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Herb Full Sun Regular water

Basil

Written by the GrowByCity Editorial Team · Updated April 2026
2 min read

Essential culinary herb with fragrant leaves. A warmth-loving plant that does best between 20°C and 30°C, basil adapts well to tropical and subtropical conditions but cannot tolerate frost. It needs full sun (6-8 hours of direct light daily) and regular watering to keep soil consistently moist — leaves are ready for picking in about 50-75 days. Valued in cuisines worldwide, it is easy to grow and rewards regular harvesting with bushier, more productive plants.

Harvest 50-75 days
Temp Range 10°C — 35°C

Quick Answer: How to Grow Basil

Basil takes 50-75 days to harvest. It grows best in 20–30°C with full sun and regular watering. Basil is not frost tolerant — wait until after the last frost to plant. It can be grown in 350 cities worldwide.

Find the best time to plant Basil in your city →

Growing Requirements

☀️
Sun
Full Sun
💧
Water
Regular
❄️
Frost
Sensitive
📅
Harvest
50-75 days

Temperature Range

20-30°C
-10°C 45°C
Optimal: 20–30°C Tolerates: 10–35°C
Tropical suitable: Yes
Cities growing: 350 of 350

Growing Tips

💡

Expert Tips

Pinch flower buds to encourage leaf growth. Harvest from top down. Wait until soil warms to at least 20°C before transplanting outdoors — cold soil stunts growth and can invite root rot. Aim for about 2.5 cm of water per week, adjusting for rainfall. Organic mulch around the base helps maintain even moisture.

Quick Facts

  • Grows in 350 of 350 cities
  • Available in 7 regions worldwide
  • Temperature range: 10°C to 35°C
  • Optimal growing: 20°C to 30°C
  • Harvest in 50-75 days

Did You Know?

  • 🌱 Basil loves the heat! It thrives in tropical and subtropical climates year-round.
  • 🌱 Basil needs at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily for optimal growth.

Step-by-Step Growing Guide

Basil thrives in rich, well-draining soil at pH 6.0–7.0. Amend beds with mature compost at 30% volume before planting. Transplant seedlings 20–25cm apart in rows 30cm apart once night temperatures stay consistently above 10°C. Plant at the same depth as the nursery pot. Basil is extremely frost-sensitive — even a light frost kills it instantly. Water regularly to keep soil evenly moist but never waterlogged; aim for 2.5cm per week, watering at the base in the morning so foliage dries before evening. Container plants need daily checking in summer heat. Feed with a balanced liquid fertiliser (10-10-10) at half strength every 2–3 weeks — over-fertilising with nitrogen produces lush leaves but dilutes aromatic oils. Pinch growing tips and any flower buds weekly from the time the plant reaches 15cm tall; this keeps plants bushy and delays bolting by weeks. Basil grows happily in pots at least 20cm deep on a sunny windowsill indoors year-round.

Common Pests & Problems

Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. basilici) causes sudden wilting, brown streaking in stems, and yellowing leaves — there is no cure; remove and destroy infected plants, avoid replanting basil in the same soil for 3 years. Downy mildew (Peronospora belbahrii) shows as yellowing upper leaf surfaces with grey-purple fuzz underneath in humid weather; improve air circulation by thinning plants and avoiding overhead watering. Japanese beetles and aphids cluster on young growth, causing distorted leaves — blast aphids off with a strong water jet and handpick beetles into soapy water in the early morning when they are sluggish. Neem oil spray applied weekly deters both.

Harvest & Storage

Harvest individual leaves or whole stems once the plant has at least 6 pairs of leaves. Always cut just above a leaf node to trigger two new branches. Harvest in the morning after dew has dried for maximum volatile oil content. Fresh basil lasts 5–7 days stored upright in a glass of water on the bench (never refrigerate — it blackens below 10°C). For longer use, blend with olive oil and freeze in ice cube trays for up to 3 months, or dry at under 35°C to preserve colour.

Popular Varieties

Genovese is the classic large-leaf Italian basil with a sweet, clove-anise fragrance — the non-negotiable choice for pesto. Thai basil has smaller, slightly serrated leaves with a distinct spicy-anise flavour that holds up to heat in cooked dishes. Purple Ruffles offers dramatic dark-violet, frilly leaves with a milder flavour and striking ornamental value in beds. Lettuce Leaf basil produces enormous, crinkled leaves up to 12cm wide — perfect for wrapping around food or garnishing platters.

Companion Plants for Basil

✓ Good Companions

These plants grow well alongside Basil:

TomatoPepperOreganoMarigold

✗ Avoid Planting Near

Keep these plants away from Basil:

Sage

Learn more about companion planting.

Where to Grow Basil

Basil can be grown in 350 cities across 7 regions worldwide

🌍

Europe

80 cities
🌏

Asia

79 cities
🌎

North America

78 cities
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Africa

39 cities
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South America

39 cities
🌊

Oceania

19 cities
🕌

Middle East

16 cities

🌍 Europe (80 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Aarhus, DK easy
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Amsterdam, NL easy
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Ankara, TR easy
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Antalya, TR easy
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Athens, GR easy
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Barcelona, ES easy
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Bari, IT easy
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Belgrade, RS easy
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Bergen, NO easy
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Berlin, DE easy
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Bilbao, ES easy
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Bologna, IT easy
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Bordeaux, FR easy
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Bratislava, SK easy
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Brussels, BE easy
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Bucharest, RO easy
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Budapest, HU easy
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Catania, IT easy
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Cologne, DE easy
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Copenhagen, DK easy
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Corfu, GR easy
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Cork, IE easy
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Dublin, IE easy
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Dubrovnik, HR easy
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Edinburgh, GB easy
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Florence, IT easy
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Frankfurt, DE easy
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Gdansk, PL easy
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Genoa, IT easy
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Glasgow, GB easy
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Gothenburg, SE easy
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Hamburg, DE easy
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Helsinki, FI easy
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Heraklion, GR easy
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Istanbul, TR easy
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Izmir, TR easy
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Krakow, PL easy
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Kyiv, UA easy
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Limassol, CY easy
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Lisbon, PT easy
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Ljubljana, SI easy
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London, GB easy
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Lyon, FR easy
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Madrid, ES easy
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Malaga, ES easy
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Marseille, FR easy
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Milan, IT easy
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Munich, DE easy
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Naples, IT easy
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Nice, FR easy
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Nicosia, CY easy
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Oslo, NO easy
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Palermo, IT easy
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Paris, FR easy
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Porto, PT easy
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Poznan, PL easy
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Prague, CZ easy
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Reykjavik, IS easy
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Riga, LV easy
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Rome, IT easy
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Seville, ES easy
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Sofia, BG easy
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Split, HR easy
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Stockholm, SE easy
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Strasbourg, FR easy
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Stuttgart, DE easy
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Tallinn, EE easy
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Thessaloniki, GR easy
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Tirana, AL easy
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Toulouse, FR easy
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Turin, IT easy
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Turku, FI easy
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Valencia, ES easy
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Valletta, MT easy
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Verona, IT easy
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Vienna, AT easy
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Vilnius, LT easy
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Warsaw, PL easy
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Zagreb, HR easy
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Zurich, CH easy
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🌏 Asia (79 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Ahmedabad, IN easy
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Almaty, KZ easy
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Bali, ID easy
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Bandung, ID easy
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Bangalore, IN easy
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Bangkok, TH easy
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Beijing, CN easy
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Busan, KR easy
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Cebu, PH easy
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Chandigarh, IN easy
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Chengdu, CN easy
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Chennai, IN easy
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Chiang Mai, TH easy
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Chittagong, BD easy
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Chongqing, CN easy
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Coimbatore, IN easy
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Colombo, LK easy
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Da Nang, VN easy
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Dalian, CN easy
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Davao, PH easy
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Delhi, IN easy
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Dhaka, BD easy
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Dharan, NP easy
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Fukuoka, JP easy
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Galle, LK easy
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Guangzhou, CN easy
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Hangzhou, CN easy
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Hanoi, VN easy
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Harbin, CN easy
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Ho Chi Minh City, VN easy
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Hong Kong, HK easy
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Hyderabad, IN easy
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Incheon, KR easy
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Indore, IN easy
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Islamabad, PK easy
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Jaipur, IN easy
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Jakarta, ID easy
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Jeju, KR easy
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Johor Bahru, MY easy
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Karachi, PK easy
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Kathmandu, NP easy
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Kochi, IN easy
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Kolkata, IN easy
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Kuala Lumpur, MY easy
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Kunming, CN easy
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Kyoto, JP easy
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Lahore, PK easy
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Lucknow, IN easy
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Manila, PH easy
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Mumbai, IN easy
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Nagoya, JP easy
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Nanjing, CN easy
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Nha Trang, VN easy
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Okinawa, JP easy
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Osaka, JP easy
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Pattaya, TH easy
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Penang, MY easy
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Phnom Penh, KH easy
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Pune, IN easy
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Sapporo, JP easy
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Seoul, KR easy
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Shanghai, CN easy
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Shenzhen, CN easy
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Siem Reap, KH easy
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Singapore, SG easy
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Surabaya, ID easy
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Surat, IN easy
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Taipei, TW easy
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Tashkent, UZ easy
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Tbilisi, GE easy
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Tokyo, JP easy
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Ulaanbaatar, MN easy
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Varanasi, IN easy
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Vientiane, LA easy
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Visakhapatnam, IN easy
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Wuhan, CN easy
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Xi'an, CN easy
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Xiamen, CN easy
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Yangon, MM easy
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🌎 North America (78 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Albuquerque, US easy
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Anchorage, US easy
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Atlanta, US easy
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Austin, US easy
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Baltimore, US easy
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Baton Rouge, US easy
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Boise, US easy
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Boston, US easy
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Bridgetown, BB easy
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Buffalo, US easy
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Calgary, CA easy
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Cancun, MX easy
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Charleston, US easy
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Charlotte, US easy
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Chattanooga, US easy
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Chicago, US easy
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Denver, US easy
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Des Moines, US easy
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Detroit, US easy
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Edmonton, CA easy
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El Paso, US easy
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Fargo, US easy
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Fresno, US easy
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Guadalajara, MX easy
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Halifax, CA easy
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Hartford, US easy
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Havana, CU easy
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Honolulu, US easy
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Houston, US easy
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Jacksonville, US easy
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Kansas City, US easy
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Kingston, JM easy
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Knoxville, US easy
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Las Vegas, US easy
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Little Rock, US easy
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Los Angeles, US easy
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Louisville, US easy
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Lubbock, US easy
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Madison, US easy
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Memphis, US easy
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Mexico City, MX easy
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Miami, US easy
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Milwaukee, US easy
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Minneapolis, US easy
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Monterrey, MX easy
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Montreal, CA easy
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Nashville, US easy
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New Orleans, US easy
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New York, US easy
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Oaxaca, MX easy
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Oklahoma City, US easy
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Omaha, US easy
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Ottawa, CA easy
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Panama City, PA easy
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Phoenix, US easy
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Pittsburgh, US easy
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Portland, US easy
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Puebla, MX easy
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Quebec City, CA easy
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Raleigh, US easy
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Richmond, US easy
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Sacramento, US easy
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Salt Lake City, US easy
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San Diego, US easy
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San Francisco, US easy
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San Jose, CR easy
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Santo Domingo, DO easy
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Saskatoon, CA easy
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Savannah, US easy
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Seattle, US easy
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Spokane, US easy
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St. Louis, US easy
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Tampa, US easy
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Toronto, CA easy
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Tucson, US easy
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Vancouver, CA easy
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Victoria, CA easy
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Winnipeg, CA easy
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🌍 Africa (39 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Abidjan, CI easy
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Accra, GH easy
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Addis Ababa, ET easy
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Algiers, DZ easy
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Antananarivo, MG easy
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Arusha, TZ easy
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Bamako, ML easy
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Bloemfontein, ZA easy
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Cairo, EG easy
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Cape Town, ZA easy
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Casablanca, MA easy
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Dakar, SN easy
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Dar es Salaam, TZ easy
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Douala, CM easy
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Durban, ZA easy
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Entebbe, UG easy
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Fez, MA easy
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Freetown, SL easy
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Harare, ZW easy
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Johannesburg, ZA easy
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Kampala, UG easy
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Kigali, RW easy
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Kinshasa, CD easy
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Lagos, NG easy
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Libreville, GA easy
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Lilongwe, MW easy
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Lome, TG easy
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Luanda, AO easy
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Lusaka, ZM easy
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Maputo, MZ easy
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Marrakech, MA easy
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Mombasa, KE easy
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Nairobi, KE easy
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Ouagadougou, BF easy
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Port Louis, MU easy
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Pretoria, ZA easy
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Tunis, TN easy
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Windhoek, NA easy
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Zanzibar, TZ easy
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🌎 South America (39 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Arequipa, PE easy
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Asuncion, PY easy
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Barranquilla, CO easy
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Belem, BR easy
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Bogota, CO easy
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Brasilia, BR easy
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Buenos Aires, AR easy
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Cali, CO easy
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Campinas, BR easy
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Caracas, VE easy
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Cartagena, CO easy
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Concepcion, CL easy
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Cordoba, AR easy
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Curitiba, BR easy
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Cusco, PE easy
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Fortaleza, BR easy
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Georgetown, GY easy
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Goiania, BR easy
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Guayaquil, EC easy
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La Paz, BO easy
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Lima, PE easy
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Manaus, BR easy
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Medellin, CO easy
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Mendoza, AR easy
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Montevideo, UY easy
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Paramaribo, SR easy
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Port of Spain, TT easy
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Porto Alegre, BR easy
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Quito, EC easy
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Recife, BR easy
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Rio de Janeiro, BR easy
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Rosario, AR easy
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Salvador, BR easy
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Santa Cruz, BO easy
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Santiago, CL easy
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Sao Paulo, BR easy
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Sucre, BO easy
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Trujillo, PE easy
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Valparaiso, CL easy
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🌊 Oceania (19 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Adelaide, AU easy
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Alice Springs, AU easy
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Auckland, NZ easy
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Brisbane, AU easy
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Cairns, AU easy
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Canberra, AU easy
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Christchurch, NZ easy
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Darwin, AU easy
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Dunedin, NZ easy
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Gold Coast, AU easy
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Hamilton, NZ easy
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Hobart, AU easy
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Melbourne, AU easy
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Noumea, NC easy
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Perth, AU easy
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Suva, FJ easy
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Sydney, AU easy
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Townsville, AU easy
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Wellington, NZ easy
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🕌 Middle East (16 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Abu Dhabi, AE easy
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Amman, JO easy
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Baghdad, IQ easy
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Beirut, LB easy
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Doha, QA easy
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Dubai, AE easy
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Erbil, IQ easy
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Jeddah, SA easy
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Kuwait City, KW easy
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Manama, BH easy
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Muscat, OM easy
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Riyadh, SA easy
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Sana'a, YE easy
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Tabriz, IR easy
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Tehran, IR easy
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Tel Aviv, IL easy
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When should I plant basil in my city?

The best time to plant basil depends on your local climate zone. It thrives in temperatures between 20°C and 30°C. Wait until after the last frost in your area. Check your city's planting calendar on GrowByCity for exact dates.

Can I grow basil in winter?

Basil is not frost tolerant and cannot survive winter outdoors in most temperate climates. In tropical areas (USDA Zones 10+), it may grow year-round.

Get Basil Seeds & Plants

Ready to start growing? Find Basil seeds and starter plants online.

Shop on Burpee Search on Amazon

People Also Search For

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Similar Growing Requirements

🥬

Tomato

Vegetable · Full Sun

18-27°C
🥬

Carrot

Vegetable · Full Sun

15-24°C
🥬

Pepper

Vegetable · Full Sun

20-30°C
🥬

Cucumber

Vegetable · Full Sun

20-30°C
🥬

Zucchini

Vegetable · Full Sun

18-27°C
🌿

Mint

Herb · Partial Shade OK

12-22°C

Frequently Asked Questions about Basil

When should I plant basil?

The best time to plant basil depends on your local climate. Basil grows best in temperatures between 20°C and 30°C (can tolerate 10°C to 35°C). Basil is not frost tolerant, so wait until after the last frost in your area. Check your city's planting calendar on GrowByCity for exact planting months.

Can basil grow in tropical climates?

Yes! Basil can grow in tropical climates. It's successfully grown in tropical cities like Abidjan, Abu Dhabi, Accra. Basil requires full sun and regular watering.

How long does basil take to grow?

Basil typically takes 50-75 days from planting to harvest. It requires full sun and regular watering. Pinch flower buds to encourage leaf growth. Harvest from top down. Wait until soil warms to at least 20°C before transplanting outdoors — cold soil stunts growth and can invite root rot. Aim for about 2.5 cm of water per week, adjusting for rainfall. Organic mulch around the base helps maintain even moisture.

Find the Best Time to Plant Basil

See the planting calendar for Basil in these popular cities:

London, GBMumbai, INNew York, USParis, FRSingapore, SGSydney, AUTokyo, JPToronto, CA

Last updated: March 2026 · Climate data from NOAA, FAO, USDA

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