Cutting back Bushy Herbs that produce their leaves on Stems
These include but are not limited to:
- Amaranth
- Basil family
- Bay tree
- Catnip
- Chillies
- Curry plant
- Damiana
- Jasmine sambac
- Lavender family
- Lemon Balm
- Lemon Verbena
- Mint family
- Mugwort
- Mushroom plant
- Rosemary
- Sage
- Saltbush
- Salvias
- Sambung
- Scented geraniums
- Shiso/perilla
When picking these herbs, never rip leaves from the plant. Instead, cut the stem back to above a leaf node with signs of life, and the plant will then bush out from this area.
Then, you can remove the leaves from the stem that you have cut off and use them in your meals.
Note: Handle the cut herb as little as possible, to avoid bruising, particularly with the more succulent herbs, such as basil.
Avoid cutting back into brown hard stems as your herb may not recover it is preferable to prune lightly and regularly to keep your herbs looking fresh and bushy.