In Greek mythology, the Hydra was a monster that sprouted two new heads when one was cut off. Sounds scary, but when it comes to your garden, and specifically your basil, this regenerative power can be a great thing. And TikToker Jerra's Garden (@jerrasgarden) has just the hack to harness this mystical capability.
The scoop
In order to properly prune your basil plants and maximize their production, Jerra advises to not let your plants go to seed. When a basil plant goes to seed, it triggers the plant to think that it is done with its life cycle and can die sometime soon. Because of that, it's important to keep pinching off the basil plant's flowers as they arise.
@jerrasgarden Frequent pruning of basil plants promotes bushier growth and increased leaf production. Remove flowers to encourage the plant to focus its energy on producing more leaves. Pinch or snip right above a leaf node for more lateral branching to help basil plants become fuller, and more productive. Find seeds on my website. #gardentok #gardening101 #vegetablegarden #garden #urbanfarm #smallgarden #floridagarden #zone9 #zone9b #gardenhacks #gardentips #homestead #basil #herbs #herbgarden ♬ original sound - Jerra's Garden
When you pinch off the flowers, do so right above a set of leaves, Jerra says. It's at that spot that the plant will start new growth, with two new branches growing right at the pinch point — and that's where we tap into this Hydra-esque power.
"That is how you get your basil plants to get even bushier," Jerra says.
How it's helping
Gardening is a great way to save money on produce, especially with hacks like these that provide such bounty. Additionally, it can do wonders for mental and physical health. According to Mayo Clinic, gardening can lighten one's mood and lower levels of stress and anxiety.
Gardening has positive environmental impacts, too, as growing your own food reduces demand for mass-produced, store-bought, and globally shipped produce. According to the United Nations, about a third of all human-caused planet-warming gas pollution is connected to food, and the largest chunk of this comes from agriculture and land use.
What everyone's saying
Gardening enthusiasts on TikTok flocked to Jerra's comment section to ask clarifying questions and express gratitude for the hack.
"I so want to keep my basil alive," said one user. "What should I do?"
"I find they grow better in pots/grow bags because they like drier soils, full sun, cut flowers off, and fertilize every now and then," Jerra replied.
"Ohhhhhh I thought getting seeds was a good thing," said another. "Now I know!"
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