Basil 2026

Should you wash fresh basil? Yes, you should wash fresh basil before using it, but the way you wash it matters more than you might think. Fresh basil straight from the garden or the grocery store often carries dirt, tiny insects, and residual soil that you definitely don’t want in your pesto or salad.   … Read more

You should not wash basil before storing because moisture is the enemy of fresh basil leaves.   Washing basil right before you stash it in the fridge or on the counter introduces water that speeds up decay, turns leaves slimy, and ruins that vibrant, peppery flavor you love.   However, you do need to wash … Read more

You should wash basil leaves, but only right before you plan to use them.   Washing basil leaves is totally safe and actually necessary to remove dirt, tiny insects, and any lingering garden residue.   But the way you wash basil leaves matters a lot because basil is delicate and can bruise easily.   If … Read more

You should use basil stems in pesto, and in fact, they’re one of the most underrated parts of the plant.   When you’re making a fresh batch of pesto, the natural instinct is to strip off those lovely green leaves and toss the stems in the compost.   But those stems are packed with the … Read more

You should trim basil when it flowers, and doing so is one of the best habits you can adopt for a thriving herb garden.   When basil bolts and starts producing those little white blossoms, the plant shifts its energy away from growing those delicious, aromatic leaves and focuses instead on seed production.   Trimming … Read more