If you’re only going to grow one herb, basil is a good choice. Basil is a key ingredient in many dishes, is reliable, and is easy to care for. The flavor and aroma of fresh basil–snip it and walk straight into the kitchen–is so far above even “fresh” store bought stuff that you’ll be amazed. Many cultivars also serve as ornamental plants and make lovely additions to planters and flower beds.

A Basil Background

Basil loves sunshine, and it’s most productive when grown in full sun. It’ll still do well with partial sun, but give it the sunniest spot you’ve got for the best flavor and growth. Many of us grow basil in containers, making it easy to grab a tiny spot of good sunshine, even if it’s on the patio or next to the garage. 

Good drainage is important; basil that sits in soggy soil for too long will have issues. Basil does best in rich, loamy soil and a pH of 6-7, just like most of our vegetables. It’s a tender annual and won’t tolerate even a little frost, but grows happily indoors with enough light. 

Propagating and Growing Basil

Basil starts readily from seed, unlike many other herbs we use in the kitchen. It loves warmth and will germinate at room temperature or a little higher in 3-7 days. If your seed starting area is a little cool, use a heat mat to get them started.

Start basil seeds indoors about four weeks before your last frost date. Sow seeds ¼ inch deep and thin to one plant per cell or block after sprouting. Once the seedlings have 2-3 sets of true leaves, they’re ready to be potted up into larger containers or transplanted outside. Remember to harden off basil plants when moving them outdoors. 

Basil plants like rich, fertile soil but go easy on the fertilizer. Excess fertilizer can cause rapid plant growth, but it reduces the flavor in the foliage. Work a layer of compost into the garden bed before transplanting basil, and it won’t need anything else. 

Succession planting works well for basil, if you have a bit of space, and keeps you in tender new growth. Older basil plants eventually start to get a bit tough as they transition to flowering. By planting a new batch of basil every two or three weeks, you can continuously harvest from younger plants and toss the older ones in the compost pile when they bolt. 

If taking cuttings is your thing, basil is happy to oblige. When pinching basil to encourage a bushy form, the snipped stems can be easily rooted in a glass of water. No rooting hormone is needed. Whether you continue to keep it in water for a while and harvest from it or plant it in moist potting soil is up to you. Rooting a basil stem in a clear glass jar is an excellent science project for children. It grows lovely white roots and happens fast enough they won’t lose interest in the project. 

Common Issues

Basil is fast-growing and ready for harvest in only a few weeks, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have problems with it. Mulching under basil plants and watering from below will solve most problems. 

Premature Bolting

We grow culinary basil for its leaves, and just like spinach or lettuce, basil can bolt. We call it bolting when the plant flowers prematurely, or at least earlier than we’d like it to. While all basil will eventually flower, some varieties have been bred for delayed flowering. 

Stress to the plant will cause bolting. Drought stress is the normal culprit, but excessively hot weather can also sometimes cause premature flowering. Keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy, and move your basil planter out of direct sunlight when the temps get sweltering. 

Fusarium Wilt and Downy Mildew

Fusarium wilt is caused by a soil-borne fungus that attacks the water-conducting tissues in the stem, causing them to wilt. Mulching basil, watering from below with a wand, drip line, or soaker hose, and allowing space for air circulation will help. 

Downy mildew is another fungal issue. It spreads in warm, humid conditions and can quickly yellow foliage, eventually covering the leaf surface in brown spots. Like controlling Fusarium wilt, good air circulation and keeping the leaves dry by watering from below are key. 

Harvesting and Preserving Basil

A few basil leaves can be harvested when the plant is young, and the new greenery is tender and plump. Indeed, as the plant gets older, you may find yourself having trouble trying to keep up. A pair of fat and sassy 20-inch tall and 12-inch wide basil plants make a lot of fresh basil.

When harvesting whole stems or pieces of stem, cut just above a pair of leaves. Like pinching, new growth will form at that point. Unless it is the last harvest before frost, leave sufficient foliage on the plant so growth is not significantly affected. Taking about ⅓ of the plant at a time is sustainable, and no more than half. 

The best basil is fresh, just snipped. Basil doesn’t store long or well in refrigeration, as the sad, listless leaves in the grocery store prove. Excess basil may be either frozen or dried.

Basil leaves may be air-dried or dried using a food dehydrator. Bundles of stems can be tied with twine and hung upside down out of direct sunlight in a well-ventilated room. Once dry, crumble them into an airtight jar.

Freezing basil preserves the flavor better than drying, if you have space in your freezer. Snip off whole leaves and place small amounts in a sealable plastic bag, or chop up a fistful of basil leaves and mix with a few tablespoons of olive oil. Drop the mixture onto a baking sheet (like making cookies) and freeze, then store the nuggets in a bag in the freezer. 

Pinching Basil

Pinching basil is just like pinching flowers and is important to encourage a well-shaped plant. The process removes a terminal growing point, and the plant puts out two more new stems to replace the one you removed, making a bushier plant with more foliage. You may be able to see new buds just waiting to grow by looking at the nodes where the leaf petioles attach to the stem. 

By midsummer, many basil varieties will try to flower. While basil flowers can be pretty, they should be pinched off for the best leaf flavor. Basil that flowers will start becoming woody and put out less foliage. Flowering also leads to bitter flavors in the leaves. 

However, once a basil plant is ready to flower, it will keep trying to sneak some past you. It’s generally a sign that the best flavor and texture are nearly over. Even if you never let a flower bud get past you, the plant will start to change. 

Basil Varieties

Basils we grow in the garden or a container are normally varieties of Ocimum basilicum. Dozens of cultivars are available; all grow readily from seed and need the same growing conditions. If you can’t decide, try a mix of several basil varieties in one planter or bed. 

Genovese

This is the standard basil we all know. Also called sweet basil, its emerald green leaves are often a bit wrinkled and glossy. Genovese basil is a great all-around choice. It grows rapidly and has excellent flavor, and plant breeders have developed many cultivars with superior branching forms and better disease resistance. 

Thai Basil

Bolder and spicier than sweet basil, Thai basils like ‘Siam Queen’ are used in Asian cuisine and ornamental plantings. Many people find the flavor to be more like anise or licorice. Purple stems and deep purple flowers (if not used for cooking) make it an attractive patio planter. 

Cinnamon Basil

These aromatic plants look similar to Thai basil, with purple stems and flowers, but have a distinct cinnamon aroma. Use them in cooking or as part of a cut flower bouquet. The flowers (like all basil) are edible and make a fun garnish for salads, soups, and other dishes. In a vase, they often last a week or longer.

Lemon Basil

Growing lemon basil plants is a surprise for your nose. These basils look like leafy, green plants, but the scent and flavor are very lemony. ‘Everleaf’ is a new variety for 2025, which makes an attractive 2-3 foot tall plant covered in foliage and flowers much later than other varieties. You’ll find endless uses for them in the kitchen.