Plant Basil in Zone 8b

Seed-starting, transplant & harvest dates for USDA Zone 8b

Start indoors

Feb 1

Transplant

Mar 29

Direct sow

Mar 29

Harvest (~60d)

May 28

Zone 8b averages 245 frost-free days, running from a last spring frost around March 15 to a first fall frost around November 15. Basil needs roughly 60 days from planting out to first harvest, so it uses about 24 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 1, about 6 weeks ahead of the Zone 8b last frost. Transplants go out around Mar 29. Starting earlier than that in Zone 8b usually backfires: plants outgrow their cells and stall when they finally hit cold soil. At 60 days to harvest, a 245-day Zone 8b season has room for about 3 sowings, so stagger them rather than planting everything at once.

Fall planting: basil in Zone 8b

Basil has no useful fall window in Zone 8b. 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 8b 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 8b

Planting	Sow or start	In the ground	Harvest
Spring	Feb 1	Mar 29	May 28
Fall	—	—	—

Last spring frost

Mar 15

First fall frost

Nov 15

Growing season

245 days

Basil in nearby zones

Basil in Zone 8a (colder) Basil in Zone 9a (warmer) Full Basil grow guide Zone 8b planting calendar

Other crops in Zone 8b

Tomatoes in Zone 8b Peppers in Zone 8b Cucumbers in Zone 8b Lettuce in Zone 8b Zucchini in Zone 8b Carrots in Zone 8b Beans (bush) in Zone 8b Peas in Zone 8b Broccoli in Zone 8b Spinach in Zone 8b Kale in Zone 8b Onions in Zone 8b Garlic in Zone 8b Potatoes in Zone 8b Squash (winter) in Zone 8b Corn in Zone 8b Radishes in Zone 8b Beets in Zone 8b Eggplant in Zone 8b Cilantro in Zone 8b Parsley in Zone 8b Pumpkins in Zone 8b Sunflowers in Zone 8b

Frequently asked questions

When should I start basil in Zone 8b?

Start basil seeds indoors around Feb 1 (Zone 8b).

Can I direct sow basil in Zone 8b?

Yes, direct sow around Mar 29.

Can I plant basil in the fall in Zone 8b?

Basil has no useful fall window in Zone 8b. 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 8b?

No. Basil is a tender crop and a single light frost ends it, so every Zone 8b planting has to finish before the average first frost.

How many plantings of basil fit in a Zone 8b season?

About 3. Zone 8b averages 245 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.