The basil plant needs warm weather to thrive. Once it warms up, the plant starts to produce fragrant, slightly peppery broad green leaves in a bushy growth pattern. It flourishes throughout the warm summer months; then at the end of summer or the first part of fall, it stops growing.
It flourishes throughout the warm summer months; then at the end of summer or the first part of fall, it stops growing. At the end of its growth cycle, basil starts to produce flowers , which turn into seeds. Basil flowers and seeds can start to form at other times as well.
While I was researching we ran into the question “What to do with basil flowers?”.
Some authors claimed If you’ve been growing basil plants, you may already know that it’s a good idea to prune the flowers off of the plants as soon as they appear. Leaving the flowers on slows the production of leaves , and many gardeners find that it also reduces the quality or flavor of the leaves. The question is, what can you do with the flowers?
What does it mean when a basil plant starts to flower?
When a plant starts flowering it means that it is changing from growth mode to reproduction mode . This means that the plants energy is going into flowering rather than growing leaves, and so once basil blooms the leaves start to lose their flavor do not grow back as vigorously when harvested.
When your homegrown basil plant starts flowering it means that it is changing from growth mode to reproduction mode . This means that the plants energy is going into flowering rather than growing leaves, and so once basil blooms the leaves start to lose their flavor do not grow back as vigorously when harvested.
Basil plants do not die after flowering but they will move from a growth cycle to their reproduction cycle and slow down or stop the production of new leaves so they can use that energy to reproduce. So if you are growing your basil plant for food, you’ll want to pinch off the flowers so it will encourage the growth of more leaves.
Basil produces purple or white flowers during Summer, if it has not been pruned . Once basil has flowered the leaves and flowers are still edible but the taste is often milder or even bitter. Prevent basil from flowering by pruning the top leaves of the basil every 2 or 3 weeks throughout the Summer.
How do you know when Basil is ready to harvest?
Basil goes to flower when you’re least expecting it, so make sure you catch the buds before they actually turn into basil flowers . The more flowers you have, generally the more bitter the leaves become. If there are a lot of flowers, it might be a sign to you want to harvest the plants, save the seed, and grow some more basil.
You should be thinking “How do you know when to pick Basil?”
How to Harvest Basil Start picking the leaves of basil as soon as the plants are 6 to 8 inches tall . Once temperatures hit 80°F (27°C), basil will really start leafing out. Harvest in the early morning, when leaves are at their juiciest. Make sure to pick the leaves regularly to encourage growth throughout the summer.
Annual basil (Ocimum basilicum) produces highly flavorful leaves suitable for both cooked and raw use. The leaves have the best flavor and aroma qualities when harvested before the plant begins to flower , but flowering doesn’t render the leaves inedible. Harvesting often and delaying flowering can help prolong.
Our best answer was the leaves have the best flavor and aroma qualities when harvested before the plant begins to flower, but flowering doesn’t render the leaves inedible. Harvesting often and delaying flowering can help prolong the productive life of your basil plants.
Should basil flowers be pinched back when planting?
Pinching basil blooms back will allow all of the plant’s energy to stay focused on foliage production, creating a bushier plant with more leaves and maintaining higher levels of essential oils in the leaves. Leaving the flowers on basil plants tends to engender a straggly looking specimen with fewer leaves to harvest.