Plant Basil in Zone 7b

Seed-starting, transplant & harvest dates for USDA Zone 7b

Start indoors

Feb 20

Transplant

Apr 17

Direct sow

Apr 17

Harvest (~60d)

Jun 16

Zone 7b averages 212 frost-free days, running from a last spring frost around April 3 to a first fall frost around November 1. Basil needs roughly 60 days from planting out to first harvest, so it uses about 28 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 Feb 20, about 6 weeks ahead of the Zone 7b last frost. Transplants go out around Apr 17. Starting earlier than that in Zone 7b usually backfires: plants outgrow their cells and stall when they finally hit cold soil. At 60 days to harvest, a 212-day Zone 7b season has room for about 2 sowings, so stagger them rather than planting everything at once.

Fall planting: basil in Zone 7b

Basil has no useful fall window in Zone 7b. 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 7b 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 7b

Planting	Sow or start	In the ground	Harvest
Spring	Feb 20	Apr 17	Jun 16
Fall	—	—	—

Last spring frost

Apr 3

First fall frost

Nov 1

Growing season

212 days

Basil in nearby zones

Basil in Zone 7a (colder) Basil in Zone 8a (warmer) Full Basil grow guide Zone 7b planting calendar

Other crops in Zone 7b

Tomatoes in Zone 7b Peppers in Zone 7b Cucumbers in Zone 7b Lettuce in Zone 7b Zucchini in Zone 7b Carrots in Zone 7b Beans (bush) in Zone 7b Peas in Zone 7b Broccoli in Zone 7b Spinach in Zone 7b Kale in Zone 7b Onions in Zone 7b Garlic in Zone 7b Potatoes in Zone 7b Squash (winter) in Zone 7b Corn in Zone 7b Radishes in Zone 7b Beets in Zone 7b Eggplant in Zone 7b Cilantro in Zone 7b Parsley in Zone 7b Pumpkins in Zone 7b Sunflowers in Zone 7b

Frequently asked questions

When should I start basil in Zone 7b?

Start basil seeds indoors around Feb 20 (Zone 7b).

Can I direct sow basil in Zone 7b?

Yes, direct sow around Apr 17.

Can I plant basil in the fall in Zone 7b?

Basil has no useful fall window in Zone 7b. 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 7b?

No. Basil is a tender crop and a single light frost ends it, so every Zone 7b planting has to finish before the average first frost.

How many plantings of basil fit in a Zone 7b season?

About 2. Zone 7b averages 212 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.