Basil is a common herb that is easy to grow and can be used in a variety of dishes, but it is important to look out for flower buds that will ruin the taste of its leaves. Keeping herbs on your kitchen counter is tremendously handy, as their leaves dramatically enhance the flavour of pasta, soups, and even sandwiches.
There's nothing quite like using fresh herbs when cooking, though I'll admit I've previously managed to kill off basil plants by simply leaving them neglected on my windowsill during spring. Britain is currently enjoying a generous amount of sunshine, which is wonderful news for gardens and plants generally, but unfortunately this will also trigger basil into flowering.
This is something you'll want to prevent, as flowering causes the plant to channel all its energy into producing seeds rather than developing its leaves. The result is basil leaves that become weaker, smaller and less flavourful — potentially turning remarkably bitter and ruining your dishes if you don't spot it early enough.
There's little sense in nurturing herbs for cooking if they ultimately spoil your meals. It's also worth noting that basil is an annual plant, meaning it begins to deteriorate once it flowers. Allowing your basil to flower effectively signals to the plant that its life cycle is drawing to a close, leaving you with a withered specimen that you've barely had the chance to make use of.
Fortunately, extending the lifespan of your basil and significantly improving the taste of its leaves couldn't be simpler — all it takes is gently pinching the plant with your fingers once a week. It may sound peculiar, but pinching basil simply involves removing any flower buds that typically emerge at the top of the plant. Basil flower buds appear as tiny, spiky leaves pointing upwards, forming a clustered tip on the stem.
Basil begins to grow considerably faster in May when temperatures consistently exceed 10C, so it's vital to check the plant on a weekly basis to ensure it channels more energy into producing larger and more flavoursome leaves.
How to pinch basil plants
Pinching basil takes no more than 10 to 20 seconds, and is best done while waiting for the kettle to boil when making a cup of tea. Simply look at a basil stem and you'll notice leaves growing in opposite pairs, with each pair along the stem marking what's known as a node. A node is the growth point where new branches can develop, and it's also where flower buds will form if the plant is left untended.
On a basil plant, a node appears as a small, pale green cluster in the centre where two leaves meet. To pinch your basil, locate a healthy pair of leaves near the top of the stem and remove the growing tip just above that node. You can either snap it off with your fingers or snip it with scissors. However, be careful not to cut into the node itself, and avoid leaving a lengthy bare stump above it.
Leaving a stump can cause the basil to become leggy, as the plant will direct excess energy towards it, ultimately resulting in weaker leaves at that section of the plant. Taking just a few moments each week to pinch your basil will significantly extend the plant's lifespan while encouraging two fresh side shoots to sprout from the first node. The result is a far bushier, healthier basil plant, meaning you'll reap a far more generous harvest with minimal effort in the garden.
