These 3 Easy Tricks Will Make Your Grocery Store Basil Plant Grow Huge in No Time
If you find that you're buying basil plants from your local grocery store only to use up all the leaves after just one or two recipes, you may be wasting your money and plant.
By immediately picking all the leaves off, you're likely slowly killing your plant, which may ultimately result in you having to go out, buy a new one and repeat the process all over again.
But if you're interested in growing a basil plant that not only lasts for a long time but will also grow huge, TikTok creator Jas (@lifeandjas) has a few videos packed with easy tricks to accomplish that very goal.
@lifeandjas Replying to @V linked all the tools i used to care for my basil in my bio!! i love my plants so im actually so excited to share how i grew my basil from trader joes-please drop a plant name. pt. 2 coming soon!! #plantmom#plant#basil#traderjoes#plants
Lovely Girl - Racing Mind
Trick #1: Water From the Bottom
Instead of watering the top of the soil, you want to get a self-watering pot and fill the bottom of it with water. If you don't have a self-watering pot, you can also take a pot with drainage holes in the bottom (or drill your own holes) and place it on a plate or shallow dish full of water.
According to Jas, basil can be finicky and tends to only want to "drink" water when it's ready. By adding water into the bottom, you're eliminating the guessing game of waiting for your basil to droop before watering it, ultimately resulting in a healthier plant and less work for you.
Related: Tomatoes and Basil Aren't Just a Classic Plate Pairing-They're Great Garden Partners Too
Trick #2: Re-Pot and Fertilize
If you're picking up your plant from a local grocery store, you do not want to keep it in the same pot or plastic sleeve you bought it in.
Because basil roots can quickly grow and become crowded, you want to ensure it has a big enough environment to grow into. While you don't want to go too big, you should be moving your basil plant into a new, larger home once you bring it indoors into your space.
Additionally, because you're not putting this basil into the ground, you want to think about using an indoor plant fertilizer or food to ensure it gets all the essential nutrients it's missing from your potting soil. For this, you want to mix the recommended amount of plant fertilizer into your basil's watering routine once every few weeks, according to Jas.
Trick #3: Prune Properly
Picking leaves for cooking or cutting your plant too often may be why your basil goes from full of luscious, fragrant leaves to browning sticks.
In another video from Jas, she explains the proper way to prune your basil, which includes waiting for when you see a lot of new leaf growth on a specific stem (this means it's close to flowering) and trimming it a few nodes down.
@lifeandjas Replying to @V linked my pruning shear in my bio!! how to prune your basil!! lol i filmed this not last weekend not knowing people actually wanted to know about this so drop your questions !! #plantmom#basil#plant#plants#traderjoes
Lovely Girl - Racing Mind
You don't want to do this too often unless your basil starts sprouting like crazy, but the reason for pruning is not just to be able to use the herb in cooking, but also so the plant splits from where you cut it.
In addition to the above tricks, propagating your basil plant into a new one, ensuring it has proper sun and managing any indoor pests like aphids are also essential to ensuring your basil plant is happy and healthy.
These tricks from Jas are some of the major ones you need to transform your supermarket basil plant from a quick recipe ingredient into a long-lasting indoor herb that keeps on giving.
Related: The Basil Transplanting Method Gardeners Swear By
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This story was originally published April 30, 2026 at 1:30 PM.