Basil: An Herb Society of America Guide
Outdoor Cultivation
Light
For best results, basil requires full sun. In Basil: An Herb Lover's Guide, Thomas DeBaggio and Susan Belsinger suggest at least 4 hours after 10 a.m. (24). Madalene Hill and Gwen Barclay advise gardeners that basil's sun requirements are similar to roses and tomatoes and recommend "at least 6 hours of sun," preferably in the morning (45).
Water
Basil is a water loving plant, requiring about 53 inches of rain or water per year (24) but surviving with between 23 and 165 inches (72). Be sure soil is well aerated and has proper drainage. Madalene Hill and Gwen Barclay emphasize the importance of drainage over specific water requirements and point out that "more plants are lost to non-draining soil than for any other reason," especially in the South (45). Raised beds can help to promote drainage and aeration (44). In The Big Book of Herbs, Art Tucker and Thomas DeBaggio recommend using "trickle irrigation" to keep leaves dry and prevent fungal infections (79).
Fertilizer
Adding compost to your soil at the beginning of the season is a great way to enrich the soil organically. James Adams uses this method to prepare for plantings at the National Herb Garden (1). Some gardeners, like HSA's garden consultant, Joan DeLauro, prefer compost to other types of fertilizers (25).
Mark Langan suggests using a balanced fertilizer with equal amounts nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium at the start of the season and then switching to a nitrogen-rich fertilizer like bloodmeal (which is organic) as the season progresses. Mark believes that it's important to supplement nitrogen because it is depleted from soil faster than other nutrients (51). Plants should be fertilized after each heavy pruning or harvest (44, 45, 72, 79).
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