How to Grow Basil

Basil is a versatile annual herb used in pasta sauces, pizzas, salads and Thai curries. It is a member of the Lamiaceae (mint) family. Sweet basil plants tend to dominate the supermarket shelves, but there are many other exciting types to try when you grow your own.

Sow basil seed successionally from spring to summer so you have a continuous crop. Pot on into individual pots when plants are big enough to handle. Water sparingly as basil suffers when sitting in wet compost. Harvest leaves individually rather than chopping the plant with scissors, as this will enable new leaves to grow.

Basil is an essential topping for homemade pizzas and a key ingredient for many tomato sauces. Check out our tests of the best pizza ovens, in collaboration with BBC Good Food.

Grow basil in well-drained, fertile soil in a warm, sheltered position out of direct midday sun. To get a quality crop that lasts from early spring to mid-autumn, it’s best to grow basil in a container.

Start your basil seeds off in pots of moist peat-free multi-purpose compost on a warm (around 20°C), bright windowsill out of direct sun. Water sparingly until germination, then water only when needed and in the mornings to avoid damping off. When seedlings are big enough to handle, pot them on into individual pots filled with a peat-free, soil-based compost. Pinch out tips to encourage bushy plants.

Keep potted basil plants indoors or plant outside in warmer locations, in the ground or a container, in a sunny sheltered spot, from June to August. To acclimatise plants to conditions outdoors, stand them outside in a sheltered, lightly-shaded spot during the day, and bring the basil pots back in at night. Do this daily for about