When to collect basil seeds

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milesdt Pulaski, GA Aug 20, 2011

I have two very healthy sweet basil plants in the garden and am letting them go to seed, so hopefully I can collect seeds for next year. The plants have little white flowers. Where are the seeds and when are they ready to collect?

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podster Deep East Texas, TX(Zone 8a) Aug 20, 2011

The blooms will last for a while. When the flowers/petals turn brown, you can wrap your fingers around the stem and run your hand up the stem and over the flower. This will remove the dried blooms. There will be tiny pods. Inside are small, hard, dark round seeds. You may need to roll and crush the dried foliage to extract the seeds. That is my favorite part. The fragrance is usually wonderful.

Do you know which basil you are growing?

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HoneybeeNC Charlotte, NC(Zone 7b) Aug 21, 2011

milesdt - I am so glad you asked this question. I grow sweet basil mainly for my neighbor and had wondered if the seeds could be collected. I purchased mine at W-mart for .99¢ - they look like little bushes out there!

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milesdt Pulaski, GA Aug 21, 2011

Podster, the package of seeds was given to me. It was from Big Lots, I think, and was quite old. Maybe 10 or more years old. I thought they wouldn't sprout but I sprinkled them on a tray of soil anyway. 5 of them sprouted. Only 2 survived in my garden. The packet said Sweet Basil.

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podster Deep East Texas, TX(Zone 8a) Aug 22, 2011

If I'm not mistaken, that is one of the large leaf basils? All the basils can be addictive.

The seeds germinate easily. To keep them fresh, I keep the seeds in the freezer.
The seeds will also drop to the ground and volunteer.
If you don't want the volunteer basils in that location, the tiny plants are forgiving and easy to relocate.

If you have more than one type blooming at the same time, they will freely cross and the seed won't come true next year.

The basils are also a good pollinator attractant for your garden.

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pacificbay Bellingham, WA Aug 22, 2011

"The basils are also a good pollinator attractant for your garden."

Oregano, too - we let our Greek Oregano go to flower and there are dozens of bees all over it every day when it's sunny.

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