Read on to learn when to harvest basil and the proper way to do so. First, startpruning leavesonce your plant reaches 6 to 8 inches tall. If your plant has put out at least four sets of leaves, it’s safe to start harvesting. The Spruce / Colleen & Shannon Graham Forplump, happy leaves, harvest early in the morning. For the best flavor, harvest before the plant flowers. Harvest as much as possible because this encourages your plant to produce new leaves rapidly....

Brussels sproutsare an excellent cool season crop. you’re free to harvest Brussels sprouts throughout the summer. Here’s what it’s crucial that you know about harvesting Brussels sprouts. lucentius / Getty Images The plant will keep growing upward, usually to 2 to 3 feet tall, and producing sprouts. Once a sprout is removed, another will not grow in that location. How long Brussels sprouts last on the plant depends on your pest control and hardiness zone....

How to Harvest Cilantro Youve sown your seeds and watched the plants produce lush, leafy growth. Now its time to harvest your cilantro, following the steps below. Harvest the outer, mature stems rather than the young, tender inner stems. bdspn / Getty Images Cut them around 1 to 2 inches from the plant’s base. Water and Fertilize Regularly Keep the soil evenly moist andfertilize your herb plantevery two to three weeks....

The Spruce / Colleen and Shannon Graham Harvesting lavender is a feast for the senses. Just brushing up against the plant releases the soothing fragrance that lavender is known for best. Itssignature scentmakes Lavender,Lavandula,one of the most versatile and beloved plants in the garden. The Spruce / Colleen and Shannon Graham No matter what variety you grow, all lavenders are harvested the same way. When you harvest lavender, you are alsopruningit to encourage growth....

Harvesting individual leaves is one way to extend the plant’s production. Other ways to keep the harvest going are tosuccession sowevery two weeks in early spring or fall. Here’s how to harvest your lettuce to enjoy some leaves now but keep the plant producing more. VW Pics / Getty Images Tip Lettuce seed germinates at temperatures between 65F and 85F. which gives a fairly long time period for sowing seed....

However, if plants are grown indoors in pots, parsley can be harvested in winter, too. Want more gardening tips? As a result, many gardeners grow parsley as an annual and sow new parsley seeds every spring. The Spruce / Kara Riley But, parsley plants can be overwintered and harvested in the spring of their second year if desired. When flowering begins, its best to harvest the entire plant as bolting changes the flavor of parsley leaves....

Usually, this happens between May and July when growing this as a spring crop. Using a knife to cut the stems can leave an entry point for crown rot diseases. As the stalks grow large, the texture becomes more stringy. The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova As a rule of thumb, the deeper the red color, the more flavorful the stalks will be. Want more gardening tips? The open wound left by cutting the stalk can also invite diseases like crown rot into the plant....

It takes sunflowers roughly one more month to produce mature seeds after they start blooming. If your sunflowers bloom in August, you could expect to harvest sunflower seeds in September. Want more gardening tips? The Spruce / Colleen & Shannon Graham Here are a few signs to watch for that will let you know exactly when to pick sunflower seeds. Leave about 6 to 12 inches of stem attached to each bloom....

you could harvest zucchini at any time without harming the plant. Generally, it’s best to harvest this squash when it’s about 5" to 7" long. If desired, you’re able to harvest them even smaller. The Spruce / Heidi Kolsky you’re able to also harvest small squash with the flower attached. Harvesting Zucchini Flowers Zucchini plants produce both male and female flowers and arepollinatedby bees and other insects. The male flowers grow from a slender stem attached to the main plant....

Here are some tips for choosing flowers to dry,methods for drying them, and storage suggestions. Flowers with high water content, likesedum, don’t dry well. Always cut more flowers than you will need because you will probably lose some in the drying process. The Spruce / Melina Hammer In general, most flowers do best when cut slightly immature, with the bud not fully open. The flower will continue to open once it is cut....

Electricity, kerosene, and natural gas are other sources of heat for greenhouses. The tubes are filled with either air or a fluid like propylene glycol or methyl alcohol. Air-filled heating systems can even work in reverse. Antema / Getty Images In summer, they draw colder air from the earth to cool down the greenhouse. Heaters can be powered by 120V household current or by solar panels. Forced air heaters quickly get warm air moving during sudden cold spikes....

As the equipment on your desk grows, so does the chaos from cords and cables. Keep cords from taking over your work or study space with these 15 options to hide cords. Cords can be tucked behind the pots or foliage, hiding them from sight. Kristine Weilert / Stocksy Try incorporating trailing orvining plants, as the cascading foliage is the perfect camouflage for trailing cords. Simply stack books or display them upright with some decorative bookends and trail the cords behind them....

Learn 13 great options for hiding TV wires without a hassle. These braided sleeves fit up to seven wires and keep them compact and tidy. They can probably provide the same effect for teething children. ExperienceInteriors / Getty Images Want more cleaning and organizing tips? It’s a cord traffic jam that seems to attract cobwebs and debris like a magnet. Side cable ports can be opened or closed as needed....