Subject: Re: Picking Basil

From: Chris Baker <[email-masked]>
Date: 28 Feb 1995 06:42:26 GMT

Patrick,

Once the plant is established you can cut 1/2
 and still have it flourish.  When you pick the flowers use them
 in your recipes as they have same flavor..I keep ziplock bag in my
freezer and when I need basil cut it frozen and add.  When basil is young
I only pick large bottom leaves to encourage growth.  After that I
Pinch tops off...good luck and enjoy.

Christy

[email-masked] (Patrick Jonke) wrote:
>
> Aloha,
> 
> Does anyone know the proper technique for harvesting fresh basil? Should I
> pluck the leaves individually, or cut off a whole stem? 
> 
> How much can I take at one time and still maintain a healthy plant? 10%? 20%?
> 
> Am I correct in assuming that I should nip off the flowers?
> 
> Mahalo in advance...
> 
> -- 
>                       Patrick Jonke
>          University of Hawaii at Manoa
> Department of Marine Geology & Geophysics

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From: Chris Baker <[email-masked]>
Date: 28 Feb 1995 06:42:29 GMT

Patrick,

Christy

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From: [email-masked] (Christine Owens)
Date: 28 Feb 1995 11:03:41 GMT

Cut every stem down about 1/3.  The plant will respond by 
making twice as many stems.  And, yes, cut off the flowers.

Chris Owens

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From: [email-masked] (Stan)
Date: Wed, 1 Mar 1995 01:37:20 GMT

hey Patrick,

i doubt if there is a *proper* technique, but here goes mine...

for a continuous harvest, definately snip off any flower starts.

i wait until there are three pairs of leaves per branch, then
snip off the branch right above the lowest pair of leaves.  of
the branch just sniped, i seperate the growing tip and the next
pair of leaves as one, and take off the remaining two leaves
individually.  the left-over woody stem is composted with my
other veggie scraps.  repeat the above for all branches with
three sets of leaves.

two new branches will grow from the cut stem where the leaf
meets the stem, so in a couple of weeks, you'll be doing the
above all over again.  as the plant matures, you will find each
plant yields plenty of fresh leaves.

Happy Pesto Parties... Stan

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From: [email-masked] (Stan)
Date: Wed, 1 Mar 1995 01:37:20 GMT

hey Patrick,