Basil

Sweet basil leaves, fresh. Scientific identity: Ocimum basilicum L. Edible part: Fresh leaves and tender culinary stems. Exact source form: Basil, fresh, corresponding to USDA FoodData Central FDC 172232.

A fragrant tender herb that brings peppery sweetness and clove-like aroma to fresh dishes.

Common name

Basil

Scientific name

Ocimum basilicum

Family

Lamiaceae

Edition

Core Edibles

Flavor

Sweet · peppery · aromatic

Texture

Tender leaves

Season

Warm weather

Best storage

Short-term at cool room temperature

Great for

Pesto · salad · sauce

Know this

Homemade basil-and-garlic oil is not shelf-stable

Basil is an easy warm-season annual. Cold soil slows it and any frost kills it.

START WITH

Sweet basil seed

CLIMATE

Warm frost-free season; best around 70–90°F

LIGHT

6–8 hours of sun; afternoon shade in extreme heat

SOIL

Loose, fertile, well-drained soil

1. 1

   Start it

   After frost and once soil is warm, sow 1/4 inch deep. Or start indoors 4–6 weeks early. Keep moist; sprouts usually appear in 5–10 days.

2. 2

   Give it room

   Thin or transplant 8–12 inches apart.

3. 3

   Water correctly

   Water at soil level when the top inch dries. Avoid repeated wilting and wet leaves overnight.

4. 4

   Care for it

   Pinch above a leaf pair after 6–8 leaves form. Remove flower spikes to prolong leaf production.

5. 5

   Harvest

   Cut leafy tips above a pair of leaves in the morning. Never remove more than about one-third of the plant at once.

Begin light harvest roughly 4–6 weeks after germination.

Cut leafy tips above a pair of leaves in the morning. Never remove more than about one-third of the plant at once.