When to harvest basil
Basil leaves and stems can be picked as soon as they are big enough as long as you leave a few on the bush. (Basil stems are even more fragrant than the leaves.) Keep picking till the soil cools down and you expect frost — then if possible dig up the bush, pot it and keep it growing indoors.
How many basil plants do you need?
That depends how much basil you’ll eat! Be warned, having fresh basil on hand means you’ll eat a lot more basil. I find four to six well fed plants are enough for the two of us, as well as visits from greedy guests. With four to six big plants I can chop basil liberally on tomato salads, add a big bunch of basil to any stir-fry or casserole with tomato in it and chop basil leaves onto pizzas. I can also make pesto once a week and freeze a few serves of pesto too for basil-free winters. See below for ways to store your basil.
What can go wrong?
Basil is prone to leaf spot. To avoid leaf spot, don’t water it before a cold night and keep it away from large plants that might shade it. Don’t worry too much about leaf spot — spotty leaves taste just as good as unblemished ones. If the bush is really badly affected, prune off the spotty leaves to eat them and the new young leaves should be spot free.
