🌿
Basil
Genovese
HerbsDirect SowTransplant
☀️
Sun
full sun
💧
Water
Every 3 days
🌱
Germination
8 days
🕐
Days to harvest
65 days
📏
Planting depth
0.25 inches deep
↔️
Row spacing
18 inches
When to Plant
Start indoors 4–6 wks before last frost
Growing Guide
Soil: rich, well-drained, warm · pH 6.0–7.0
Basil needs warm, fertile, very well-drained soil. Cold, wet soil kills basil instantly — wait until conditions are truly warm. Add 2 inches of compost. Raised beds that warm quickly are ideal.
- Start indoors 4–6 weeks before last frost at 70–75°F
- Do NOT transplant outdoors until nighttime temperatures are reliably above 50°F (usually 2+ weeks after last frost)
- Cold soil and cold nights stunt basil and cause blackening — patience pays off
- Pinch growing tips as soon as the plant has 3–4 sets of leaves to encourage bushy growth
- Pinch flower spikes immediately when they appear — flowering triggers bitter flavor and leaf drop
Care
💧 Water every 3 days
🌿 Fertilize every 21 days
📐 Spacing: 12 inches apart · 18 inches between rows
Recommended sub-rows: 2
Harvest & Storage
Ready in 65 days with a harvest window of 60 days.
- Harvest by pinching stems just above a pair of leaves — the plant branches and regrows
- Harvest in the morning for best essential oil content and flavor
- Never take more than ⅓ of the plant at one time
- Make pesto in large batches when the plant is at peak mid-summer production and freeze
Storage
Do NOT refrigerate fresh basil — cold blackens the leaves. Store in a glass of water at room temperature like cut flowers, or wrap loosely and keep at room temperature. For longer storage, blend into olive oil and freeze in ice cube trays.
Companion Planting
Grows well with:
tomatopepper
Keep away from:
sage
Essential Tools
- Sharp scissors (harvesting)
- Floating row cover (cold protection at season's end)
Pests & Diseases
- Downy mildew (Peronospora belbahrii): grey-purple fuzz on undersides of leaves with yellowing above — choose resistant varieties (Prospera series); avoid overhead watering
- Fusarium wilt: wilting and brown vascular discoloration — remove plant; soil-borne, so rotate beds
- Aphids: curled leaves — knock off with water spray