If you have a basil and it has flowers, don’t throw them away because you can use them in a variety of ways. Below, we’ll show you everything.

Basil is one of the most loved and used aromatic herbs. Its scent and flavor are truly unique and almost everyone loves it. It complements many dishes and gives it that extra touch that you don’t want to miss. It is precisely because of its use that it is often decided to plant it close to home. Whether you have a vegetable garden or a simple balcony, just put in a pot and start growing. This way, you’ll always have it handy and you won’t have to ask your greengrocer. It will always be fresh and taking care of it is really simple. All you need is a few small precautions and you’re done.

What you don’t know though is that you don’t have to throw away the basil flowers. In fact, even these are edible and you recognize them because they are similar to ears only, they are slightly smaller and thinner. They grow and are usually cut and discarded. Now, we’re going to show you why you absolutely shouldn’t throw them away.

Don’t throw away basil flowers

As we just said, basil has spikelets on each stem where there are small white flowers. These are usually cut when they reach a few centimeters. The cut will indeed allow the stem to grow and consequently have more basil leaves. Some of these spikelets, however, you can grow them up to a maximum of 10/15 centimeters to be able to use them in the kitchen and beyond. When they have reached this length, you can proceed to cut them, but be careful because this is not eaten as well as the leaves but must be dried first.

The spikelets are therefore edible but must first be dried. Once you reach a decent length, you can detach them from the basil plant which will continue to grow even more and you can put them in the sun for several hours. Be careful that there is no wind otherwise the spikelets will fly away. Once they are dried it will take about 48 hours, you can use them in a variety of ways. However, we recommend putting this herb in a jar with a lid to ensure that it retains its aroma. But let’s see how to use them in a very simple way below.

Basil vinegar: here’s how

With dried spikelets, you can get a vinegar with a basil imprint by simply pouring the dried spikelets into the bottle. Let it steep for about 7 days, then strain the mixture. Here, you will have obtained basil vinegar in a very simple way without going to the supermarket.

Create a seedling

With basil spikelets, it is also possible to multiply basil and give birth to a new seedling. In this case, it is advisable to dry the spikelets directly on the plant. As soon as they rubbed it then on soft soil mixed with sand. These should always be moist and exposed to the sun. If you do it in spring or summer, the result is guaranteed. After a few weeks, you will see the first leaves appear and slowly the plant will start to grow. These are just a few methods to use basil differently and you should at least try.