Basil is an essential garden herb. Whether you dream of sprinkling basil on top of homemade pizza or making pesto stuffed with parmesan and pine nuts, basil is a must-have. While you can purchase the fragrant leaves, growing basil at home will allow you to harvest leaves over the course of multiple months.
Plus, basil is easy to grow! As long as you know the basics of basil care, you can count on this fragrant herb to produce throughout the summer. Keep reading to learn all about how to care for basil plants.
Basil Plant Basics
Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is a vegetative herb native to parts of Asia and Africa. The plants can grow as perennials in zones 10-11, but gardeners in temperate climates typically treat them as annuals. The plants produce fragrant leaves that are used to add flavor to pasta, teas, curries, and many other dishes.
The plants can also produce spikes of small flowers. While these flowers are annoying to most chefs, cut flower growers love them.
How to Start Basil from Seed
If you want to get the full basil growing experience, grow the herb from seed to harvest. Growing from seed takes a bit longer than if you start with seedlings, but it allows you to grow lots of plants, including unique varieties.
Basil seeds take four to six weeks to grow from a seed to a seedling that’s a few inches tall. Therefore, you should start seeds about one to two months before you plan to transplant them to a larger container or garden.
Start by filling seedling trays or small containers with a well-draining soil mix. A seed-starting mix is ideal, but you can also use a soil mix designed for houseplants. Place one to two seeds in each cell or container, then barely cover them with soil. Water the seeds well and place them in a warm location around 70°F. The seeds should germinate in around a week.
Place the seedlings in a bright location that receives at least ten hours of direct light. If you don’t have a greenhouse or sunny window, you can use a grow light to provide the plants with the light they need. Keep the temperature around 70°F, and water when the soil is slightly dry. The seedlings should be ready to transplant outdoors in around six weeks.
How to Grow Basil Indoors
Although basil is a warm weather crop, you can grow the plants indoors year round. Placing a potted basil plant on a sunny window or under a grow light allows you to harvest fresh basil right when you need it!
Basil plant care is similar regardless if you’re growing the herb indoors or outdoors. However, you’ll be growing the plants in containers rather than in an in-ground garden or raised bed. Choose a container that’s 8-12 inches in diameter, and ensure it has drainage holes on the bottom. Fill the pot with a well-draining soil mix and add your basil to the pot. Healthy basil plants can grow over a foot tall and wide, so plant only one seedling per container.
Water the soil when the top two inches are dry. Apply water to the soil surface while being careful to keep the leaves dry. Wet leaves encourage the development of fungal and bacterial diseases, so it’s best to avoid them.
Make sure to place your basil plant in a place where it receives at least eight hours of bright light. A lack of light is the number one reason why indoor basil plants suffer. If you don’t have a bright window, you can utilize a grow light to provide supplemental lighting. Leave the light on for 8-12 hours each day.
How to Grow Basil in the Garden
Basil is a warm weather plant, so you should wait until the danger of frost has passed before planting it outdoors. In most areas, planting in May is ideal. Planting at the right time and providing the proper basil plant care will lead to healthy plants and robust harvests.
Choose a Suitable Location
Basil grows best in an area with full sun, well-draining soil, and excellent air flow. You can grow the plants in the ground, a raised bed, or a small container. Just make sure the area receives at least eight hours of direct light and is free from compacted soil or standing water.
If you’re worried about the soil’s drainage or structure, you can mix in some compost before planting. The compost will help improve the soil’s aeration and drainage while also providing vital nutrients.
Plant at the Right Spacing
When provided with enough space, basil plants can easily grow over a foot tall and wide. However, you can also place the plants closer together to enjoy multiple plants with young, tender leaves.
If you want to grow more than one basil plant, space them 6-12 inches apart. More space will allow for better airflow and a decreased likelihood that the plants will succumb to diseases like downy mildew and cercospora leaf spot.
Keep the Soil Moderately Moist
Basil doesn’t require tons of water, but it will suffer if you let the soil dry out completely. The temperature, light, and soil type will all impact how often you need to water, but you can plan on watering your plants two to three times a week. If the top two inches of soil feels dry, go ahead and water the plants.
Always water near the base of the plant to keep the leaves dry. You can use a watering can or hose to water, or set up a soaker hose or drip irrigation system to make watering simple.
Fertilize Appropriately
If you want your basil plants to produce healthy new leaves all season long, you’ll need to ensure they have access to the necessary nutrients. Adding a slow release fertilizer or nutrient-rich compost during the planting process will take care of the plant’s nutrient needs for a few months.
If you think your plants need more nitrogen, you can apply a fish fertilizer to the soil. Make sure to dilute the fertilizer appropriately before applying.
How to Harvest Basil
After carefully providing the proper basil plant care, make sure you properly harvest your crop. The best way to harvest basil depends on the intended end use: harvesting for leaves is different than harvesting for flowers.
Harvesting Basil Leaves
Many gardeners grow basil for its fragrant leaves. Genovese basil, Thai basil, and tulsi all produce aromatic foliage with unique flavors. If you harvest the plants correctly, you’ll be able to cut new leaves for multiple months.
The morning and evening are the best times to harvest basil leaves so they remain fresh and don’t wilt. However, you can harvest in the afternoon if you need to.
Start by locating the plant’s leaf nodes, aka the part of the stem where new leaves and stems form. If you look along the stem, you should spot a pair of large leaves with small leaves about them. This is the leaf node. Cutting the stem just about a leaf node will allow the small leaves to grow into a future harvest.
Harvesting Basil Flowers
If you want to enjoy basil flowers in bouquets, don’t prune the plants. Instead, wait for the basil to mature and begin producing flower stalks. You can cut the stalks when the small flowers are blooming.
Like with basil leaves, you should always harvest basil flowers in the morning or evening. Strip the leaves off the bottom of the stem, then place it in water to prevent the fragile foliage from wilting.
How to Care for Cut Basil
Regardless of whether you cut basil for foliage or flowers, you should be aware of post-harvest practices. Basil is extremely sensitive to cold, so never place it in the refrigerator. Exposing the plants to cold temperatures will cause the leaves to turn black.
Instead, place the stems in water and set the plants on your counter out of direct light. When stored properly, but the leaves and flowers will remain fresh for about a week.
Enjoy Flowers and Plants this Spring
Spring is the time for plants! Whether you want to enjoy homegrown herbs or a bouquet of fresh flowers, we’re here for you. We offer plant delivery so you can order a new houseplant for yourself or send a new green pal to your loved one.
No matter which plant you choose, make sure to learn how to properly care for it. We’ve put together articles like caring for cyclamen plants and composed the best gardenia care guide. When you pair healthy plants with top-notch care, you can look forward to beautiful plants this growing season.
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