To harvest fresh basil, wait until your plant has several pairs of leaves, approximately 2-4, and is 8 inches to 1 foot tall. If you only want a few leaves for a dish, snip off the top leaves, just above the next lower node. In a healthy plant, this can be done as often as once a week. More extensive harvesting can be done every 3-4 weeks.
After harvesting, wash your basil and spin or pat dry. If you want to use it fresh over the next couple of days, wrap the dry basil in paper towels and place it in an airtight bag in the fridge. If you wish to dry the basil, bundle the whole leaves, wrap a string or rubber band around the stems, and hang the bunch to dry. The drying process will take about a week. If you live in a humid climate, it may take longer. After the basil has dried, store it in an airtight container away from heat and light. It will last about a year.
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