Crop guide · Ocimum basilicum
Basil
Dates below are counted from the average last spring frost or the average first fall frost. Enter a ZIP in the calendar for NOAA 1991–2020 station averages, or pick a zone and use the zone table.
When to plant
Start indoors4 weeks before the average last spring frost.
Transplant1 week after the average last spring frost.
SuccessionRepeat every 3 weeks, 1 more time.
Soil and site
Rich, moist, warm soil. Basil sulks below 50°F — don't rush it outside.
Seedlings
Start 4 weeks before last frost and transplant only after nights stay warm.
In the garden
Pinch the growing tip weekly to force branching; flower spikes turn the leaves bitter, so nip them.
Picking
Harvest from the top down, never strip the bottom. A hard cut-back in midsummer brings a fresh flush.
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Dates by zone
These pages turn the same frost offsets into calendar dates for each zone the calendar covers.