A basil plant from the supermarket usually dies within a fortnight. The same plant in a garden bed can feed a household all season. The difference is almost entirely in how it is cut.

Cut stems, not leaves

Picking single leaves leaves a bare stalk that keeps growing upward. Instead, cut a whole stem back to just above a pair of side shoots. The plant answers by sending out two new stems from that point, so every harvest makes it bushier.

Take a third at a time

Basil, mint, oregano and marjoram can lose up to a third of their growth in one go and bounce back within a fortnight. Parsley and coriander are harvested from the outside in — take the outer stalks at the base and leave the young centre alone.

Never let them flower

Once a herb flowers it puts its energy into seed and the leaves turn bitter. Pinch flower buds out the moment you see them. Coriander and rocket bolt fastest in heat, so keep them shaded through the middle of the day and sow a few new ones every three weeks.

The woody ones are different

Rosemary, thyme and sage are shrubs. Trim them lightly and regularly, always cutting into green growth — cut back into bare wood and that branch often will not return.

Herbs are the easiest surplus to share

A single well-cut plant gives far more than one kitchen needs, and herbs travel beautifully over a short distance. HomeGrown™ lets home gardeners sell or give away that extra to neighbours, cafés and restaurants nearby.