Plant Basil in Zone 6b

Seed-starting, transplant & harvest dates for USDA Zone 6b

Start indoors

Mar 4

Transplant

Apr 29

Direct sow

Apr 29

Harvest (~60d)

Jun 28

Zone 6b averages 186 frost-free days, running from a last spring frost around April 15 to a first fall frost around October 18. Basil needs roughly 60 days from planting out to first harvest, so it uses about 32 percent of that window. Basil is a tender crop, which is what decides where in the window it belongs.

Because basil needs a head start, sow seed indoors around Mar 4, about 6 weeks ahead of the Zone 6b last frost. Transplants go out around Apr 29. Starting earlier than that in Zone 6b usually backfires: plants outgrow their cells and stall when they finally hit cold soil. At 60 days to harvest, a 186-day Zone 6b season has room for about 2 sowings, so stagger them rather than planting everything at once.

Fall planting: basil in Zone 6b

Basil has no useful fall window in Zone 6b. Basil blackens at the first light frost, so there is no fall window. Move a plant indoors under a light instead.

Basil blackens at the first light frost, so there is no fall window. Move a plant indoors under a light instead.

Fall dates are counted backward from the Zone 6b average first frost, not forward from a sowing date. See the fall planting calendar by zone for the full method.

Spring vs fall basil in Zone 6b

Planting	Sow or start	In the ground	Harvest
Spring	Mar 4	Apr 29	Jun 28
Fall	—	—	—

Last spring frost

Apr 15

First fall frost

Oct 18

Growing season

186 days

Basil in nearby zones

Basil in Zone 6a (colder) Basil in Zone 7a (warmer) Full Basil grow guide Zone 6b planting calendar

Other crops in Zone 6b

Tomatoes in Zone 6b Peppers in Zone 6b Cucumbers in Zone 6b Lettuce in Zone 6b Zucchini in Zone 6b Carrots in Zone 6b Beans (bush) in Zone 6b Peas in Zone 6b Broccoli in Zone 6b Spinach in Zone 6b Kale in Zone 6b Onions in Zone 6b Garlic in Zone 6b Potatoes in Zone 6b Squash (winter) in Zone 6b Corn in Zone 6b Radishes in Zone 6b Beets in Zone 6b Eggplant in Zone 6b Cilantro in Zone 6b Parsley in Zone 6b Pumpkins in Zone 6b Sunflowers in Zone 6b

Frequently asked questions

When should I start basil in Zone 6b?

Start basil seeds indoors around Mar 4 (Zone 6b).

Can I direct sow basil in Zone 6b?

Yes, direct sow around Apr 29.

Can I plant basil in the fall in Zone 6b?

Basil has no useful fall window in Zone 6b. Basil blackens at the first light frost, so there is no fall window. Move a plant indoors under a light instead.

Will basil survive frost in Zone 6b?

No. Basil is a tender crop and a single light frost ends it, so every Zone 6b planting has to finish before the average first frost.

How many plantings of basil fit in a Zone 6b season?

About 2. Zone 6b averages 186 frost-free days and basil needs roughly 60 days plus a couple of weeks of turnaround, so sowing every 37 days keeps a supply coming.