How To Plant, Grow, And Harvest Basil | The Old Farmer's Almanac

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Basil isn’t just for pesto—this fragrant, flavorful herb is a garden MVP. Whether you’re growing it in your backyard, on a patio, or right on your kitchen windowsill, basil is easy to grow and endlessly useful. From starting seeds indoors to snipping the perfect leaves for your next meal, we’ll walk you through how to plant, grow, and harvest basil like a pro.

About Basil

Basil is a member of the mint family (Lamiaceae) and one of the most popular culinary herbs. It’s a warm-weather annual that can be planted outdoors once temperatures are consistently above 50°F.

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Basil is not usually seeded directly into the soil; typically, gardeners transplant small starter plants purchased at a nursery. Or, they may start the seeds themselves indoors under grow lights.

Common or sweet basil, Ocimum basilicum, is the most common basil; other types include purple basil (less sweet than common basil), lemon basil (lemon flavor), and Thai basil (licorice flavor)

If you’re planning on making pesto, grow several plants. For other uses, one or two basil plants yield plenty.

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