Bitter Basil Busters: Properly Prune Basil Plants for Optimum Flavor

For new gardeners, basil can be a bit of a confusing plant. An essential to the culinary herb garden, basil must be properly pruned to maintain the best flavor, otherwise you will end up with bitter basil. Overwatering and underwatering your basil can lead to bad-tasting leaves or a rotten plant. Basil is very sensitive to fertilization, and it likes a lot of it. Basil does best in well-drained soil with frequently applied, rich organic mulch.

Basil can be grown outdoors in a well-protected area with rich soil, or indoors in a container herb garden. Water your basil plant when the ground is light in color and dry to the touch. Do not water your basil plant when the ground is still wet; to do so harbors mold and fungus that can contribute to root rot.

To keep your basil tastiest, prune the blossoms from the end of each stem before the flowers dry out. Basil has a tendency to grow very bitter tasting leaves if the flowers are allowed to mature to seed. Pruning and removing flowers from your basil herb plant will also help it live a longer life.

When cutting leaves, stems, and flowers, do not cut more than 1/3 of the plant's foliage. Removing a large amount of plant matter from a basil herb plant can cause poor root function and stunted growth in the basil plant.

Properly pruning your basil is essential to keeping it healthy and tasty. Check your basil plant every few days for water level and rogue blossoms. If you wish, you can dry the cut basil and use it sparingly as an herb; however, the blossoms can be very bitter and should be used in very small amounts to avoid overpowering the dish with bitter basil flower.