How do you deseed basil

[gixxerific]

I have a ton of basil too bad most of the leaves have poo or dead bugs stuck to them so my saving the leaves went south.

But I saved a bunch of browned flower stems. What is the easiest way to extract the seed?


Thanks.

[rainbowgardener]

The seeds need to be mature. That is, the seed capsules are brown and have opened slightly so that you can see the little black seed inside.

In that case I just pick them, let them dry on a paper towel for a day or so, then rub the flower spikes around on a small gauge strainer. Mostly only the seeds go through.

Can't you wash your leaves? What kind of bugs did you have? One reason I love to grow herbs is that nothing (insects, critters, etc) bothers them, but apparently that is not everyone's experience (Susan W recently posted about all the bugs eating hers).

[Jordican]

I just shake the brown flowery stem in a pot of soil, I have it growing out of the cracks in the ground!