Food Network personality Michael Symon stays connected with over 680,000 followers on Twitter, tweeting often and answering questions from fans. With herb gardens flourishing this time of year, Symon and his fans recently discussed growing basil, and Symon had an excellent tip for making the plant thrive.

Many of us have plucked the larger basil leaves at the base of the plant for our recipes, but these large leaves are responsible for providing most of the nutrients for the plant. Removing them hurts the plant and prevents it from growing more leaves and branches, so pruning is required regularly to keep the plant lush.