🌿 Basil
Herb Garden · growing reference
| Days to maturity | 55 days – 70 days, by type |
|---|---|
| Germination | 7 days |
| Direct sowing | +10 days vs transplants |
| Spacing | 10″ in the row × 15″ between rows |
| Planted as | seed |
| Water | ~1–1.5 in a week |
When to plant
In USDA zone 6, for example: Plant out around Apr 22, once your last frost has passed. Start seeds indoors ~6 weeks earlier.
| Spring | |
|---|---|
| Zone 3 | May 22 |
| Zone 4 | May 14 |
| Zone 5 | May 3 |
| Zone 6 | Apr 22 |
| Zone 7 | Apr 8 |
| Zone 8 | Mar 22 |
| Zone 9 | Feb 27 |
Dates are the typical window for each zone's average frost dates — your own last frost can differ by a couple of weeks. Zone 10 and warmer is effectively frost-free: plant to the season, not the frost. Southern Hemisphere: shift six months.
Basil Types
- Sweet · 60 days · 0.5–1.5 lbs/plant — Genovese and the big-leaf Italian basils — the pesto and Caprese standard.
- Thai · 65 days · 0.3–1 lbs/plant — Anise-clove flavour, sturdy purple stems — holds up in stir-fries and curries.
- Holy · 70 days · 0.3–1 lbs/plant — Tulsi (O. tenuiflorum) — the sacred tea basil; clove-peppery, loves real heat.
- Lemon · 60 days · 0.3–1 lbs/plant — Citrus-scented (O. × citriodorum) — fish, tea, and dressings; the daintiest leaf.
- Bush · 55 days · 0.2–0.5 lbs/plant — Greek/globe basil — tiny leaves on a tidy dome; the container and windowsill basil.
🌱 Five Acres of Freedom — plan a year's food, map
your land to scale, and keep every homestead record. The numbers on
this page are the same ones the app plans with.
🍏 Download on the App Store
📱 On Android? Join the waitlist