How to Grow and Harvest Basil

• Plant basil in a spot that gets 6-8 hours of sun.
• When planting basil in-ground or in raised beds, use Miracle-Gro Organic™ Raised Bed & Garden Soil.
• To plant basil in containers, use Miracle-Gro Organic™ Outdoor Potting Mix.
• Check the soil often and water when the top inch is dry.
• For bigger harvests, pinch off the top-most branches to encourage more side shoots once plants are 4-6 inches tall.
• You can start harvesting when your plant is 6-8 inches tall.
• Feed basil plants regularly with Miracle-Gro Organic™ All Purpose Plant Food.

Basil is an annual herb that thrives when summer heat arrives, producing fragrantly delicious leaves. It typically yields a harvest of leaves flavored with hints of anise, mint, and clove, but you can also try growing basil with scents of cinnamon or lemon. You'll find leaves in a variety of sizes, flavors and colors. If you like cooking Italian and Asian cuisine, you should try growing basil.

Here's how to grow basil in your home garden.

Basil is a tropical herb, and plants need sun and heat to thrive. Give it a spot that receives 6 to 8 hours of sun daily. In the South and Southwest, where the sun is intense, afternoon shade is a must.

Basil needs moist, nutrient-rich soil that drains well. Here's how to make sure you're getting the best growing environment possible:

• In-ground garden beds: mix 3 inches of Miracle-Gro Organic™ Raised Bed & Garden Soil into the top 6 inches of soil where your basil patch will be.
• Raised beds: Fill your raised beds with Miracle-Gro Organic™ Raised Bed & Garden Soil.
• Outdoor Containers: Fill containers with Miracle-Gro Organic™ Outdoor Potting Mix, which also contains compost but is lighter and fluffier than garden soil, making it perfect for your outdoor pots.

Plant basil in spring about 2 weeks after the last spring frost in your area. The fastest way to reach harvest time when growing basil is to plant young, starter plants, like those available from Bonnie Plants. In the garden, space plants 12 to 18 inches apart, depending on variety. If you're growing basil in a pot, choose a container that is 12 inches wide or larger with drainage holes.

If you would prefer to grow your basil from seeds, you can sow them directly into soil outdoors after all danger of frost has passed. It's probably best, however, to start seeds indoors about 6 to 8 weeks before your region's average last frost date, using Miracle-Gro Organic™ Indoor Potting Mix.

1. Sow basil seeds ½ inch deep, placing 3 seeds per cell or container. Germination takes 7 to 14 days.
2. After the first set of true leaves appear (these will be teardrop-shaped), thin seedlings by using scissors to snip off all but the strongest seedling in each cell.
3. If necessary, transplant seedlings into larger containers until they're ready to go into the garden.

Now that your basil is starting to grow, here's what you need to you do to keep your basil growing healthy and strong:

• Water regularly: Basil plants need consistent soil moisture to yield well. When the top inch of the soil is dry, you need to water. Containers need to be watered more frequently than in-ground gardens.
• Add mulch: Mulch around plants in in-ground or raised bed gardens with 3 inches of Miracle-Gro Organic™ All Natural Mulch. You can also use shredded leaves, pine straw, or untreated grass clippings. Mulch helps reduce weeds and keep soil moist, which can reduce watering chores.
• Feed basil: Basil plants need a steady supply of plant food to work in tandem with high quality soil to fuel leaf production. Starting about a month after planting, feed both your plants with Miracle-Gro Organic™ All Purpose Plant Food, following the directions on the label.
• Prune Basil: Pinch basil plants when they're 4 to 6 inches tall, removing the center set of leaves at the growing tip. This will encourage branching, resulting in a bushier plant. Pinch basil shoots again when they have added another 6 inches of growth.
• Pinch flowers: Sometime around mid-summer, plants will start flowering. As soon as you see a flower bud, pinch it off. If flowers are allowed to grow, leaf flavor can change (not always for the better) and leaf production will start to slow.
• Protect basil from cold: Basil is extremely cold-sensitive, typically showing signs of cold damage at temperatures below 45 °F. Harvest plants heavily if frost is in the forecast.

Start harvesting individual leaves as soon as plants are 6 to 8 inches high. Pinch individual leaves or snip stems. To store basil inside for a few days, keep freshly clipped sprigs in a vase of water at room temperature. Do not refrigerate basil; the cold air turns leaves brown. You can, however, freeze chopped basil in cubes of water or olive oil.

Basil is a go-to herb for Italian, Mediterranean, and Asian cuisines. Use leaves to flavor tomato sandwiches, pizza, or in salads and sauces. Cinnamon and lemon basil make terrific additions to fresh fruit blends and smoothies. Thai basil blends beautifully with Southeast Asian recipes like stir-fries, marinades, and chutney.

When using basil in recipes, tear instead of chopping to release oils and achieve maximum flavor in your dishes. For best flavor, add it to hot dishes right before serving.

Ready to start growing your own basil? Use this guide to achieve gardening success—and delicious home-grown flavor.