Eating Garden

How to Grow Basil

Ocimum basilicum

A tender summer herb that grows fast, hates cold nights, and gives more the more often you cut it.

By · Updated · How we source and review advice

Already growing? Get care help

At a glance

  • Difficulty

    Easy

    1 of 5 · More shovels, more care

  • Sunlight

    Full sun

    6 to 8 hours a day

  • Water

    Average thirst

  • First harvest

    50 to 75 days

    from sowing

  • Growing in a pot

    2 gal or bigger

  • Plant spacing

    6 to 12 in apart

More about this plant

Basil is one of the easiest things to grow and one of the easiest to ruin. Do not put it out until nights are warm, cut the growing tips regularly instead of picking single leaves, and pinch off flower buds the moment you see them.

  • Grows for one season.
  • Can grow in indoors, the open ground.
  • Fine in a small space.
  • A good one to grow together with children.
  • Ready to pick quickly.

Which kind of basil should I grow?

  • Genovese

    The classic large-leaved pesto basil.

  • Thai

    Spicier, with sturdier leaves that hold up to heat in cooking.

Make it your plan

Add your location for local planting datesAdd place

A U.S. ZIP uses official NOAA frost records. Other countries use weather-station records, or a climate reconstruction where stations are missing. Coordinates are used once and not stored. We save only a place label and climate summary in a private browser cookie. You can clear it anytime.

What are you starting with?
Where will it grow?

For a plant staying inside, see the indoor-growing advice below. Local dates describe outdoor seasons.

Your plan, starting Nov 10, 2026

Estimated harvest: Dec 30, 2026 – Jan 24, 2027. Add your location to compare this date with local planting windows. Your chosen date stays the same.

Add your location to compare this date with local planting windows. Your chosen date stays the same.

Estimated first harvest

Dec 30, 2026 – Jan 24, 2027

Counted from sowing. Variety, plant age, weather, and care can change this estimate.

Once a plant has two or three pairs of true leaves you can begin cutting.

Warm and sheltered. It wants at least six to eight hours of bright light and sulks as soon as nights turn cold.

First, gather a few things

  • Basil seeds
  • A pot of at least 2 gallons, with drainage holes
  • Potting mix that drains well
  • A watering can or hose

Start or plant it

Follow the steps for the way you chose to start.

  1. Start here

    1. Sow shallow, and warm

    Cover the seed with about a quarter of an inch of soil. It should come up in five to seven days somewhere warm.

  2. 2. Thin to one strong plant

    Once seedlings have two to three pairs of true leaves, thin or space them six to twelve inches apart. Crowded basil gets mildew.

Water

Check the soil first. Heat, rain, and pots can change how often this plant needs water.

  1. 1. Check before you water

    Push a finger about 1 inch into the soil. Water when it feels dry there.

  2. 2. Water the roots

    Water slowly at the base until the soil feels moist a few inches down. For a pot, water until a little runs out of the drainage holes.

    Water deeply every seven to ten days in the ground. Plants in pots dry out faster and need checking more often. Water the soil in the morning so the leaves are dry by night.

Need help judging moisture? Read how to check the soil and water the roots.

If the plant looks unhappy

  • Too dry

    Leaves go limp through the afternoon and recover after watering.

    If the soil is dry, water deeply and check it again tomorrow.

  • Too wet

    Stems blacken at soil level and the plant collapses quickly.

    If the soil is wet, wait before watering again and check that excess water can drain away.

While it grows

Check on your plant and do these jobs as they come up.

  1. 1. Pinch the tips

    Every week or so, cut the top two to three inches of each stem just above a pair of leaves. The plant branches from every cut.

  2. 2. Remove flower buds on sight

    Once basil flowers it puts its energy into seed and the leaves turn bitter and coarse.

Looking after it

  • FeedingRarely needs feedingOnce or twice through the season is enough in the ground. Plants in containers need feeding every three to four weeks.
  • NitrogenToo much nitrogen costs some crop
  • PruningNeeds pruningPrune through the whole season. Cut the growing tip just above a pair of leaves and the plant branches from the cut instead of running to a single woody stem.
  • ThinningThin seedlings to 6 in apartCrowded seedlings stay small. Pull the weaker ones and keep the strongest.
  • MulchA thin mulch keeps the roots cool through high summer.

Pick and store it

Use the plant's signs of readiness, then harvest gently.

  1. 1. Check if it is ready

    Once a plant has two or three pairs of true leaves you can begin cutting.

  2. 2. Pick it

    Clip the top two to three inches of a stem, leaving about four leaves on the plant. Do this about once a week: it makes the plant branch and stops it flowering.

  3. 3. Keep it fresh

    Stand cut stems in a glass of water at room temperature, not in the fridge. To keep it longer, dry or freeze it; either keeps about a year.

You might pick about 4 to 8 oz per plant. Weather, variety, and care can change this amount.

Common problems

  • Aphids

    Common, worth watching for

    Look for: Clusters on the tips and under leaves, sticky leaves, and ants running up the stems.

    What to do: Knock them off with a jet of water, or rub them off by hand. Insecticidal soap for a heavy attack.

    How to prevent it next time

    Prevention: Do not overfeed with nitrogen, which makes the soft growth they love. Leave a few flowers nearby for ladybirds.

  • Slugs and snails

    Common, worth watching for

    Look for: Ragged holes in leaves and silvery trails in the morning.

    What to do: Go out after dark with a torch and collect them. Beer traps work in a small bed.

    Young plants can vanish overnight.

    How to prevent it next time

    Prevention: Water in the morning so the ground is drier at night. Clear hiding places near the bed.

  • Damping off

    Can ruin the crop

    Look for: A thin, dark, pinched stem right at the surface, and a seedling lying flat.

    What to do: There is no saving an affected seedling. Remove it, let the surface dry a little, and sow again.

    The commonest way basil seedlings are lost.

    How to prevent it next time

    Prevention: Use clean trays and fresh compost, do not sow too thickly, and give seedlings air movement.

  • Powdery mildew

    Common, worth watching for

    Look for: Pale, powdery patches on the upper side of leaves, spreading until the leaf yellows.

    What to do: Remove the worst leaves. In a bad year, a milk or potassium bicarbonate spray slows it down.

    Basil downy mildew is the one to watch for: fluffy growth on the leaf undersides.

    How to prevent it next time

    Prevention: Leave room between plants for air to move. Water the soil, not the leaves.

Common mistakes

  • Putting it out too early

    Basil is as frost tender as a tomato and sulks below about 50F. There is no advantage to planting it early.

  • Picking single leaves

    You end up with a bare stalk and a few leaves on top. Cutting whole tips is what makes the plant bushy.

  • Letting it flower

    The leaves turn bitter within days. Pinch the buds out as they appear.

  • Crowding the plants

    Basil downy mildew thrives where air cannot move. Give each plant six to twelve inches.

Companion plants for basil

Some of this is measured in trials and some is long-standing garden practice. Each note below says which it is.

Good together

Trials show a real benefit:

  • TomatoStudies found basil grown with tomatoes reduced thrips, and growing basil between tomatoes may also help the tomatoes grow.Measured in trials

Extension programs recommend this pairing:

  • CilantroCoriander (cilantro) has sometimes been found to deter pest insects when grown among basil.Recommended by extension programs
  • Bell PepperStart basil early, then plant peppers into the same bed as the basil matures, so the space stays in use.Recommended by extension programs
How to choose companion plants

Questions about basil

Tap a question to see the answer.

Will basil grow where I live?

Warm and sheltered. It wants at least six to eight hours of bright light and sulks as soon as nights turn cold.

  • LightFull sunAbout 6 to 8 hours of direct sun a day.
  • ShadeCopes with a little shade
  • SeasonA warm season cropUsually grown in summer.
  • TemperatureHappiest at 70 to 90 °FIt can survive 40 to 100 °F.
  • FrostFrost kills it
  • HeatLoves heat
  • AirNo strong preference
  • Hardiness zonesZones 2a to 11bZones describe winter cold only. They do not say when to plant.

What soil is best for basil?

  • Soil pH6.0 to 7.5A cheap test kit from a garden centre will tell you yours.
  • Soil it likesLoam
  • DrainageWants well drained ground
  • RichnessAverage ground is fine

A little compost is plenty. Very rich ground gives soft growth and weaker flavour.

Before changing your soil, learn how to test soil acidity and understand the result.

When and how deep do I plant basil?

When to plant

Match these relative steps to your local seasons. Where frost applies, use the last freezing night in spring and the first in fall. In frost-free climates, follow trusted local seasonal guidance.

  • Start indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frostSix to eight weeks before you plan to plant outside.
  • Plant out 1 to 4 weeks after your last spring frostOnly once the danger of spring frost has passed.
  • Sow outdoors 2 to 5 weeks after your last spring frostDirect sowing works once the soil is properly warm.
When you can start picking
  • 6 to 20 weeks after your last spring frost
  • Seeds usually sprout in 5 to 7 days.
  • Ready to pick about 50 to 75 days from sowing.
  • Picking lasts about 14 weeks.
  • For a steady supply, sow a few more every 21 days.

What you need

  • How to start itFrom seed or a young plantYou can sow it straight into the ground, or start it indoors first.
  • How deep to plant0.25 in
    Planting depth: 0.25 in below the soil surface. Drawing is not to scale.
  • How far apart6 to 12 inLeave 18 to 24 in between rows.
    Leave 6 to 12 in between plants and 18 to 24 in between rows. View from above; drawing is not to scale.
  • How deep the roots go6 to 12 inUseful when picking a pot or planning a raised bed.
    Roots reach 6 to 12 in below the soil surface. Scale in inches; root shape is a guide. The dotted line marks the shallow end of the range.
  • Pot size2 gal or bigger
    Choose a pot that holds 2 gal or more. Shape and plant size are a guide.

What happens to basil through the year?

Measured from your last spring frost, because seasons differ from garden to garden. In frost-free climates, use trusted local seasonal guidance alongside these relative steps.

  1. Start seeds indoors

    6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost

  2. Plant out

    1 to 4 weeks after your last spring frost

  3. Sow outdoors

    2 to 5 weeks after your last spring frost

  4. Growing

    about 1 weeks of growing

  5. Picking

    6 to 20 weeks after your last spring frost

How do I give basil a better start?

Simple ways to help your basil grow, from the soil up.

  • Start with good soil

    A little compost is plenty. Very rich ground gives soft growth and weaker flavour.

  • Give the soil a cover

    A thin mulch keeps the roots cool through high summer.

  • Make room to grow

    Thin seedlings to 6 inches apart.

  • Feed with care

    Once or twice through the season is enough in the ground. Plants in containers need feeding every three to four weeks.

Why is my basil tall and spindly?

It has not been pinched, or it is short of light. Cut the growing tip above a pair of leaves every week or so and give it six to eight hours of bright light; the plant branches out instead of stretching up.

Should I let basil flower?

Not if you want leaves. Flowering turns the plant woody and the leaves bitter within days. Pinch buds off as soon as you see them.

What are the fuzzy grey patches under the leaves?

Basil downy mildew. It can kill whole plants and spreads fast in still, humid air. Give plants room, water the soil rather than the leaves, and remove affected plants rather than trying to save them.

Can basil live indoors all year?

It can on a bright windowsill, but it will be slower and smaller in winter. It wants as much light as you can give it.

Helpful gardening guides

Dig into the next thing you need, from starting a garden to getting watering right.

Starting your first garden? Choose your space and get it ready, then plan local planting times.

Browse all gardening guides

Also filed under: Herbs

Where this came from

Advice varies with your climate and variety. Check the sources behind each section.

Sources & review dates
Light and weather
University of Minnesota Extension, Growing basil in home gardens · checked 2026-09-11 · Light requirement
Planting
University of Minnesota Extension, Growing basil in home gardens · checked 2026-09-11 · Sowing depth and spacing
Timing
University of Minnesota Extension, Growing basil in home gardens · checked 2026-09-11 · Germination days and the indoor start window
University of Minnesota Extension, Growing peppers · checked 2026-09-24 · Where frost is rare, warm-season crops are timed to months whose nights usually stay above 50°F.
UC Master Gardeners of Placer County, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, Tomato blossom drop · checked 2026-09-24 · Where frost is rare, warm-season crops avoid months whose nights usually stay above 75°F.
University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, UC Master Gardener Program, Time of planting · checked 2026-09-24 · Where frost is rare, warm-season crops are timed to months with days between 65°F and 95°F.
Water
University of Minnesota Extension, Growing basil in home gardens · checked 2026-09-11 · Watering interval
Looking after it
University of Minnesota Extension, Growing basil in home gardens · checked 2026-09-11 · Pruning and feeding
Harvest
West Virginia University Extension, Growing Basil · checked 2026-09-11 · Harvest method and weekly tipping
Common problems
University of Minnesota Extension, Growing basil in home gardens · checked 2026-09-11 · Downy mildew
Back to the essentials ↑