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How to grow basil

Frost-tender · Mint family

When to sow and plant

  • Sow outdoors 6–20 May
  • Plant out 6–20 May

Frost-tender: everything 17 days later, so it only goes outside once there is no frost in 9 out of 10 years.

Based on: average for Germany, last frost 19 April, safe from 6 May

Planting calendar for your area
Where the dates come from

The weeks come from our sources; the dates use the average frost in Germany. Enter a German postcode to get dates for your area.

  • Sow outdoors: 0–2 weeks after the last frost (University of Maryland Extension: Growing Basil in a Home Garden)
  • Plant out: 0–2 weeks after the last frost (Utah State University Extension: Basil in the Garden)

Good and bad neighbours

Good neighbours · 3

  • TomatoStudy· B

    In garden trials, tomato and basil together out-yielded either crop alone – especially when planted densely.

    B: Hint from one study

    Tomato

  • Brussels sproutsStudy· B

    In the same garden trial, basil next to Brussels sprouts also paid off (higher combined yield).

    B: Hint from one study

    Brussels sprouts

  • Coriander (cilantro)Study· B

    According to the RHS, coriander sometimes kept pests off basil and parsley – not reliably.

    B: Hint from one study

    Coriander (cilantro)

Crop rotation

Our sources give no separate break for this family.

  • The same species should go back to the same spot after a break of 3 years at the earliest.
  • Example: grown here in 2026, again from 2030.

At a glance

Family
Mint family (Lamiaceae)
Nutrient needs
Light feeder
Frost
Tender to frost
Spacing (row × plant)
46 × 30 cm (18 × 12 in)
Plants per m²
7.2
Per square foot (30 × 30 cm)
2 plants
Life cycle
Annual
Harvest
After 42 days from planting

Spacing according to University of Maryland Extension: Growing Basil in a Home Garden. Other sources: 25 × 20 cm (10 × 8 in) (Bayerische Gartenakademie (LWG), Merkblatt 2151: Basilikum).

Questions and answers

When can I plant out basil?

Plant out, average for Germany: 6–20 May. That is the date after which there is no frost in 9 out of 10 years. Enter a German postcode above for your area, or your own frost date in the planting calendar.

How far apart should I plant basil?

46 × 30 cm (18 × 12 in) (row × plant), according to University of Maryland Extension: Growing Basil in a Home Garden.

What grows well next to basil?

Tomato: Good neighbour (B), Brussels sprouts: Good neighbour (B) and Coriander (cilantro): Good neighbour (B).

How long a break do basil need in the same bed?

Our sources give no separate break for this family. The same species should go back to the same spot after a break of 3 years at the earliest.

More from the mint family

Sources

Show 11 sources
  1. Landwirtschaftskammer Schleswig-Holstein: Fruchtfolge im Garten (Gartenmerkblatt, 2020)
  2. RHS Grow your own: Basil
  3. University of Maryland Extension: Growing Basil in a Home Garden
  4. Bayerische Gartenakademie (LWG), Merkblatt 2151: Basilikum
  5. Phipps Conservatory: Square Foot Gardening (PDF)
  6. Utah State University Extension: Basil in the Garden
  7. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy (über die GBIF-API, species/match)
  8. Bomford 2004: Yield, pest density, and tomato flavor effects of companion planting in garden-scale studies incorporating tomato, basil, and Brussels sprout (Diss., West Virginia University)
  9. Oregon State University Extension: Companion Planting (Guides for beginning gardeners, Juni 2021)
  10. Utah State University Extension (Mohr, Trundle, Hagevik): Creating Sustainable School and Home Gardens – Companion Planting (Juli 2025)
  11. RHS (Guy Barter): Three ways to use companion planting

Retrieved on 23 October 2026. Facts in our own words, one source per value.