DibbleGrowing basil: from seed to harvest
Start basil indoors about 5 weeks before planting out. It hates cold, so transplant only once nights stay warm. Pinch the tops to keep it bushy.
Planting dates for basil by zone
| Zone | Start seeds indoors | Sow or transplant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | May 7 | June 11 | July 18 |
| Zone 4 | April 28 | June 2 | July 4 |
| Zone 5 | April 18 | May 23 | June 24 |
| Zone 6 | April 12 | May 17 | June 23 |
| Zone 7 | March 30 | May 4 | June 8 |
| Zone 8 | March 5 | April 9 | May 15 |
| Zone 9 | February 10 | March 17 | April 18 |
| Zone 10 | January 20 | February 24 | March 20 |
| Zone 11 | May 27 | July 1 | February 4 |
Each date is the start of the best window from the same climate engine the Dibble app uses, run at typical places in each zone. Dibble tunes them to your garden's own location and lets you adjust frost dates for your own yard.
Companion plants
Good neighbors for Basil:
Family and rotation
Basil is in the mints family. Aromatic herbs: interplant freely; few rotation concerns. Learn about crop rotation.
Related crops
Mint
When to plantThyme
When to plantRosemary
When to plantOregano
When to plantSage
When to plantLavender
When to plant
Questions
When should I plant basil?
It depends on your zone. Basil is a tender crop, so the timing follows your last spring frost. Look up your zone in the table below for exact start, sow, and harvest dates, or open Dibble and set where your garden is to get your own calendar.
How long does it take to grow basil?
About 60 days from transplant to the first harvest, with a picking window of roughly 90 days after that.
What grows well with basil?
Good companions include Tomato, Pepper.
Plant at the right time this season
Dibble builds your calendar in under a minute. Free to start, no account needed.