Regular harvesting isn't just about enjoying your herbs — it also encourages fresh growth and helps keep your plants healthy, compact and productive.

Different plants benefit from different harvesting techniques, so here's how to get the most from your em-Li garden.

✂️ Herbs: Trim from the Top

Most herbs — including basil, oregano, mint, dill, sage, rosemary and thyme — respond well to regular trimming from the top.

For the best results, cut just above a node — the point on the stem where a pair of leaves or new shoots emerge. This encourages the plant to branch out and produce new growth.

🌱 A few simple rules:

• Never remove too much at once. Aim to harvest no more than about ⅓ of the plant in a single harvest.
• Always leave at least one healthy pair of leaves on the stem.
• Harvest regularly rather than waiting until the plant becomes too large.
• Use clean, sharp scissors or pruning shears for a clean cut.

The leaves are where plants capture light and carry out photosynthesis, so leaving enough healthy foliage allows the plant to continue growing strongly after harvesting.

🌿 Parsley & Coriander: Harvest from the Bottom

Parsley and coriander grow a little differently.

Rather than simply trimming the tops, harvest individual stems from the base of the plant.

Cut the entire stem close to the base, while leaving the younger stems and new growth in the centre of the plant.

As a general rule, don't harvest more than about ⅓ of the plant at once. This leaves enough foliage for the plant to continue growing.

🥗 Salad Greens: Harvest the Outer Leaves

Leafy greens such as arugula and romaine lettuce can give you repeated harvests when harvested correctly.

Instead of cutting the entire plant, pick or cut the largest outer leaves first, leaving the smaller leaves in the centre to continue growing.

With regular harvesting and enough young leaves developing in the middle, you can enjoy a continuous supply of fresh greens for months.

🌱 Is Your Pot Getting Crowded?

As your plants grow, some pots may become overcrowded.

If several plants are competing for space or light, thin them out by removing entire stems. You can do this even with plants that you would normally harvest from the top.

Removing a few plants or stems can give the remaining plants more space, light and airflow, helping them grow better.

💡 Make Sure Every Plant Gets Enough Light

Plants need plenty of light to grow well. As some plants grow faster than others, their larger leaves can start casting shadows over smaller neighbouring plants.

If you notice this happening, trim or harvest the larger plants to allow more light to reach the plants underneath.

For example:

Fast growers: arugula, parsley
Slower growers: basil, oregano, mint, thyme

Regular harvesting helps keep the canopy balanced so that every plant gets its share of the light.

🌸 Keep Your Herbs from Flowering

For most culinary herbs, regular harvesting is the best way to delay flowering.

Once many herbs begin to flower, they shift their energy toward producing flowers and seeds, and the flavour of the leaves can become stronger or more bitter.

em-Li's controlled light and nutrient supply can help support leafy growth and delay flowering, but it can't prevent flowering indefinitely.

The best approach is simple:

Harvest regularly → encourage fresh growth → keep your plants compact → enjoy more fresh herbs. 🌿

So don't be afraid to trim your plants! Regular harvesting is part of the growing process — and the more you harvest thoughtfully, the more your em-Li garden can keep giving. 😊