Gardener reveals how she grows her massive 'world famous' plant: 'I can't believe how big and healthy this is'

One gardener's simple trick can help you grow an infinite amount of basil, and it's really very easy. 

The scoop

Posting on TikTok, a gardener from Texas revealed how her "world famous" basil plant got so big. Ashton (@ashnicholel) explained that she started with a small plant, which grew to the huge bush shown in the video in just six months. 

@ashnicholel my world famous basil 🤪 . . . #slowliving #homemaker #gardentok #gardening #backyardgarden #homegarden #homegrown #vegetablegarden #basilplant ♬ Hang on Little Tomato - Pink Martini

To help it reach that size, Ashton constantly prunes the plant, removing leaves and stems at least once a day. To prune the basil, Ashton explains that you need to look for where it branches off and remove the branch to prevent the plant from budding. 

How it's helping

Gardening hacks are great for people who grow their own produce and want to expand their food sources without buying new seeds or plants or investing in expensive fertilizers that often add dangerous chemicals to soil.

Growing your own fruits, veggies, and herbs can provide you with delicious and nutritious food that tastes much better than produce bought at the store. This is because the food you grow doesn't have to travel hundreds of miles wrapped in plastic to end up on your plate. As a bonus, you get to decide what you add to the soil, which means you aren't unknowingly putting harmful chemicals, such as pesticides, in your body. 

Gardening and spending time outside also offer other benefits, including improvements in both physical and mental health. Research has shown that spending just 20 minutes a day connecting with nature, through walking or spending time in a park or your own yard, helps lower stress hormones and improves overall well-being, according to Harvard Medical School. 

Planting produce and native plants is also good for the environment, as it supports wildlife and helps reduce the amount of food that needs to be mass-produced and transported around the globe. 

What everyone's saying

The popular post received nearly 200 comments and over 16,000 likes, and many commenters were impressed with the size of the basil plant. 

"That is the largest basil plant I've ever seen," one wrote.

Another added, "I can't believe how big and healthy this is!"

What is the biggest reason you don't grow food at home? Not enough time ⏳ Not enough space 🤏 It seems too hard 😬 I have a garden already 😎 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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