Picture an enticing Caprese salad in front of you — ripe tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, olive oil, and fragrant, sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum). If you grew the tomatoes yourself, then you may have used ...

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.