Spice Gyrls-- Basil plant ???

[MinnBobber]

OK spice gyrls or guys, I have a 2 year old indoor basil plant that is a tall, spindly, and not good.
The basil's plant-sitter from this winter looked like they killed it----only a handful of leaves but
I revived it.
Now I check out info on pruning and it appears I've been doing it exactly opposite of the recommended
method to prune it down---keep it low and full.
My method was to harvest leaves from the bottom as they get the least sun etc. So, naked at the bottom
with a full top with long singular branches.

It has two main trunks with higher up branches that are very long.
Any pics of a properly grown basil???

Am I better off to start a new plant and prune it properly?
? Prune by cutting just above the two leaf pairs so that then grows two stems, etc???
Does this yield a low bushy plant?

Thanks
P.S any ideas on how to keep those f#cking squirrels out of hanging bird feeders and porch railing
flower beds?

 

[Squiby]

Am I better off to start a new plant and prune it properly?

Either or. You can start pruning the new growth on your existing plant and it will bush out but you'll end up with sort of a tree shape.

If you start with a new plant and prune the new growth often, it will reward you with pushing out more stems and branching out into a thick bush.

Prune by cutting just above the two leaf pairs so that then grows two stems, etc???
Does this yield a low bushy plant?

Yes, that's exactly right.

P.S any ideas on how to keep those f#cking squirrels out of hanging bird feeders and porch railing
flower beds?

I have no success with keeping them off my feeders but I sprinkle a bit cayenne pepper in the flower baskets and the squirrel leave them alone. Repeat after every rain.