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Basil Planting Guide

Basil

Basil is a fragrant warm-season herb essential to Italian and Thai cuisines. It comes in many varieties including sweet, Thai, purple, and lemon types.

Ocimum basilicum · Herb · Lamiaceae family · 50–75 days to maturity

Get Your Personalized Basil Planting Dates

Enter your ZIP code to see exact planting dates, soil compatibility, and growing tips specific to your county.

Where Can You Grow Basil?

Basil Growing Regions

Click any state to see the Basil planting schedule for that location.

AL — Zone 7b AL AR — Zone 7b AR AZ — Zone 8a AZ CA — Zone 9a CA CO — Zone 5a CO CT — Zone 6b CT DE — Zone 7a DE FL — Zone 9a FL GA — Zone 7b GA IA — Zone 5a IA ID — Zone 5b ID IL — Zone 5b IL IN — Zone 6a IN KS — Zone 6a KS KY — Zone 6b KY LA — Zone 8b LA MA — Zone 6a MA MD — Zone 7a MD ME — Zone 4b ME MI — Zone 5b MI MN — Zone 4a MN MO — Zone 6a MO MS — Zone 8a MS MT — Zone 4b MT NC — Zone 7a NC ND — Zone 3b ND NE — Zone 5a NE NH — Zone 5a NH NJ — Zone 7a NJ NM — Zone 6b NM NV — Zone 6b NV NY — Zone 5b NY OH — Zone 6a OH OK — Zone 7a OK OR — Zone 7a OR PA — Zone 6a PA RI — Zone 6b RI SC — Zone 8a SC SD — Zone 4a SD TN — Zone 7a TN TX — Zone 8a TX UT — Zone 5b UT VA — Zone 7a VA VT — Zone 4b VT WA — Zone 7a WA WI — Zone 4b WI WV — Zone 6a WV WY — Zone 4a WY AK — Zone 2a AK HI — Zone 11a HI
Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Planting Dates by Zone

Zone Start Indoors Direct Sow Transplant Harvest
Zone 4a Mar 11 May 13 May 27 Jul 22 – Sep 23
Zone 4b Mar 6 May 8 May 22 Jul 17 – Sep 18
Zone 5a Mar 7 May 2 May 9 Jul 4 – Sep 5
Zone 5b Feb 28 Apr 25 May 2 Jun 27 – Aug 29
Zone 6a Feb 20 Apr 17 Apr 24 Jun 19 – Aug 21
Zone 6b Feb 13 Apr 10 Apr 17 Jun 12 – Aug 14
Zone 7a Feb 4 Apr 1 Apr 8 Jun 3 – Aug 5
Zone 7b Jan 28 Mar 25 Apr 1 May 27 – Jul 29
Zone 8a Jan 18 Mar 15 Mar 22 May 17 – Jul 19
Zone 8b Jan 7 Mar 4 Mar 11 May 6 – Jul 8
Zone 9a Dec 30 Feb 17 Feb 17 Apr 14 – Jun 16
Zone 9b Dec 14 Feb 1 Feb 1 Mar 29 – May 31
Zone 10a Nov 20 Jan 8 Jan 8 Mar 5 – May 7
Zone 10b Nov 20 Jan 8 Jan 8 Mar 5 – May 7
Zone 11a Nov 20 Jan 8 Jan 8 Mar 5 – May 7
Zone 11b Nov 20 Jan 8 Jan 8 Mar 5 – May 7

How to Plant Basil

0.5"
Planting Depth
8"
Between Plants
12"
Between Rows

Growing Conditions

☀️ Sun

Full Sun (6-8+ hours)

💧 Water

0.6"/week

Water when the top inch of soil feels dry. Consistent moisture produces the best results.

🧪 Soil pH

6 – 7

Prefers neutral to slightly acidic soil — ideal for most garden beds.

🗺️ Hardiness Zones

Zone 4a – 11b

📅 Days to Maturity

50–75 days

Quick-growing crop. Multiple plantings per season are possible.

👪 Plant Family

Lamiaceae

Rotate with other families yearly to prevent soil-borne diseases. Don't plant in the same spot where Lamiaceae family crops grew last year.

Succession Planting Basil

Basil matures in just 50–75 days, making it ideal for succession planting. In a typical 180-day growing season, you can get up to 4 successive plantings by sowing every 5.7 weeks.

Your actual succession count depends on your local frost dates. Enter your ZIP code to get personalized succession planting dates for your area.

Companion Planting for Basil

✅ Good Companions

❌ Keep Away From

Rue Sage

Check more combinations with our Companion Planting Checker →

Growing Tips for Basil

Start seeds indoors or direct sow after last frost. Pinch flower buds to extend leaf production. Harvest leaves from the top down, cutting just above a leaf pair.

💧 Watering: Basil needs approximately 0.6 inches of water per week during active growth. Adjust based on your local rainfall — check your county page for a monthly watering guide specific to your area.

Saving Basil Seeds

🌾 Save Your Own Basil Seeds
Life Cycle Annual
Pollination Self-Pollinating
How to Collect Let flower spikes dry brown on the plant.
Storage Store airtight; viable 5 years at 35°F, under 45% humidity.

Isolate 150 ft between varieties. Different basil species can cross.

Get our full Seed Saving Guide for 200 plants →

Recommended for Your Garden

🪴
Fabric Grow Bags $10-25

Breathable fabric pots that promote healthy root growth and prevent overwatering.

Perfect for growing herbs in containers.

🏺
Self-Watering Planters $15-40

Built-in reservoir keeps herbs and greens consistently watered with less effort.

Perfect for growing herbs in containers.

🌱
Seed Starting Trays $8-20

Start seeds indoors with reusable cell trays and humidity domes.

Essential for starting seeds indoors before transplanting.

Level Up Your Garden

Seed Saving & Storage Guide
Seed Saving & Storage Guide

Learn when to harvest, how to dry, and how to store seeds from 200 plants. Never buy seeds again.

Learn More →

Basil by State

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to grow Basil?

Basil (Ocimum basilicum) takes 50 to 75 days from planting to harvest. Exact timing depends on your variety, growing conditions, and USDA zone.

What zones can Basil grow in?

Basil can be grown in USDA zones 4a through 11b. Use the planting calendar above to find the exact dates for your zone.

How much sun does Basil need?

Growing Basil requires Full Sun (6-8+ hours), Moderate — regular watering, and soil pH of 6 to 7.

Data sources: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023), NOAA 30-Year Climate Normals, University Cooperative Extension planting guides. Last updated: April 2026.

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