GO BACK TO ALL GROW GUIDES

Shop all Basil Seeds Shop Good Companion Plants for Basil

 

SEED PLANTING TIPS

  • Botanical name: Ocimum americanum
  • Life cycle: Herbaceous annual
  • Hardiness zones: 8-10
  • Planting season: Spring, summer
  • Days to maturity: 60-80 days; can begin harvesting when 6" tall
  • Depth to plant seeds: 1/4" deep
  • Days to germinate (sprout): 5-10 days
  • Germination soil temps: 70F-75F
  • Spacing between plants: 12"-18" apart
  • Spacing between rows: 18"-24" apart
  • # of plants per sq. ft.: Appx. 1 plant per 2 sq. ft.
  • Soil types: Sandy, loamy, silty, rich, moist, well-drained
  • Soil pH: 6.0-7.5
  • Sun needs: Full sun
  • Water needs: High - keep soil moist
  • Heat tolerant: Yes
  • Deer resistant: Yes
  • Culinary use: Yes
  • Medicinal use: Yes

As a companion plant, it attracts hummingbirds, pollinators, and beneficial insects, and repels aphids, asparagus beetles, cabbage moths, cabbage white butterfly, cabbage worms, carrot rust fly, flies, maggots, mice, mosquitoes, spider mites, thrips, and tomato hornworms. 

 

How to Grow & Harvest Basil

 

 


When to Plant

Basil is planted in the spring and dies at the first fall frost. It can be grown year-round indoors or in frost-free climate. Basil also needs daytime temperatures over 70° F and nighttime temps over 50° F. Basil thrives in warmer temperatures.  Sow your seeds outdoors in spring, after all danger of frost has passed.

How to Plant

Choose a sunny, sheltered spot that is protected from wind and other temperature extremes.  Basil needs at least 6-8 hours of full sun each day, so keep that in mind when choosing a location to start your seeds. Try to space your basil plants about 12 inches apart. There are also dwarf varieties that work well in containers.

When to Harvest

When growing basil, as soon as you see flowers start to appear, make sure you pinch or snip them off.  This will help the plant stay focused on producing leaves and will encourage the plant to "branch out" as well.   Once your basil plant is about 6 inches tall, start pinching off the tops to encourage branching. 

CONTINUE SHOPPING

Browse through hundreds of different varieties

📙 SEED CATALOG {A - Z}
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

ENTER THE SEED SHOP ➜

ON SALE NOW UNTIL MIDNIGHT

SHOP 🔥 DAILY DEALS
Lavender, English - SeedsNow.com
Lavender, English
Sale priceFrom $1.50
Chamomile, German.
Chamomile, German
Sale priceFrom $1.50
Cabbage - Savoy Perfection - SeedsNow.com
Cabbage - Savoy Perfection
Sale priceFrom $1.50
Broccoli - Early Purple - SeedsNow.com
Broccoli - Early Purple
Sale priceFrom $1.50
Radish - Purple Plum - SeedsNow.com
Radish - Purple Plum
Sale priceFrom $1.50
Pepper (Sweet) - Cubanelle - SeedsNow.com
Pepper (Sweet) - Cubanelle
Sale priceFrom $1.50
Onion - Red Burgundy (Short Day) - SeedsNow.com
Onion - Red Burgundy (Short Day)
Sale priceFrom $1.50
Cucumber - Marketmore - SeedsNow.com
Cucumber - Marketmore
Sale priceFrom $1.25
Leek - Giant Musselburgh - SeedsNow.com
Leek - Giant Musselburgh
Sale priceFrom $1.00
Gourd - Crown of Thorns - SeedsNow.com
Gourd - Crown of Thorns
Sale priceFrom $1.00
Cabbage - Brunswick - SeedsNow.com
Cabbage - Brunswick
Sale priceFrom $1.00

FEATURED BLOG POSTS & ARTICLES

VIEW ALL BLOG POSTS
Your Guide to Gardening Through all 4 Seasons

Your Guide to Gardening Through all 4 Seasons

As the weather becomes consistently cold (in late October and early November, in the upper Midwest), you can work at preparing your garden for winter. There are several aspects to winter preparation.
How to Deal with Squash Bugs

How to Deal with Squash Bugs

Squash bugs can destroy crops and are quite the nuisance. Check your squash plants daily for signs of squash bugs and their eggs.   What to look...
How to Save 🍅 Tomato Seeds

How to Save 🍅 Tomato Seeds

There are several ways that you can save your heirloom tomato seeds, but here are two of the most popular techniques.  Fermentation Method: Choos...
How To Tell When 🍆 Eggplant Is Ripe

How To Tell When 🍆 Eggplant Is Ripe

Eggplant is a versatile fruit often used in Italian dishes such as ratatouille, caponata, and lasagna. Eggplant easily absorbs the flavors of wh...
Start these NOW for a fall garden!

Start these NOW for a fall garden!

Summer will soon be over but having a thriving vegetable garden doesn't have to end when summer does. With a little bit of planning, and p...
How Many Plants a 12″ Container?

How Many Plants a 12″ Container?

Here is a suggested number of plants that will grow successfully in a 12″ container. It would be a waste of money and time to start more seeds...
Why Won't My Root Veggies Grow?

Why Won't My Root Veggies Grow?

You’ve put in all the work, planted your root veggies with care and all season you’ve been eyeing their gorgeous leafy green tops and waited with a...
Seed Planting & Spacing Guide (printable)

Seed Planting & Spacing Guide (printable)

← GO BACK TO GROW GUIDES Here is a cheat sheet you can save to reference all of the planting and spacing specs for each of your seeds. Click on the...

CONTINUE LEARNING

CONTINUE SHOPPING

ENTER THE SEED SHOP ❱