Sunday, February 12, 2012

What is the best way to prune basil & parsely?

Grown from seed about 5 inches tall now. I want to prune them to keep the best possible leaf production and to avoid the flowering of the plants.

What is the best way to prune basil %26amp; parsely?
The more you pinch the better. Just keep pinching down to a set of leaves and don't let it flower or it will go to seed and that will be the end of your plant. Basil and parsley will continue to grow and get bushier the more you prune. Happy Pinching.
Reply:basil is best "pinched" and when you want to keep from flowering and make them bushier..pinch the main heads about 1/4 inch from where you see two sets of leaves coming out of the stem below the head...this will then grow to fork off into two more stalks...when these new stalks get the heads..you again will see the lower set of leaves growing..pinch again..walla..two more heads grow..do not let them "flower" at first sight of this pinch the flowers off..if they seed out, it will make the rest of your basil tough and woody..still good but tough..now parsley, you snip with small siccors, and always snip the longer outer branches about 1/4 inch from the base..the inner stems/leaves will be the new growth...


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