Crop Guide – Basil
Common Name Basil
Scientific Name Ocimum basilicum
Uses Edible; seasoning (fresh or dry); Medicinal (oil extract)
Crop Timeline
- Sow seeds for transplant in February. Provide plenty of light for seedlings to avoid producing leggy plants.
- Direct sow seeds a couple of weeks after the last frost. *Plants may not have developed significantly before school lets out for summer.
- Transplants can be planted in the garden after the last frost and preferably when night time temperatures remain above 40 degrees. Basil thrives in a warm rootzone.
Planting tips
- Plants should receive full sun in the morning but avoid areas that get scorching sun in the hottest part of the afternoon.
- Number of plants per square foot: 1
- Pinch terminal shoot to encourage branching
- Growing structures: None
- Frost protection: Cover on nights that approach 32 degrees F. Temperatures below freezing will kill basil especially if not covered.
Harvest
- Harvest mature leaves continually throughout the growing season.
- Harvest tips: Harvest from the tips of each stem, just above a pair of leaves, new shoots will grow from each stem creating a fuller plant.
- Always remove flowers as soon as they are observed to encourage more vegetative growth.
Pests
| Type | Name | Photo | Prevention/Treatment | More Info |
| Disease | Downy Mildew | Plant resistant varieties (Eg: Prospera) | ||
| Insect | Japanese Beetle | |||
| Insect | Aphids | |||
| Mollust | Slug |