Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Licorice Basil (Ocimum basilicum 'Licorice')— schedule & NPK
Also called Licorice Basil, Anise Basil.
More about licorice basil
About Licorice Basil
Ocimum basilicum 'Licorice' · also called Licorice Basil, Anise Basil · herb
Licorice basil is an aromatic, tender annual cultivar of sweet basil with a strong anise-licorice fragrance, purple-flushed stems, and pink-tinged flower spikes. It is grown like any culinary basil, needing warmth, full sun, and steady moisture, and it crops best when pinched regularly. Frost-sensitive, it thrives in summer beds, containers, and warm windowsills.
Growth habit: Upright, bushy tender annual with square purple-tinged stems, glossy green anise-scented leaves, and slender spikes of pale pink to white flowers; branches freely when pinched.
What fertiliser licorice basil actually wants — and why
Licorice Basil is a soft, fast leafy herb that you harvest hard — a modest balanced feed keeps tender growth coming without tipping it into bland or bolting.
A balanced general feed (even N-P-K) at modest strength — enough nitrogen to keep replacing the leaves you pick, but not so much that flavour thins or it bolts to seed.
For the language behind the three numbers on the bottle — what nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium each do — see the NPK ratio explained entry. The short version for licorice basil: match the feed to the job the plant is doing right now, not to a generic “plant food” on the shelf.
How often to feed licorice basil, and which months
Feeding only earns its keep while the plant is in active growth and can use the nutrients — pour feed into a dormant or low-light plant and it simply builds up as root-burning salt. For licorice basil:
Moderate feeder for leaf. Mix compost in at planting and feed with a balanced or nitrogen-leaning liquid feed every 2-3 weeks; avoid excess nitrogen, which dilutes the aromatic oils. In practice: a balanced liquid feed every few weeks through the main growing and harvesting season (spring through early autumn), more often the harder you are picking it.
The dormant-season rule matters more than the exact interval: skip feeding entirely when licorice basil is resting. For the wider context on indoor feeding rhythms across the seasons, the houseplant fertiliser schedule walks through the year month by month.
What strength to mix for licorice basil
Half strength is a sensible default for licorice basil — enough to fuel regrowth after cutting, gentle enough that the leaves stay aromatic rather than watery.
Feeding always goes onto already-damp soil, never dry roots — water licorice basil first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the licorice basil watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding licorice basil
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for licorice basil:
- Fast, soft, pale growth with diluted, less aromatic flavour.
- Early bolting (running to flower) and a bitter edge.
- Salt crust and scorched tips on container plants.
Signs you are under-feeding licorice basil
- Pale, slow regrowth after cutting and small leaves.
- A tired, stalled plant that cannot keep up with harvesting.
- Yellowing older leaves in a long-spent pot.
If the symptoms point at watering, light or roots rather than nutrition, the full licorice basil care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
Pot-grown licorice basil builds up feed salts quickly — water until it drains each time and flush the pot with plain water every few weeks, especially on a sunny windowsill.
Organic vs synthetic feeds for licorice basil
Organic options
A diluted seaweed feed or worm-casting tea keeps soft growth coming without overdoing it. UK: dilute seaweed or Westland; US: Espoma Garden-tone or Neptune's Harvest. Gentle, hard to overdo, flavour-friendly.
Synthetic / liquid feeds
A balanced liquid feed at half strength through harvesting — UK: Phostrogen, Baby Bio or Westland; US: Miracle-Gro all-purpose at half strength. Fast regrowth; just do not overdo the nitrogen.
Brand names are examples, not endorsements, and UK and US ranges differ — check the label’s own NPK and dilution rate, since formulations change.
Fertilising licorice basil — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does licorice basil need?
A balanced general feed (even N-P-K) at modest strength — enough nitrogen to keep replacing the leaves you pick, but not so much that flavour thins or it bolts to seed. Licorice Basil is a soft, fast leafy herb that you harvest hard — a modest balanced feed keeps tender growth coming without tipping it into bland or bolting.
How often should I feed licorice basil?
Moderate feeder for leaf. Mix compost in at planting and feed with a balanced or nitrogen-leaning liquid feed every 2-3 weeks; avoid excess nitrogen, which dilutes the aromatic oils. Moderate feeder for leaf. Mix compost in at planting and feed with a balanced or nitrogen-leaning liquid feed every 2-3 weeks; avoid excess nitrogen, which dilutes the aromatic oils. In practice: a balanced liquid feed every few weeks through the main growing and harvesting season (spring through early autumn), more often the harder you are picking it.
What strength of feed for licorice basil?
Half strength is a sensible default for licorice basil — enough to fuel regrowth after cutting, gentle enough that the leaves stay aromatic rather than watery.
What does over-feeding licorice basil look like?
Fast, soft, pale growth with diluted, less aromatic flavour. Early bolting (running to flower) and a bitter edge. Salt crust and scorched tips on container plants. Over-feeding licorice basil with strong nitrogen is the usual mistake — it grows fast and lush but the leaves turn bland and it bolts to flower sooner, ending the useful harvest early.
Should I flush the soil of licorice basil?
Pot-grown licorice basil builds up feed salts quickly — water until it drains each time and flush the pot with plain water every few weeks, especially on a sunny windowsill.
Keep reading
- Licorice Basil care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water licorice basil — the watering schedule
- The houseplant fertiliser schedule — feeding through the year
- NPK ratio explained — what the three numbers on the bottle mean
- How to fertilise basil
- How to fertilise herb garden
- How to fertilise mint
- All 5561 fertilising guides in the Growli library