How to Harvest Basil (and most other herbs)

We have four different kinds of basil, I encourage you to try them all. They are lemon basil, Thai basil, Purple basil and green basil. When harvesting basil, take a pair of scissors and cut the stem just above the intersection of the main stem and a side shoot. By leaving the side shoots you are leaving a viable growing point for the plant to regenerate. Try to make your cut as close to this intersection as possible as to avoid leaving a “stump,” which will only turn brown and die back. This technique is encouraged for most herbs in fact, as it encourages healthy, bushy, regrowth.