Can you keep Basil and Cinnamon Basil inside over the winter?

[Stubbornhillfarm]

I had a lady bring me in a huge Basil plant. She let it flower and then pulled much of it from her garden. She also gave me a Cinnamon Basil plant. She suggested keeping them in over the winter. I did pot them up, but is this really going to work? How do I handle the Basil that is about 2 1/2 ft tall and has flowers on it if I want it to keep growing throughout the winter.

Any ideas or suggestions?

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'v never tried keeping basil over for the winter. I just dehydrate it and keep plenty of dried basil over the winter, planting fresh every spring.

I expect if you keep it pruned to where it never flowers, it might work. Keep picking off the flowers as they start to form, but occasionally cut the entire stem off. Just make sure you cut it off above a little bud that can develop into a new stem. If it never flowers it could easily keep going and this severe pruning should keep it a managable size.

Good luck if you try it. Let us know how it goes.

 

[Stubbornhillfarm]

Thanks! I will try it. Why not? It was free! The cinnamon basil is a nice compact managable size right now, so I will stay on top of it. The other, has beautiful flowers that I will cut and cut the stems down significantly as well. I'll dry that and hope for the best that it just keeps growing.