How to grow Basil (Greek)

Ocimum basilicum 'Minimum'

🌿 Herb 🌱 Grown each year

Greek Basil features small, oval green leaves with a slightly softer, sweeter flavor than traditional Basil Sweet Genovese. It's an easy-to-grow, 'cut and come again' herb that continuously produces fresh leaves when regularly picked. Forming a small, dome-shaped bush (30cm tall x 30cm wide), it makes a gorgeous ornamental herb, perfect for terracotta pots. It's a versatile culinary herb, excellent in tomato-based sauces for pasta or pizza, a staple for green pesto, and adds a unique flavor to salads. Young leaves can be harvested early (3-6 weeks old) as micro-leaves for a concentrated 'basily' punch in soups or as a garnish. The Greeks traditionally use pots of basil on tables to deter flies and mosquitoes. When cooking, tear leaves rather than cutting, and add them at the last moment to retain the best flavor.

At a glance: Sow mid June to mid July, harvest from early August.

When to sow, plant and harvest

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Sow outdoors

Harvest

Timed for a typical UK garden (last frost mid-April). The app uses your own town's frost dates.

Growing Basil (Greek): what it needs

Light: Full sun · 6+ hours a day
Watering: Keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Water in the morning to prevent damping off, avoiding foliage.
Soil: Rich, well-draining soil · pH 6.0–7.0
Spacing: 25cm apart
In pots: Grows well in containers
Feeding: A balanced liquid feed can encourage continuous leaf production, especially for container plants.
Harvest: About 42 days from sowing
Hardiness: USDA zones 3–11
Difficulty: Easy

Step by step

Mid June – mid July · 9 weeks after the last spring frost
Sow Seeds Outdoors (optional)
Direct sow seeds 6mm deep in well-drained soil when night time temperatures are consistently above 13°C, typically in June. Ensure a sunny, sheltered spot.
5–10 days after “Sow Seeds Indoors” · Mid June – late June
Check Germination
Seedlings should emerge in about 5-10 days. Once germinated, water sparingly to prevent 'damping off'.
14 days after “Transplant Outdoors” · Early July
Pinch Growing Tip
Pinch out the central growing tip about 2 weeks after final transplant to encourage a bushier plant and more leaf production.
28–60 days after “Pinch Growing Tip” · Early August – early September
Start Harvesting Leaves
Begin harvesting leaves 6-8 weeks from sowing. Pick regularly to encourage new growth. Harvest before flowering, as this can diminish flavor. Tear leaves rather than cutting.