HERE IS A GARDEN TIP FROM MY FRIENDS AT TERROIR SEEDS:

Do you know how to keep your basil growing strong until the fall frost?

If left to its own ways, basil will burst into flowers about now, with almost every stalk sporting buds that will soon bloom and stop your supply of basil leaves, as the plant’s energy is redirected to flowering instead of leaf production.

The way to stop this and extend the glorious fresh basil season is to pinch the buds off, keeping the energy in leaf production.

The top photo shows where to pinch the buds from the stem, and the photo below shows what a few buds look like.

Don’t throw those buds away! If you smell them, they have a wondrously dense basil aroma that is perfect for perking up summer salads, boosting fresh-made mayonnaise, or adding anywhere the heavenly aroma of fresh basil will be appreciated.