Basil is a warm-weather, fragrant herb that tastes great in many dishes—including the beloved homemade pesto! Plant seeds or transplants after all danger of frost has passed and soil is warm, and it will yield an abundant harvest within weeks. Keep harvesting the leaves to keep the plant going strong.
The most common type of basil is sweet basil; other types include purple basil (less sweet than common basil), lemon basil (lemon flavor), and Thai basil (licorice flavor).
Basil is easy to grow, but it only grows outdoors in the summer—and only once the soil has warmed up nicely—so plan accordingly.
If you’re planning on making pesto, grow several plants. For other uses, one or two basil plants yields plenty.
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black spots and more on basil
It’s not uncommon for basil, a relatively delicate annual, to begin to fail. It’s impossible for us to know exactly why. If it’s downy mildew there is nothing you can do about it. It can be brought in on transplants, in infected seed, or as airborne spores.
Are you letting the soil dry out before watering? Too much water can drown the plants. Are they getting adequate sun? Too much water, not enough sun——and heat——can cause it to fail.
And it could be something else, too.
A reader writes, Sounds like it could be spider mites. They can look brown with black spots…they’re leaf damage leaves brown thinning with black specks. Another reader suggests it could be whiteflies. Click here for more: https://www.almanac.com/pest/whiteflies
It could be aphids. Read more about these here: https://www.almanac.com/pest/aphids
We hope this helps.
first time taing care of a itailn basil
Hello,
I had recently purchased a basil plant a cople of days ago at my local Farmer's Market and the plant is getting tall. I live in Southeastern Nebraska. Should I grow it indoors or would be allright outdoors? I have a garden and I am thinking of planting in my garden. I have currently rn out of the soil that helps veggies and flowers grow well and strong but I do have miracle grow and the dirt I have in the garden is brown dirt that my mom has told me wors well and it has formy surgar snap peas and flowers. Iwas told to keep the plant in its cup for a few days and today I need to move it. For me should I plant it indoors or outside?
basil
You can transplant your basil plant outdoors when temperatures are in the 70s in the day and above 50 at night. This annual likes warm temperatures. Choose a sunny spot that gets about 6 to 8 hours of sun. It likes rich, moist, well-drained soil. A mulch, such as shredded leaves or untreated grass clippings or straw, can help to keep soil moist between waterings. Miracle-Gro fertilizer can help give your plant nutrients if your soil lacks them, but will not help with drainage or other issues, if there are any. Certainly worth a try!
hi, I'm doing an experiment
hi, I'm doing an experiment on basil seedlings at school and I am looking at the growth rate. if you could help me out on average how many cm do basil seeds grow per day?
Brown spots
Hi! Just transplanted a already growing basil plant to a bigger container on my balcony! It has been growing fine from what I can tell but my leaves have brown spots on them!
brown spots
Brown spots on basil can indicate a variety of issues. Avoid watering basil leaves from overhead; only water at the soil level and don’t let water or soil splash on leaves.
Seedlings?
Hi, I planted some seeds several weeks ago. They have sprouted quickly, but are not producing their first set of true leaves. It has been at least 3 weeks since they sprouted. Any advice? Do they need fertilizer?
Basil Seedlings
Initial basil growth can be slow, but to help yours along as much as possible, make sure that they’re getting enough light (full sun, 6–8 hours a day), enough water, and that temperatures aren’t dropping below 50°F. If those factors are under control, you may add just a bit of a 10-10-10 fertilizer, following instructions on the packaging.
Basil used in Pizza
Does anyone know which basil is used in pizza? I have grown different basil over the years trying to find that flavor. Years ago we bought some basil leaf spice from the store it made the food taste like eating pizza, the store stopped making it. At first we bought basil spices from different companies not one them have the pizza taste.
Basil for Pizza
Yum. Basil and pizza. A lot of readers use a Spicy Globe variety of basil, but others prefer a Sweet Basil. It has the flavor most associated with Italian cooking, similar to ‘Genovese’ or ‘Classico’ used on Margherita pizzas in Italy. See more about basil varieties here: http://www.almanac.com/blog/gardening/gardening/basil-varieties-garden
Hi there. I'm in
Hi there. I'm in Southwestern Michigan. I'm thinking of starting my first garden in the Spring.
The previous owners of this house had a dog that pooped in an area in my bag yard. It's been two years since the dog owners lived here. So, would it now be safe to use that area for part of my garden? Or would it not be a good idea since some bacteria or whatever from the dog poop might still be there? Also, what kind of cover plants could I use to prepare the ground for Spring garden planting?
Basil plant
Got some knowledge of the plant, it's use, planting and how to take care. Thanks.
I have gotten some knowledge
I have gotten some knowledge of the plant and still haven't found an answer to my questions. But thanks for your input anyway.
survivial over winter
will basil plants survive winter and grow the following year ?
Growing Basil Through Winter
Basil is one of those herbs that won’t make it through the winter. It likes warm temperatures and heat.
Some people try growing basil in pots indoors, but that is challenging, too, because basil likes indoor temperatures in the 70s day and night.
It’s best to harvest the basil and freeze it for year-round use! See our article on preserving herbs.
Basil
Why is there a yellow vine growing on my basil?
vines on basil plant
I sure wish someone would answer this one! I've grown basil for years & never saw this before.. but now have 1 (potted) that has a mass of these .. my daughter says its a "female" plant & that I should re-plant the whole thing (?) When I first saw them, I tried picking them off, but they just kept coming back.. I can't see that they're growing from anything separate, so wonder if she's right?
Dodder on Basil
It sounds like dodder, a parasitic weed that feeds off nutrients meant for your basil. Remove it as well as the portion of basil to which it is attached. Unfortunately, is very persistent. If it has flowered and gone to seed, you may be fighting it for a few seasons.
Purple basil
My purple basil plants leaves keep falling off. It's get tall with leaves at the top and not getting full. What can I do to help it?
Top of Column for Top of Basil
Hi, Juuls: Please read the sections above about Care and Harvest/Storage. Once (and every time) your basil gets to 6 sets of leaves, harvest and then cut it back so that only 2 sets of leaves remain. Also, pinch off any flowers that may appear at any time. This will help the plant to focus its energy on leaf production, rather than stem growth. Good luck!
Basil from nursery
Hello,
I Bought Bonnie's sweet basil from the nursery today and planted them in a rectangular container. There are 3 plants, and I am now questioning whether or not I need to space them out or not. They have blossomed somewhat. I was actually thinking of planting them closer but wasn't sure if it would be an issue.
space?
Did you read the plant tag? Most nursery plants “come with” a tag or “stick” that describes basic care, and that often includes spacing. Spacing might vary a bit depending on the type of plant (basil or anything else).
As indicated at the top of this page, thriving plants can grow to a foot or two in height and have proportionate foliage spread. The distance between plants should be 10 to 12 inches. Only you know the distance between them now and whether that is suitable. (Remember that replanting will add stress: The plants will go through a period of adjustment during which they will probably look a bit limp. Consider that they may not all survive a move. They may all survive…just be prepared.)
basil and animals
I have wanted to grow basil and other herbs in my front yard in place of grass and I have dogs and want to know if it is safe? I've been told that their "poop" can get on it and cause Salmonella. Is this true?
herb gardens and dogs
Dog poop can contain bacteria and parasites (it is not recommended as a fertilizer for edible gardens because of this). It’s best to prevent your dogs from going near your garden (such as by fencing it off, using row covers, or planting in high raised beds), but if they do, be sure to wash the herbs thoroughly before using. Also, it’s good to check what herbs are safe for your dogs, in case they get curious and want to nibble. Basil is said to be non-toxic (unless your pet has allergies). For a list of plants, see:
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/dogs-plant-list
basil seeds
i did not properly store the basil seeds i harvested. they have been kept dry, but were stored in loosely sealed paper cups and have been exposed to indoor light since i harvested last fall. are they still viable?
viable seeds?
You can only tell by trying, jk. Get some new ones and start them, too. If they all come up—well, can’t have too much basil, can you? (If you do, make and freeze pesto.)
Pruning
My seedlings range from just 2 to 4 inches in height (not 6 yet). But some do have 6 leaves or more. Should I prune them? Also, do I prune from the top or bottom?
pruning basil
You might want to wait until they are about 6 inches high, then remove the top few leaves until there are just one set (2 leaves) on that stem (prune back to a set of leaves just above where a stem forks). Note that this does not apply to bush basil (such as ‘Spicy Globe’), which have much tinier leaves and many more along the same length of stem. Prune these back to keep their shape, leaving at least 3 or so sets of leaves. For both types of basil, always prune out any developing flower buds.
basil planting
Can I start basil by seeding indoors in a plant with some dirt?
seeding basil
Kathy, you can start baseil by seeding it indoors. Don’t use dirt from outside—you know, the ground. That’s too heavy for seedlings to push through. Get seed starting medium—it’s “soiless,” at a gardening supply store or nursery. You might even ask at a grocery; sometimes they carry this at this time of year. Follow the directions on the bag.
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