When to Plant Basil
Basil is a tender warm-season herb. Frost damages it, so it goes out only after the last spring frost.
Start seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before the last spring frost, and plant out 1 to 3 weeks after the last frost. Or sow it where it will grow, 1 to 4 weeks after the last spring frost. The first harvest comes about 30 to 45 days after transplanting.
Example dates
The same rules in dates for three climates, using typical frost dates. Enter your ZIP code above for the dates where you live.
| Task | Last frost Mar 15first Nov 15 | Last frost Apr 15first Oct 25 | Last frost May 15first Sep 30 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start seeds indoors | Feb 1 – 15 | Mar 4 – 18 | Apr 3 – 17 |
| Harden off | Mar 15 – 21 | Apr 15 – 21 | May 15 – 21 |
| Plant out | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | Apr 22 – May 6 | May 22 – Jun 5 |
| Harvest | Apr 21 – Jun 30 | May 22 – Jul 31 | Jun 21 – Aug 30 |
| Direct-sown: Sow outdoors | Mar 22 – Apr 12 | Apr 22 – May 13 | May 22 – Jun 12 |
| Direct-sown: Harvest | May 5 – Jul 14 | Jun 5 – Aug 14 | Jul 5 – Sep 13 |
Growing basil
Basil is damaged by cold nights, so plant it late and pinch off flower spikes to keep leaves coming.
- Spacing: 12 in apart, in rows 18 in apart. In a raised bed, 4 per sq ft at square-foot spacing.
- Days to harvest: 30 to 45 from transplanting, then about 10 weeks of picking.
- Traditional companions: cherry tomato, cucumber, tomato. See companion plants for basil.
Plan your beds with these dates
Draw your beds, tap squares to plant basil and everything else, and get every crop's dates for your ZIP code in one calendar. Free, in your browser.
Open the garden plannerQuestions
When do I start basil indoors?
4 to 6 weeks before the last spring frost: with a last frost of April 15, that's Mar 4 – 18. Enter your ZIP code above for your own dates.
Can basil go in before the last frost?
No. Basil is damaged by frost: plant it out 1 to 3 weeks after the last spring frost.
How long does basil take to grow?
About 30 to 45 days from transplanting to the first harvest, which then lasts about 10 weeks. Varieties differ: check the seed packet.
More planting dates
Sources
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (annual/seasonal, by station: freeze dates at 32 °F)
- UNH Cooperative Extension: Growing Vegetables: When to Plant your Vegetable Garden (2016)
- NC State Extension: Extension Gardener Handbook, Chapter 16: Vegetable Gardening
- Iowa State: Germination Requirements for Annuals and Vegetables
- Iowa State: Growing, Harvesting, and Drying Herbs
- University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners (UC ANR): Use and Culture of Culinary Herbs (table from the California Master Gardener Handbook)
- Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Texas A&M System (J. Masabni): Growing Herbs (E-561, 2009)
- University of Maryland Extension: Care of Herbs and Starting Herbs from Seed
- WSU Extension King County Master Gardeners: Tip Sheet #8: Growing Herbs
- Clemson Cooperative Extension HGIC: Small-Scale Gardening (square-foot planting guide)
- UC Master Gardener Program, UC ANR: Companion Planting Chart: Companion Planting for Edible Crops
- University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension, Kenosha County: Companion Plants for the Vegetable Garden (column, 2012)
- Oregon State University Extension Service: Companion Planting (Food Hero, 2021)
- Oregon State University Extension Service: Herbs and Flowers in the Vegetable Garden
- Utah State University Extension, Utah 4-H: Creating Sustainable School and Home Gardens: Companion Planting (2025)
- Penn State Extension: Herbs Make Good Plant Partners and Companions
- SDSU Extension: Square-Foot Garden Sample Planting Layout (P-00379, 2026)
- University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Yavapai County: The Art of Companion Planting (Master Gardener presentation, 2023)
- Clemson Cooperative Extension HGIC: Plant Partners: 5 Benefits of Companion Planting (2025)
- N.C. A&T State University Cooperative Extension: Five Veggies You Can Grow at Home