Harvest and preserve basil

Basil is not only popular in Italian cuisine - the herb is also often used in our kitchen. We show what you have to consider when harvesting and how to store and preserve basil correctly.

Whether in the classic green pesto, on pizza or in a cocktail - we hardly associate any herb with summer and Mediterranean flair as much as we do basil (Ocimum basilicum). It should not be missing in any herb garden. And if you don't have a garden, you can still enjoy a pot of basil on the windowsill or in the window box. However, the demanding herb can be a real diva and needs to be treated properly in cultivation, care and harvest. So that you don't go wrong with the harvest and can harvest fragrant, green leaves for as long as possible, we will tell you everything about the correct harvesting and storage of Ocimum basilicum.

When is the best time to harvest basil?

If properly grown and cared for, basil can be harvested year-round. Perennial varieties even survive the winter and can provide some aromatic leaves for the kitchen even in the cold months. However, the growth of the herb is greatly reduced in the cold winter months and it should be harvested significantly less. It is therefore advisable to leave the basil alone as much as possible in winter and to refrain from harvesting it at all. Some basil varieties are only bred for a one-year cultivation period. These usually thrive from April to October and can be harvested during this period. After that they usually go in.

Overview: When is basil harvested?

• Perennial Varieties: All year round (under optimal conditions)
• Annual varieties: April – October

Harvest and pick basil correctly

No matter how tempting it may seem to simply pluck individual leaves from the basil: this is how annual, unwoody basil can never be harvested, because with this technique the shoots die quickly and the aromatic herb stunted. To ensure a long life for your basil, you should only harvest the shoot tips. To do this, you can simply pinch off the stems above the last pair of leaves with your fingers or cut them off with scissors. New shoot axils will now develop from the leaf axils and the basil can thrive even more magnificently. Another advantage of this harvesting technique is that flowering is delayed, which extends the harvest time of the aromatic basil foliage. Of course, basil can still be harvested when it's in bloom; however, the flowers change the aroma of the plant. Perennial shrub basil forms strong shrubs with woody stems. Individual leaves can also be plucked from this basil bush. In contrast to the tender annual basil, the shrub basil is much better at harvesting individual leaves.

Overview: How is basil harvested?

• Do not pluck individual leaves from annual, non-woody varieties
• Pick or cut off the shoot tips
• To do this, pinch off or cut off the stems just above the top branch of the leaf
• New side shoots then develop from the leaf axils
• Individual leaves can also be picked from woody shrub basil

Storing, preserving and preserving basil

Ultimately, the freshly harvested use of basil cannot be surpassed. However, it is also a good idea to chop up the freshly harvested basil leaves and put them in olive oil to preserve the aromatic taste of the herb for a few months. The basil oil can then be used in cooking or in salad dressings. You can also preserve basil by processing the freshly harvested leaves into pesto. Other ways to preserve basil for longer include pickling it in salt or white wine vinegar.

Ways to Preserve Basil:

• Put in olive oil
• Process into pesto
• Pickle in salt
• Soak in white wine vinegar
• Freeze
• dry

Of course, basil can also be frozen and dried. You will learn how this works in the next sections.

Freeze basil

A frequently asked question is whether you can freeze basil. The simple answer to this question is yes, you can freeze basil. However, basil loses its aroma in the freezer and becomes slightly mushy and brown. To counteract this, there are several ways to optimize the freezing of basil. One variation is to blanch the leaves before freezing. This will help them retain their flavor and color better. Another tried and true method is to place the leaves of the aromatic herb in the freezer with water. For example, the leaves can be frozen in ice cube molds so that they can be portioned easily. They are also ideal for use as cocktail herbs. Last but not least, basil can also be frozen as a pesto. The additional oil and salt preserves the aroma and the pesto lasts even longer in the freezer.

How do you freeze basil?

• Freeze fresh leaves
• Blanch and freeze basil
• Freeze with water
• Freeze basil as pesto

dry basil 

We hear again and again that basil can be dried very well. However, the air-drying process doesn't work well for this herb. The degradation of the essential oils that give the basil flavor is simply too great due to the deprivation of moisture. After all, the dried basil tastes like almost nothing. In general, the faster the drying process, the greater the loss of taste. Nevertheless, dried basil can be used as a spice or to refine herbal salt.

How do you dry basil?

• In a dry, dark place
• Hang whole stalks upside down
• In 2 weeks the herb is well dried
• Alternatively, dry in the oven or dehydrator

tip: So that you can harvest aromatic basil, you should pay attention to the right substrate when planting. We recommend our peat-free Organic tomato & vegetable soil, which provides your basil with all the important nutrients.