Someone harvesting leaves from their basil plant with a pair of scissors. - Elva Etienne/Getty Images Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is one of the most rewarding herbs to grow, especially for beginners.

If you love pesto, a basil plant can feed you for many dinners. Here's when and how you should trim back your basil plants to enjoy the most production.

Basil gets tall and leggy from low light, lack of pruning, or overfertilizing. Signs include sparse leaves, excess flowers, and short stems from overharvesting. Revive it with proper care, pruning, ...

Prune annual herbs like basil fully before frost, but leave cold-hardy types to reseed naturally. Lightly trim woody herbs like sage and thyme; save heavy pruning for spring. Use mulch or covers to ...

Basil is a warm-season herb that doesn’t take well to cold temperatures—that first frost can damage or kill it. However, you don’t have to wait until summer to cook with the fresh herb. You can enjoy ...