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How to Plant and Grow Basil

sweet basil leaves as nice natural food background
Photo Credit
Jirik V/Shutterstock
Botanical Name
Ocimum basilicum
Plant Type
Herbs
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Soil pH
Slightly Acidic to Neutral
Bloom Time
Summer
Flower Color
Pink
Purple
White

A Fresh Take on Everyone’s Favorite Herb

Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Basil isn’t just for pesto—this fragrant, flavorful herb is a garden MVP. Whether you’re growing it in your backyard, on a patio, or right on your kitchen windowsill, basil is easy to grow and endlessly useful. From starting seeds indoors to snipping the perfect leaves for your next meal, we’ll walk you through how to plant, grow, and harvest basil like a pro.

About Basil

Basil is a member of the mint family (Lamiaceae) and one of the most popular culinary herbs. It’s a warm-weather annual that can be planted outdoors once temperatures are consistently above 50°F. 

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Basil is not usually seeded directly into the soil; typically, gardeners transplant small starter plants purchased at a nursery. Or, they may start the seeds themselves indoors under grow lights.

Common or sweet basil, Ocimum basilicum, is the most common basil; other types include purple basil (less sweet than common basil), lemon basil (lemon flavor), and Thai basil (licorice flavor)

If you’re planning on making pesto, grow several plants. For other uses, one or two basil plants yield plenty.

Read Next

Planting

Where to Plant Basil

Basil will grow best in a location that gets 6 to 8 hours of full sun daily, though it can perform well in partial sun, too.

Soil should be moderately fertile and moist but well-draining. Basil works great in containers or raised beds, as these allow for better drainage. The pH of the soil should ideally be in the range of 6.0 to 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral).

If you plan on cooking with these plants, plant in clean soil, don’t use insecticides, and grow them away from driveways and busy streets so exhaust won’t settle on the plants.

When to Plant Basil

  • To get a jump on the season, start the seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before transplanting outside. (See local frost dates.)
  • To plant outside, wait until the soil has warmed to at least 50°F (10°C)—preferably around 70ºF (21°C) for best growth. Nighttime temperatures shouldn’t drop below 50°F (10°C).
  • Don’t rush basil. Without heat, the plant won’t grow well!

Spacing for Basil

How to Plant Basil

  • If you are sowing seeds directly into the ground, sow no more than 1/4-inch deep. Seeds should germinate within 5 to 7 days. Once they have developed 2 to 3 pairs of true leaves, transplant them.
  • If you are planting the germinated seedlings or starter plants in the ground, spaced 10 to 12 inches apart, basil should grow to about 12 to 24 inches in height.
  • A 2- to 3-inch mulch of compost or ground-up leaves retains soil moisture and minimizes weeds around the plants.
  • Tomatoes make great neighbors for basil plants in the garden—and on the plate—so many gardeners will plant the two warm-weather friends around the same time.
Basil and tomato plants growing in the garden
A tomato plant (center) growing alongside basil.

Growing

How to Grow Basil

  • Make sure that the soil is moist. Basil plants like moisture.
    • If you live in a hot area, use mulch around the plants (the mulch will help hold in moisture and suppress weeds).
    • During the dry periods in summer, water the plants freely.
  • After the seedlings have produced their first six leaves, prune above the second set. This encourages the plants to start branching, resulting in more leaves for harvest.
  • Every time a branch has six to eight leaves, repeat pruning the branches back to their first set of leaves.
  • Fertilize sparingly throughout the season with a 5-10-5 fertilizer.
  • After about 6 weeks, pinch off the center shoot to prevent early flowering. If flowers do grow, just cut them off.
  • If the weather is going to be cold or if a sudden frost is imminent, be sure to harvest your basil beforehand, as the cold temperatures will destroy your plants.

Basil growing in a pot

Types

  • Cinnamon basil, to add a hint of cinnamon to a dish
  • Purple basil adds some nice color to your garden (when steeped in white vinegar, it creates a beautiful color)
  • Thai basil adds a sweet licorice flavor to a dish.

See our post about basil varieties in the garden.

Harvesting

How to Harvest Basil

  • Start picking the leaves of basil as soon as the plants are 6 to 8 inches tall.
  • Once temperatures hit 80°F (27°C), basil will really start leafing out.
  • Harvest in the early morning, when leaves are at their juiciest.
  • Make sure to pick the leaves regularly to encourage growth throughout the summer.
  • Even if you don’t need the leaves, pick them to keep the plant going. Store them for later use!
  • If you pick regularly, twelve basil plants can produce 4 to 6 cups of leaves per week.

How to Store Basil

  • The best method for storing basil is freezing. Freezing will prevent the plant from losing a good portion of its flavor. To quick-freeze basil, package whole or chopped leaves in airtight, resealable plastic bags, then place them in the freezer.
  • Another storage method is drying the basil (although some flavor will be lost). Pinch off the leaves at the stem and place them in a well-ventilated and shady area. After 3 to 4 days, if the plants are not completely dry, place them in the oven on the lowest heat setting with the door slightly open. Remember to turn the leaves (for equal drying) and check them frequently. See more about drying basil, tomatoes, and paprika.

Gardening Products

Pests/Diseases

Wit and Wisdom

  • Basil has a lovely fragrance. Pick from the stems and put in water for a few days as you would with cut flowers!
  • For other greens to use in your cuisine, see our Leafy Greens: Health Benefits page.

Where salt is good, so is basil.
–Italian saying

Recipes
Fresh Tomato and Basil Quiche
Tomato, Basil, and Mozzarella Sandwiches
Farro Salad With Basil and Feta
Fresh Basil and Tomato Frittata
Green Bean and Basil Soup
Caprese Bruschetta
Basil Pesto
Roasted Red Pepper, Mozzarella, and Basil–Stuffed Chicken

Cooking Notes

Make herbal vinegar using basil; it retains the flavor and makes a great gift! See how to make herbal vinegar.

Herbs
About The Author
Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann is the Executive Digital Editor of Almanac.com, the website companion of The Old Farmer's Almanac. She covers gardening, plants, pest control, soil composition, seasonal and moon c...
Read More from Catherine Boeckmann

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Comments

<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Mon, 06/23/2014 - 14:49

Basil is happy almost anywhere so it should be happy among flowers. Your purpole variety actually produces pink flowers when it goes to seed!

Overwintering is not usually an option; basil is an annual.

 <span>Mad Cow</span> Wed, 06/04/2014 - 12:22
I planted basil and tomatoes two weeks ago. The tomato plants have doubled in size but the basil isn't growing. I pinched the tops just in case but no action. Help!
<span>Ryan Kinney</span> Sun, 06/01/2014 - 17:30
What do you mean 'prune above the second set'? Mine already have more than six leaves, can I still harvest them?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Tue, 06/03/2014 - 09:21

Hi, Ryan,

That means prune—or harvest—above the second set (pair) of leaves from the soil up. This will help the plant become stronger from the stem and not straggly and top heavy.

If you have six leave on one stem in three sets, the advice is to pick only the top two leaves. You can eat these, btw. As it says above "Every time a branch has six to eight leaves, repeat pruning the branches back to their first set of leaves."

Hope this helps!

 <span>Mad Cow</span> Sat, 05/31/2014 - 16:24
I planted some basil plants from a nursery a week ago and a few leaves on two of the plants are yellow and have holes in them. I live in northeast Ohio. Can you give me a diagnosis?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Tue, 06/03/2014 - 09:44

It could be fulsarium wilt. This can be caused by high humidity, poor circulation, splashing of water on leaves. It may have been on the plant before you got it. See here for pics of leaf disease: http://plantclinic.cornell.edu/factsheets/basildiseases.pdf

If possible remove the infected leaves, adjust conditions accordingly and see if it gets stronger.

I've grown several seedlings from the same set in one pot and often at least one fails to thrive: exact same soil, conditions, etc. I don't ever know why.

 <span>Tierra</span> Sun, 05/25/2014 - 17:26
I grew basil last year. i removed the entire plant after the first frost. this year, there is basil growing all over my garden. i was pulling them because i thought they were weeds but the smell of basil is pretty clear. did the plant seed before i pulled it? and how can i avoid this this year. i planted them in a different area but i dont want them all over the area next year.
<span>Dupuisann</span> Thu, 08/14/2014 - 11:30
This sounds a lot like the problem I had, but I sincerely hope yours is different. A neighbor gave me what she called mint basil. Well....it belonged to the mint family more than the basil family and I had it all over my garden for years. Tiny roots were being transferred all over the garden by our tiller. Wonderful in many dishes and soups, but just did not want so much of it. Good luck with yours.
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Tue, 06/03/2014 - 09:36

Hi, Tierra, Basil, being an annual, is not generally recognized as a plant that self sows from seed; the seeds would normally die in the cold/freeze of winter. Apparently the Thai variety is the most likely to succeed in surviving in a mild climate.

Did you plant Thai basil? If last year's crop flowered and the flowers dried up and, presumably, fell to the ground before you cleared the garden, then these might be basil. You might let a couple go/grow for a while and see what they become.

Or, clear the lot now and . To avoid the risk next year, if indeed it is basil, harvest before the plants flower.

 

 <span>Ljordan</span> Fri, 03/07/2014 - 10:28
How do you know when then last frost is? I can even figure out when a frost is going to happen.