Planting and care
How to grow basil
Warm season · Annual
Seed or young transplant after frost
12–30 in tall; cultivar-dependent
About 25–40 days from transplant or 50–70 days from seed for a useful first harvest.
Light feeder
Compact Herb
How to prune
Once stems have several leaf pairs, pinch just above a pair of leaves to create two branches. Remove flower buds regularly for more leaf production; never take more than about one-third of a young plant at once.
How to harvest
Snip leafy stem tips just above a leaf pair, rather than stripping single leaves from long bare stems. Harvest after dew dries; leave enough foliage for regrowth.
Harvest and kitchen use
Fresh leaves for pesto, salads and sauces; freeze or dry surplus.
Nutrition and garden value
Aromatic herbs provide flavor and small amounts of vitamins/phytonutrients
High customer value in small space; flowers on many herbs support pollinators/beneficial insects
Common challenges and troubleshooting
Bolting, winter injury or root rot varies by herb