How to Plant Basil in a Pot

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: February 21, 2023 References

Basil is one of the most widely-used herbs in the world, but every cook knows that fresh basil tastes way better than the dried stuff. Basil also happens to be very easy to grow at home. It’s a plant that lasts only a year, but it can produce as much as 12 cups (241.2 g) of leaves in that short time. It’s a hardy, warm-weather plant that doesn’t require a lot of maintenance. You can also grow basil from seeds or get a grown plant for something that adds both color and utility to your home.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Sowing Basil Seeds

1
Plant basil seeds in late winter or early spring. Basil seeds prefer warm soil and warm weather. The best time to plant seeds is at the end of May if you’re in the northern half of the world or November if you’re in the southern half. Seeds can also be planted before or after that, but try to time it so they aren’t exposed to frosty weather.^{[1]
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- Even if you’re planning on keeping your basil plants outdoors, you can start them indoors to protect them from the cold. Try planting them 6 to 8 weeks ahead of time, either in late winter or early spring.
- Although basil can be grown at any time during the year, it tends to turn out weak and sickly during the winter months.
- Seeds are available online and at most gardening centers, along with pots and soil. Basil seed packets contain 100 or more seeds that stay good for up to 5 years. Plant according to how much basil you wish to harvest each year.
2
Choose a 3 in (7.6 cm) pot with drainage holes on the bottom. You don’t have to have a big pot to start growing basil seeds. The type of pot doesn’t really matter either, so choose a style you like. The important part is that it drains well so the soil doesn’t get too wet. Also, get a plant saucer to place underneath the pot so you don’t end up with a big mess each time you water the soil.
- Bigger pots are fine, too. They are useful if you don't want to bother with replanting every single basil sprout later. You can usually grow several smaller basil plants together, although it’s better to separate them.
- You can even use small, plastic growing trays to get seeds started.
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3
Select a well-draining potting mix for the seeds. Purchase a quality potting soil at your local gardening center. Make sure it isn’t an outdoor-type soil, since that can be too heavy for basil seeds. Soilless and seed-starting mixes also work well. If you can, get a sterilized mix to protect your seeds from bacteria and other contaminants.^{[2]
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- The soil’s pH level should be 6.5 to 7. Most store-bought soils are a neutral 7, but you can use a pH testing kit from your local hardware store to test this.
- To make your own soil-based mix, combine equal amounts of sterilized loam, peat sand, and a supplement like perlite, vermiculite, or coarse sand.^{[3]
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- You can also make your own soilless potting mix so transplanting is easier. For example, try combining 2 parts peat moss with 2 parts perlite or vermiculite.
4
Fill the pot ¾ of the way with moist soil. Pour soil into the pot, then use a watering can to gently water it. Watch for water to come out of the drainage holes at the bottom. To ensure the soil is at the perfect consistency for your new basil garden, take a trowel and lightly mix the soil until you’re sure it’s consistent.^{[4]
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- Test the soil’s consistency by scooping up a little with a spoon. Squeeze it between your fingers. It should be a cool, damp clump when you first pick it up, but fall apart when you squeeze it.
5
Spread the seeds at least 1 in (2.5 cm) apart. Basil seeds don’t need a ton of room to begin sprouting, so you can start multiple seeds in the same pot. Scatter a few of them across the pot by hand. Leave them on top of the soil for now.
- Keep in mind what you plan on doing with the grown plants. If you intend on keeping some together, space them 6 to 12 in (15 to 30 cm) apart. Don’t put additional seeds in unless you’re willing to dig them back out later.
- No matter how much you scatter the seeds, they may not all sprout. They don’t need a lot of space to sprout, so placing them far apart doesn’t guarantee that they will all grow.
6
Sprinkle ¹⁄₄ in (0.64 cm) of soil onto the seeds to bury them. You won’t need a thick layer of soil, since that could prevent the seeds from growing. Instead, add just enough to cover them. Scatter the soil around without pressing down on the seeds.^{[5]
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- If you’re looking to give your basil a boost, use an organic compost instead of more soil. Try using a loam-based compost mix or even a layer of vermiculite, for instance.
- Compacting the soil could bury or otherwise damage the seeds, so be gentle when topping the basil seeds. You don’t have to press down on the soil at all.
7
Mist the soil lightly until the upper layer is moist. Fill a small spray bottle with room-temperature water, then spray the soil evenly. Make sure it is moist throughout. When it’s at the right consistency, it will turn a dark color and clump together when you pick some of it up. As long as the soil is at the right consistency, you can sit back and wait 8 to 14 days for the seeds to sprout.
- If you have a seed propagator, you can move the potted seeds into there to lock in the moisture. Another option is to lay a freezer bag over the pot and secure it with rubber bands.
- Too much water will cause the seeds to rot, so use a light touch to keep the soil moist but not soggy.
8
Place the basil in a spot that receives 6 hours of sunlight a day. Basil grows well in sunlight and warm soil. Try keeping your plants on a sunny windowsill, for instance. Make sure they are protected from temperature spikes and moisture leaks. Keep them away from air conditioners and other sources of cold drafts.^{[6]
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- When your basil starts to grow, you can leave the pots in the same, warm spot. If you’re moving them outside, select a similar spot that receives at least 6 hours of sunlight.
- To figure out which areas in your home get plenty of sunlight, check around during a sunny day. Note which spots get shady as the day goes on.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Handling Older Basil Plants

1
Select 8 in (20 cm) pots for grown basil plants. Try getting pots that are about 8 in (20 cm) deep and hold about 9 US gal (34 L). Grown basil requires more space than seedlings. If you’re able to get a pot for each basil plant you’re growing, plant them all separately so they have plenty of room to spread out. Their roots will have much more room to spread out.^{[7]
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- Another option is to get a 12 in (30 cm) pot and space 3 basil plants 6 in (15 cm) apart.
- Small basil plants can also survive for a while in 3 in (7.6 cm) pots, but be prepared to transfer them to something bigger if they outgrow those ones.
2
Transfer seedlings to their own pots after they sprout 2 leaves. Watch for the actual basil leaves, not the small, spade-shaped seed leaves. The seed leaves appear first, followed by the tasty herb leaves.Once your plant has 2 to 5 of these true leaves, prepare to transfer it to a bigger pot where it will have plenty of room to grow out its roots.^{[8]
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- True leaves look like mature basil leaves on a fully-grown plant. They are green and full. Regular basil leaves have a rounded shape, but sweet basil leaves are more pointed.
- The seed leaves will fall off as the basil continues to grow.
3
Dig a hole about ¹⁄₃ in (0.85 cm) in size for the plant. Put on some gardening gloves to push aside the soil in the center of the pot. Make sure the hole is roughly the same size as the plant’s width. You can gauge the width by measuring the distance between the tips of the outermost leaves. Basil sprouts are replanted while they are still small, so you won’t have to do a lot of digging to give them a comfortable new home.^{[9]
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- If you’re dealing with an older basil plant, follow the same steps. Make sure the hole is wide and deep enough to hold the plant’s root ball.
- If you’re transplanting an older plant, put its pot inside the new pot. Pack dirt around the old pot to make a perfectly-sized hole.
4
Remove the basil from its original container. Use a trowel to shift the dirt aside. Stay around the edges of the leaves so you don’t accidentally cut into the roots. When you’re ready to remove the basil, lightly grip the stem underneath the lowest leaves. Place your other hand against the container, then slide the plant out.^{[10]
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- If you have the basil in a pot, tip the pot over to make the basil a little easier to remove.
- For seed-grown basil, be careful to avoid hitting the roots of any nearby sprouts. Also, don’t attempt to pull the basil out if it feels stuck.
5
Bury the basil up to its lower leaves in the new pot. Set the basil root-first into the hole you dug. Check that the lowest leaves are right above the rim of the pot. If it looks good, push some of the soil toward the stem by hand or with a trowel. Keep the roots covered and the stem exposed so the basil grows strong and healthy.^{[11]
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- Any leaves that are in the soil will rot, so don’t bury them. If they are touching the soil, they could also get infected with a bacterial disease.
6
Wait until the weather is over 60 °F (16 °C) before moving basil outdoors. If you wish to keep potted basil outside, wait until the last frost of the season has passed. Keep an eye on the temperature over a couple of days to make sure it stays around 60 to 70 °F (16 to 21 °C). If it looks like it’s going to fall below 40 °F (4 °C), then your plants will be in trouble. Basil grows really well as long as the weather stays warm.^{[12]
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- The last frost is usually in late May for the northern hemisphere and November for the southern hemisphere, but it can vary a lot depending on where you live.
- You can help shield outdoor plants from a sudden temperature drop by covering the soil with pine straw or another type of mulch. However, it’s usually easier to move potted basil back indoors.