Tjohn]

This Christmas my son gave me an Aerogarden with Basil and Dill seeds included. Now the plants are HUGE and I transplanted them into pots. The Basil has flowers on it. My question is, do I have to harvest it now, before it dies, or will the plant keep living after flowering, like a house plant. This is my first try at herbs, and I should have researched before starting them!

 

[Beth_B]

Pinch off the flowers, if you want to encourage leaf growth. I grow basil every year outside and it produces like crazy until the frost gets it.

 

[CrazyConure]

You should give it a trim! Basil loves being pruned! It makes them grow faster and bushier. Just clip in below the next set of the 2 leaves and it will produce 2 off shoots which will give you double the production. Trimming it after will give you quadruple and so fourth!

 

[Rajesh Sethi]

Will stay alive as long as you trim, once it start to flower, seed ripen then plant will die.

You may leave one auxiliary branch flower for collecting seeds.

 

[Tjohn]

Thanks, everyone ! I hope my Basil will have a long and productive life (at least until I can plant outdoors!).