Durring the heat of the summer Basil will continually attempt to bolt to seed. Once seeds have developed the flavor of the leaves diminishes greatly. Here is how to prevent it.
At first sign of flowering (see picture) cut the stems one-inch bellow flower bud and continue to do so at first sign of any flowering.
Harvest 1/3 of each stem and dry harvested portion (or use fresh) at least 3 times during the summer, or as often as needed.
Harvest the plant the leaves of the basil plant frequently to prevent flowering. Frequent harvesting also encourages rapid growth.
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Cut stems at first sign of flowering
Basil flowers form a large bud compared to plant size, which makes it very easy to tell when flowers are about to develop. At first sign of flower development cut the stem about 1” directly bellow the developing flower.
Harvest top 1/3 of each stem
After first sign of flower development it is time to harvest the top 1/3 of each stem. This practice will cause the plant to revert back to growth mode and get out of flowering mode for a short period of time.
Harvest leaves often
If the plant is prevented from developing flowers it will grow rather rapidly. Because of this rapid growth the leaves should be harvested frequently. The frequent harvest will also encourage even more rapid growth!
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July 31st, 2009 at 2:01 am
I’ve been doing this with my chinese basil plants and I let them bolt only when I want seeds. Thanks for the tips.
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July 31st, 2009 at 3:11 am
@momgateway,
I tend to not worry about seed. I just use cuttings from the basil for next year and keep the plant going indoors during the coldest part of the season. It does not grow much, but it does keep my favorite herb alive and well!
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September 7th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
On the other hand…
I always let at least some of the basil flower. These flowers attract a lot of butterflies and bees and these insects may also pollinate your other veggies.
Once a plant has gone to seed, I use it for pesto where it’s mixed with other ingredients and its bitterness is not noticeable.
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September 7th, 2009 at 8:07 pm
@Ginny Stibolt,
Great recommendations, thanks for your input!
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January 5th, 2010 at 1:41 am
Great tips on preventing basil from bolting. Basil is probably my favorite herb (rosemary is a very close second), and bolting is something that I have a hard time keeping up with at times. I will definitely try this method this upcoming season!
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