Expert shares simple harvesting hack to encourage basil growth during summer

A gardening expert on social media spilt the beans on a viral post about how to harvest basil during summer like a pro.

According to the content creator, who goes by the Instagram handle @back_yard_bountiful, new gardeners often go wrong when it comes to harvesting basil and finding the right time to prune them.

His trick? Look for flowers on your basil plant as they signal that it's ready for a trim. If there are no flowers you should probably leave it be and let it grow more.

If your plant already has blooms, there is a simple hack that helps gardeners know where to cut when needing a few leaves to garnish their food.

Count three bumps (nodes) up from the base of the stem and snip the plant with scissors just above that third bump.

"Use that basil for your dish," he said. "See these shoots on either side of the node I just cut? They're going to grow into new stems."

The gardener showed off a basil plant he'd previously pruned using this trick. It looked fantastic - not only had it sprouted new stems, but it even had flowers blooming.

To prove his point again, he grabbed some scissors and snipped another section of basil, following his trusty "three nodes up" rule.

"Keep doing this and you'll be harvesting all summer," he said.

Gardeners on Instagram soon took to the post’s comments section to share their appreciation for the tip.

One person commented: “Thank you so much! I've been doing this wrong forever!" while another user added: “I was always wondering why mine wouldn't last. So helpful, thanks!"

Others used the platform to divulge their own tips and tricks to avoid ruining the plant.

"I was told to never cut basil with metal," commented one person. "Pinch the stem with your finger and [your] thumbnails."

"You are correct!" echoed another keen gardener.