Basil grows fast, bolts fast, and tastes best when picked at the right moment. Here is how to keep a single plant producing all summer on a balcony.
A single basil plant in a 20 cm pot can supply a family through the summer — if you do one thing correctly: pinch the top.
Pinch, then pinch again
When the plant has four pairs of leaves, snip out the growing tip. This forces two side shoots to take its place. Repeat every three weeks and the plant stays bushy and leafy.
Water little and often
Balconies dry out faster than gardens. Aim for damp, not wet. If the pot is light when you lift it, water.
Keep it warm
Basil stops growing below 10°C. On cool nights, move it against a wall or indoors.
Harvest before it flowers
Once basil bolts, its leaves turn bitter. Pick regularly — that is how you keep the plant producing.