Basil planting calendar
When to plant basil — pick your state
Basil timing swings hard by climate — choose your state for sow, transplant, and harvest dates calibrated to its USDA zone and frost window.
Northeast
Southeast
Midwest
Southwest
West
Pacific
Common questions
When should I plant basil?
Basil is one of the most cold-sensitive common herbs — it sulks below 10 °C and dies in light frost. Wait a full week after the last spring frost before moving transplants outside, or direct-sow two weeks after frost when soil hits 18 °C. Because the right window depends on your local frost dates, pick your US state above for a calendar with exact sow, transplant, and harvest dates.
Does the best time to plant basil vary by state?
Yes — planting dates swing by several weeks across the US because each state sits in a different USDA zone with its own frost window. Every state page here gives basil dates calibrated to that state's climate.
How are these basil planting dates calculated?
Each state's dates come from that state's dominant USDA hardiness zone and NOAA average frost dates, then adjusted for basil's cold tolerance and days to maturity.