When to plant basil
Plant basil 1–3 weeks after the last spring frost. Wait until the soil is at least 60°F. That works out to zone 5b (mid May to late May), zone 7a (late April to early May) and zone 9a (early March to late March).
Basil planting dates by zone
| Zone | Plant outdoors | basil ready from |
|---|---|---|
| 4a | May 22 – Jun 5 | Jul 28 |
| 4b | May 20 – Jun 3 | Jul 26 |
| 5a | May 18 – Jun 1 | Jul 24 |
| 5b | May 12 – May 26 | Jul 18 |
| 6a | May 7 – May 21 | Jul 13 |
| 6b | May 1 – May 15 | Jul 7 |
| 7a | Apr 22 – May 6 | Jun 28 |
| 7b | Apr 13 – Apr 27 | Jun 19 |
| 8a | Apr 3 – Apr 17 | Jun 9 |
| 8b | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | May 29 |
| 9a | Mar 9 – Mar 23 | May 15 |
| 9b | Feb 11 – Feb 25 | Apr 19 |
How to plant basil
| Plant as | transplants or seeds outdoors |
|---|---|
| Soil temperature | 60°F or warmer |
| Depth | 1/4 in |
| Spacing | 12 in |
| Light | Full sun |
| Time to harvest | 60–90 days |
| Start indoors | 6–8 weeks before the last frost (zone 6a: Mar 5 – Mar 19; zone 8a: Jan 30 – Feb 13) |
Basil blackens at 40°F, well above frost, so it is one of the last herbs to plant.
It grows fast from seed once the soil is warm.
Sow a second batch midsummer for fresh leaves into fall.
Genovese is the classic pesto basil; Thai, lemon and purple basils add different flavors and colors.
Downy mildew causes yellow leaves with gray fuzz underneath in humid summers; resistant varieties such as Prospera help.
Store cut basil stems in a glass of water at room temperature: the refrigerator turns the leaves black.
When to harvest basil
Pinch stem tips once plants have six leaves and keep pinching off flower buds for bushier plants.
Exact dates for your town: planting calendar · frost dates by state.