All I have to remember is to nip off the flowers as they form, something I do whenever I find myself engaged in a long phone conversation. I take the phone to the garden and pinch off flowers as I talk. Later, I toss the flowers with lettuce or scatter them over a bowl of pasta. Here I am holed up midsummer battling an unruly manuscript and my basil has never looked better. It's almost enough to give one hope.
Basil likes hot weather.
Sweet basil is the most common type but it has been joined in recent years by numerous varieties, from Thai basil and opal basil to lemon basil, cinnamon basil, and licorice basil. As durable as basil may be in the garden, it is fragile once it is picked. The leaves bruise easily and wilt quickly. If you buy your basil at the farmers market or grocery store, you should use it that day. Its short shelf life is a good argument for growing your own, so that you can harvest leaves as you need them.