Growing profiles
Choose how this crop will be grown. Dimensions, spacing and timing belong to the selected profile—not to the species as a single universal value.
Standard basil
Standard culinary basil grown for repeated leaf harvest.
- Typical mature height
- 12–30 in (30–75 cm) Editorial synthesisbasis
- Mature canopy
- 10–20 in (25–50 cm) Editorial synthesisbasis
- Plant spacing
- 8–16 in (20–40 cm) Editorial synthesisbasis
- Row spacing
- 12–20 in (30–50 cm) Editorial synthesisbasis
- Planting arrangement
- single row · open ground Editorial synthesisbasis
- Support
- Usually unnecessary
- Optional container
- At least 2 US gal (7.5 L) · 1 plant Editorial synthesisbasis
- Best germination range
- 59–86 °F (15–30 °C) Editorial synthesisbasis
Climate-relative calendar
Frost and transplant rules become local dates when climate data is available. Cultivar maturity and crop condition are never replaced by a fabricated date.
Sow Basil indoors42 days before last spring frost to 28 days before last spring frost Direct sourceEditorial synthesisbasisRequired: Soil temperature between 59 °F (15 °C) and 86 °F (30 °C). Editorial synthesisbasis
Harden off Basil7 days before last spring frost to last spring frost Editorial synthesisbasis
Transplant Basil outdoors7 days after last spring frost to 21 days after last spring frost Editorial synthesisbasisRequired: Soil temperature at least 50 °F (10 °C) for 3 consecutive days. Editorial synthesisbasisCheck before proceeding: Forecast frost risk no more than 25%. Editorial synthesisbasis
Begin harvesting Basil30 days after transplanting to 50 days after transplanting Planning estimatebasis
Finish harvesting Basil45 days after first harvest to 90 days after first harvest
Remove Basil cropthe expected end of harvest to 7 days after the expected end of harvest
Agronomy release agronomy-2026-07-11-r1 · reviewed 2026-07-11 by Gardeningist agronomic research synthesis. Direct-source links indicate close source support; synthesis and planning estimates are labeled separately.