Pruning refers to the process of removing specific parts of a plant. The removal of these parts may include the plant’s branches, roots, or buds. The reason behind pruning may be to remove any damaged, infected, diseased, or other kind of unwanted parts of the plant.
As easy as it may sound, it is actually a process that can potentially destroy the whole plant by decay and pathogen intrusion if not done correctly. This is why during pruning; only small parts of the plants are cut. It is preferred to cut a small part of the plan as possible.
When to Prune Basil for the First Time?
As we have already mentioned above, pruning is a crucial process that should be done cautiously. Not knowing how to prune correctly could harm your plant in many ways. Basil is a similar plant that requires frequent pruning in order to grow into a beautiful plant.
One of the first things that you may need to learn in this case is to know when to prune basil for the first time. Through this article, we will be giving you a detailed explanation regarding when you should be pruning basil.
Just When Should You Prune Basil?
Ideally, you would want to wait at least until the plant is about 6 inches tall. Only after then you should be trimming the plant. Once the basil has reached this point of growth, it should have between 2 or 3 sets of leaves.
Pruning before this happens will affect your plant’s growth permanently. Hence, this step is incredibly important. Many beginners seem to overlook it, which results in the plant getting damaged. Plants are living beings, which are also incredibly fragile. This means that you should be extra careful around a baby plant.
In most cases, basil can take around two weeks in order to grow about 6 inches in length. However, the time can vary slightly according to the way that you are growing the plant. It can also affect the place where you are growing the plant.
Why You Should Prune Basil?
Some of you might be wondering why you should be pruning basil at all? The reason is pretty clear. Pruning basil can give you a number of benefits. Some of the benefits include getting better yield out of the plant. It is also worth mentioning that pruning allows the plant to enjoy growing into a beautiful looking plant.
This can all be possible only when you learn how and when you can prune basil correctly. Once you have got that down, you can grow your basil into a very healthy and good-looking plant.
The Bottom Line
Have you ever wondered when to prune basil for the first time? If so, then we strongly recommend giving this article a read. Through the article, we have explained all the crucial information needed in order to learn about when and why you should be pruning basil.