Basil

Light

  • Full Sun
    • 6 hours of direct light

Hardiness

  • Zone 10 - 11

Water

  • Requires at least 1 inch of water per week. Assure water penetrates deep within the soil and water when 2” of topsoil is dry.

  • Make sure the watered area is not soggy or mushy from overwatering
  • Water in the morning to prepare basil for the midday sun and absorb nutrients
  • Place mulch to help retain moisture and keep the soil cool

Container

  • Perfect for a garden or a 2+ gallon pot

Transplanting

  • Plant in June 1st - 15th
  • Dig a hole 8 inches deep and 6 inches wide. Plant seedling 1 inch deep and place soil loosely around it.

Spacing

  • Between Plants: 6 - 10 inches
  • Between Rows: 8 inches

Size

  • Height: 1.5 - 2 feet
  • Width: 10 - 14 inches

Harvest time

  • 75 days

Soil

  • Loosely packed, well-drained soil composition:
    • ½ compost or humus
    • ¼ drainage and aeration material (perlite or vermiculite)
    • ¼ loam (sand and silt. Small amount of clay)
  • Preferred pH: 5.1 - 8.5

Fertilizer

  • Fertilize soil before initially transplanting with 10-10-10 NPK, compost or fresh manure
  • Depending how often basil is harvested, fertilize every 2 weeks to 1 month with either a 4-4-4 or 8-4-4 NPK.

Use

  • Basil is a great addition to many types of cuisine. It can also be frozen, dried, preserved in salt or used in oil infusions.

Friends

  • Plant next to anise, asparagus, beans, borage, broccoli, carrots, celery, chamomile, dill, lettuce, melons, onions, oregano, parsley, peppers, radishes, spinach, potatoes, tomatoes and thyme

Foes

  • DO NOT plant next to common rue, thyme, sage and cucumbers

Tips

  • When basil reaches a height of 6 inches, start harvesting or pinching off the top leaves to prevent flowering.
  • Basil will start flowering when 6 pairs of leaves have formed. The initial flowering stage is the best time to harvest leaves and keeping the leaf count below 6 pairs will encourage more leaf growth.
  • Harvest basil leaves in the morning for the maximum amount of oils.
  • Harvest leaves by pinching the stems just above a set of leaves from the top.