Ocimum basilicum (Lamiaceae or mint family)
Production
Soil preparation and rotation
- Apply compost and other amendments based on the results of a soil test.
- Spread lime as needed to increase both the pH and Ca levels. Dolomite lime will also increase Mg levels. Spread gypsum when calcium levels are low but pH is correct.
- Basil does best when planted in raised beds; it likes warm, well-drained soil.
- Basil should not follow basil or many common cut-flower species. It does best on clean ground and thrives under good, natural fertility.
- If direct seeded, Jang, Sutton Jr. or Planet Jr. planters in combination with small seeds like basil don’t perform well with plant matter on the soil surface, so avoid planting them after tall green manures. If transplanted, some plant debris is acceptable as long as it doesn’t interfere with weed control.
- Create a fine and firm seedbed when direct seeding basil. Prepare the seedbed a few weeks before planting to encourage weeds to germinate. This provides the opportunity for some initial weed control via shallow cultivation or flaming.
- Alternatively, place a silage tarp over the prepared and irrigated seedbed 3–5 weeks in advance of the seeding date, depending on the time of year. This will flush many annual weed seeds and reduce weed pressure. Remove the tarp when the weeds have died.
Common recommended fertilizer rates1
| Nitrogen | Phosphorus | Potassium | pH |
| 120 | 0-160 | 0-160 | 6.0-6.4 |
| 1Rates are for New York and are from Cornell University’s Nutrient Guidelines for Commercial Vegetable Production (2019). Check the Cornell website for updated guidelines, or consult with local experts for recommended rates outside New York. | |||
Varieties
- Iowa variety trial
- Genovese, Italian Large Leaf, Sweet Thai. Some newer varieties like Prospera show some resistance to downy mildew.
Greenhouse guidelines
- EZ Seeder seeding plate #9
| Cell pack tray | Germination temp | Growth temp | Hardening off | Notes |
| 72, 98 or 128 | 75° | 75° | Withhold water | 3–4 seeds to a cell. Put plug trays on a wire mesh bench to encourage air pruning. Take plants outside 1 week before planting in field. |
Seeding time and successions
- Seed in a greenhouse 4 weeks before the last frost if you intend to protect the basil with row covers after planting. Basil is very sensitive to frost and cold weather. Don’t expose it to cold nighttime temperatures.
- Plant successions 10–14 days apart for continued harvest, with the last seeding in July for the northern United States. Early plantings require longer intervals to avoid a situation where several successions are ready to harvest at the same time. If you intend to harvest multiple times from the same plant, you can reduce the number of successions accordingly.
Transplanting tips
- Soil temperature should be at least 60°.
- Plants should pull from trays easily. Plants should generally not be older than 4 weeks. If they get too tall, transplanting gets more difficult as they can get stuck inside the tube of the carousel planter. This isn’t an issue with a water wheel planter or when planting by hand.
- Harden plants off because plants that are lush don’t adapt well to the field.
Transplanting in 5- or 6- foot raised beds
| Rows | In-row spacing | Planting depth (inches) | Notes |
| 3 | 9 inches | Normal to deep when plants are tall | Needs fertile conditions. Basil is an aggressive neighboring plant; it’s not suitable for companion planting unless pulled up when plants are 6–12 inches tall |
Direct seeding information
| Seeder | Rows | Seeds per foot | Seed plate no. | Depth (inches) | Sprocket setting | Notes |
| Planet Jr. | 3 | 50 | 6 | 1/4 | Will require thinning | |
| MaterMacc | 3 | 12-20 | 192 H 0.8 | 1/4 | 17-18 | |
| Jang | 3 | 4-12 | YHJ-24 | 1/4 | Front 9/rear 14 |
Cultivation procedures
- Use a basket weeder or wheel hoe when weeds are in the white thread stage. Weed control is more effective when you eliminate weeds before they emerge.
- Hand hoe in between plants.
- Use a finger weeder in combination with side knives for a second pass when new weeds emerge or are still small. Alternatively, if you want very slight hilling, use spring hoes in combination with side knives. These tools effectively eliminate small weeds.
Frost, disease and insect protection
- Basil is very sensitive to cold. Plant when temperatures are mild with no cold nights in the forecast, and harvest before the first frost. For earlier basil, plant through plastic mulch and cover with hoops and floating row covers.
- You can prevent cutworms by spraying the soil with the beneficial nematode Steinerne`ma carpocapsae. Once the pest is in the crop, control the population by spraying the crop with Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki, or spread a baited product containing spinosyn, like Seduce, around the plants.
- Black spots on basil are caused by downy mildew. Some farmers now grow their basil exclusively in high tunnels to prevent this disease. The variety Prospera is relatively resistant to downy mildew. Downy mildew is windborne, so you cannot control it through rotation. Applying an OMRI-listed fungicide isn’t recommended, as it will affect the quality of the basil.
Other cultural practices
- Intercropping basil isn’t recommended, as it can function as a weed that competes for nutrients with its neighboring crop.
- Irrigate frequently for optimum yield and plant health. Frequency depends on soil type, evaporation, precipitation and the particular needs of the crop.
Double cropping and/or cover cropping
- After the first frost, work under any harvest remains to avoid pathogen buildup, and plant a cover crop. In the northern United States and Canada, you can follow summer- and early-fall-harvested basil with a cover crop of oats and peas in September, or with rye and vetch planted at later dates. Adjust accordingly in other regions.
Harvest
| Yield | The yield greatly depends on the crop’s quality and number of cuttings but is generally 1 bunch per row foot. |
| Standards | Harvesting1 60 bunches per person per hour. |
| Washing Basil isn’t washed. | |
| Tools and supplies needed | Scissors and rubber bands or twist ties (customer preference may influence this) |
| 1Harvest rates don't include the time required to transport crops from the field to a wash and pack shed or storage facility. | |
Ready-to-harvest and quality indicators
- Plants are 10–15 inches tall and deep green.
- Plants have no signs of black spots (downy mildew) or damage from Japanese beetles.
- Harvest before frost.
Harvest and cleaning procedures
- Harvest basil in the late morning after any dew has evaporated.
- Wash hands and sanitize scissors before harvesting.
- Cut individual stems with scissors.
- Don’t harvest flowering stems.
- If the crop has high field quality (no Japanese beetle damage or downy mildew) leave 3–4 inches behind for regrowth.
- Don’t get basil wet. Don’t harvest in the rain, since the leaves will turn black in storage.
Additional resources
Packing and storage summary for basil
| Packing in the field | Plastic 1⅓ bushel boxes |
| Packing for delivery | Pack 24 bunches in a sealed 11⁄9 bushel box bunches for wholesale. See the International Federation for Produce Standards for the correct PLU code. Add the prefix 9 for organic crops. A clean box of choice for CSA or farmers market distribution. Line the boxes with a plastic liner to avoid having the product lose moisture. |
| Storage | Store at 50° and 95–100% humidity with good air circulation. |
This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture through the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and should not be construed to represent any official USDA or U.S. Government determination or policy.