where abouts are you sharona? if you are in a very hot area, then you can grow them under a bit of shade and that does stop them from bolting. you can also freeze basil leaves if you have too much, just harvest a bunch of leaves, wash them and pop them into freezer bags and into the freezer for later use.

I also dry the leaves and crush them up. Basil is one of those that likes to bolt and you do pluck off the flower heads, as mentioned in a VERY RECENT POST (yesterday). Someone suggested to let it bolt and then use hedge clippers to chop off the tops. Once they get cut off, the side shoots grow bigger,and then they too bolt to flowers.

Thanks for the info about freezing basil. I didn't know that was possible and preserve its' flavor for a later date. I'll try that, since finding a shady location is too late at this point. Sorry for missing the VERY RECENT POST about basil bolting. (I did do a search before posting)

This is the thread Ksrogers was referring to, easy enough to escape the Search facility:

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/herbs/msg0609323216538.html?6

Basil is best frozen for future use. IMO, if it's dried, it tastes much like dried hay. Some people have found that basil will turn black when frozen. I've never had this problem, but if you're worried about it, briefly blanch it first (ie pour boiling water over the leaves), then dry off the water completely, then pack into your container or plastic bag. Label, including the date. I like to half-freeze them, then I open the packaging and move the leaves around so that they don't cling together too much. When freezing herbs, it's a good idea to pack them flat - not in a 'lump'. Much easier to break off frozen sections from a thin pancake, than to use a jackhammer to attack a mountain.

If you lay a bunch of basil leaves (no stems) onto a paper towel and zap in the microwave for just a few seconds, it will quickly wilt the basil. Then it can be bagged and frozen quite easily. The only time it might turn black would be if its been badly bruised or is cut up. My dried is still flavorful, but as mentioned not as good as fresh. Another thing that can be done is to make a basil based pesto and freeze it. I use garlic, pine nuts, olive oil, and coursly grated parm cheese. To bring up the flavor some, I add a dash of balsamic vinegar.