Growing Basil

Ocimum basilicum : Lamiaceae / the mint family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
                  S    
T                   T T

(Best months for growing Basil in New Zealand - cool/mountain regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • Grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 64°F and 95°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 8 - 10 inches apart
  • Harvest in 10-12 weeks. Pick before flowering.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Tomato

Your comments and tips

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08 Apr 18, Dale (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I have just pulled out about 10 basil plants ( lots of seedlings coming up) because I am so sick and tired of the cloud of grasshoppers taking residence in our veggie patch and eating the basil... Basil is one of my favorite herbs ,but these grasshoppers are really owning my patch...any advise would be much appreciated.
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09 Apr 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Try shade cloth or mossy netting over them for a few weeks.
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10 Apr 18, Dale (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Thanks Mike for the hint. I spotted an unusual roll of shade cloth at Bunnings, and it was very closely woven- I think it was a beige colour. But I got confused with all the price tags and descriptions that I just gave it a miss.(looks expensive) What is mossy netting and where do you buy it? Blessings to you on this fine day.
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20 Apr 18, Carol (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
If you'd like to save money then go to an op-shop and pick up some net curtains. They're easy to find and will be very cheap. That will let the sun and air in but keep the bugs out
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12 Apr 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Mossy netting is mosquito netting - in the old days you hung this over your bed to keep the mosquitos out. They sell it at Spotlight - about $7/mr. What width I don't know. 70% shade cloth at Bunnings is approx. $5-7/mtr - that is 1.83m x 1mtr. It has multi uses in gardening.
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15 Apr 21, Jane (Australia - tropical climate)
Thanks Mike. With basil, do the leaves need to be picked small (do they go spindly/woody) or can they be picked big?
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06 Apr 18, Charlene (Australia - temperate climate)
I planted Basil seeds 19 Feb they come up lovely, but 5wks later they are still 3cm tall. They get plenty of sun and enough water why arent they growing anymore.
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16 Jan 18, Nicole (Australia - temperate climate)
How many hours of sun would you recommend for basil? My back balcony only receives 4 hours of direct sunlight in Summer. I'm currently living in a new apartment and am expecting this number to decrease as it approaches Winter. Will the basil survive in this environment?
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17 Jan 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Seed selling company recommends full sun. Just give it a try and see what happens.
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22 Dec 17, Joe Raulli (Australia - temperate climate)
Where can I purchase Basil Seeds the soft leaf type that does not go black when crushed for Pesto.
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Showing 31 - 40 of 123 comments
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I had the same problem at first. Most instructions aren't very clear on the details. The trick is to wait until there are 3-5 sets of true leaves on the seedling. Then, only cut off the top pair of leaves. Also don't pinch or trim until it is transplanted or in its final pot for growing. For the second "pinch," wait until the suckers (like on tomatoes) have 2-3 new sets of leaves, at least. Always use scissors or shears, btw. A good rule of thumb is to never remove more than 1/3 of a plant's leaves at a time, if you want it to keep growing. Once I figured out how to trim my basil plants, they went nuts within a couple of months. Now I have more basil than I can handle!

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