Thai basil brings a warm aniseed-liquorice note to Southeast Asian cooking, with handsome purple stems and sturdier leaves than sweet basil. It loves the same warm, sunny raised bed as its cousin.
Quick facts
- Position: full sun, 6+ hours
- Spacing: 25–30 cm apart
- Tub depth: our 23 cm depth
- Time to harvest: 6–8 weeks
When to plant: Thai basil is frost-tender — plant from spring once the nights warm up, right through summer. Our free planting calendar shows the right months for your postcode.
Growing it in a raised bed: Plant into warm, moist mix in full sun. Pinch out the growing tips and flower spikes regularly to keep it bushy and in leaf — it's a touch hardier and slower to bolt than sweet basil.
Watering and feeding: Keep the mix evenly moist; water the soil, not the leaves, in the morning.
Common pests: keep an eye out for aphids, whiteflies and caterpillars — though most herbs are pleasingly pest-resistant. See our safe pest guide.
Common problems: the main one to watch is downy mildew and damping-off, usually from damp, crowded conditions. Good airflow and morning watering prevent most.
Companion plants: Like all basils, a classic partner to tomatoes and a good all-round companion. See our companion planting guide.
Harvest and storage: Pick leaves and tips from the top down and often. Best used fresh, right at the end of cooking to keep its aroma.
More growing guides: basil, Vietnamese mint and shiso.
Plan your patch: our free planting calendar shows what to plant now where you live. Ready to grow? Browse our raised garden beds or build your own with the garden bed builder.
Image: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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