Australia plant library · herb

Basil

Ocimum basilicum · Lamiaceae

Top summer herb and partner to tomatoes.

Photo: Castielli, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sun: Full sun (tolerates part shade).
Soil: Fertile and well-drained, kept moist.
Soil pH: About 6.0-7.5 (neutral).
Water: Keep moist; water at the base, not the leaves.
Hardiness: Frost-tender annual in most areas; grown Australia-wide in the warm season.
Height and spread: About 30-60 cm (depending on variety).

Guv's tipPinch basil's growing tips for bushiness and remove flower spikes to prolong the harvest. Water at the base, not the leaves.

Through the year

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Sow or plant

Timings are for temperate Australia. Tropical and arid gardens follow different seasons.

When to plant

Spring to autumn after frost (Sep-Nov is the main sowing time in temperate areas).

Harvest or flowering

Leaves from about 6 weeks after sowing; pinch out flowers to prolong the harvest.

Pruning

Pinch growing tips for bushiness; remove flower spikes.

Making more plants

Seed; softwood cuttings root easily.

Watch out for

Pest

Snails and slugs

Look for: Holes chewed in leaves and seedlings; slime trails.

What to do: Hand-pick at night, protect seedlings, and use a registered snail and slug bait sparingly (e.g. iron-based).

Pest

Caterpillars

Look for: Holes chewed in leaves.

What to do: Hand-pick, or spray a registered Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) product.

Disease

Basil downy mildew

Peronospora belbahrii

Look for: Yellowing leaves with grey-purple fuzzy growth underneath; leaves curl and drop.

What to do: Grow resistant varieties, give good airflow, water at the base, and remove and bin infected plants.

Always read and follow the label on any treatment, and check it is approved for use where you live.

Safety and spread

Pets and people: Non-toxic to dogs and cats (ASPCA); Cats Protection lists basil as safe for cats.

Weed risk: Not listed as a weed on Weeds Australia or the Queensland restricted invasive plant list.

Checked against two or more reputable gardening sources. How we check our facts

Growing somewhere else? See this plant for the UK and the USA.

Keep it by the back door

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