Native to tropical regions, basil does not tolerate frost. Overwintering in the open air is therefore doomed to failure. Nevertheless, knowledgeable hobby gardeners get the royal herb through the cold season under certain conditions. This is how it works.
How can I overwinter basil successfully in winter?
To overwinter basil successfully, choose hardy varieties, bring the potted plant indoors before the first frost and offer it a sunny, warm window seat. Regular watering, fertilizing every 4-6 weeks and cutting back if necessary promote overwintering and harvest.
Targeted variety selection creates the best conditions
It is a well-known fact that basil from the supermarket can only last longer than a week if it is optimally cared for. Herbal plants that have been sown by hand already have a much more robust constitution. However, only a few varieties of basil are suitable for perennial cultivation. Promising candidates are these:
- Green-leaved African basil 'African Green' (Ocimum kilimanscharicum basilicum)
- Garden basil (Ocimum kilimanscharicum x basilicum)
- Red-Blue African Basil 'African Blue' (Ocimum kilimanscharicum basilicum)
- African tree basil (Ocimum gratissium x suave)
How to overwinter successfully
If you grow basil in a pot in the garden and on the balcony, bring the plant into the house in good time before the first frost. Ideally, the resettlement takes place when temperatures consistently fall below 10 degrees Celsius. With this care you will get the royal herb through the cold season:
- Set up in a sunny, warm window seat at temperatures of 15 to 20 degrees
- cutting back is not absolutely necessary
- water regularly, preferably from below
- continue to fertilize organically every 4 to 6 weeks
If basil finds these conditions, the plant produces an aromatic harvest even during the winter. If you cut entire shoots back to the next leaf axil, the royal herb will continue to thrive and develop a branched habit.
Tips & Tricks
The robust African shrub basil survives the winter even in a dark location at temperatures of 10 to 12 degrees Celsius. In this case, the plant stops growing to be watered little and not fertilized. Placed brighter and warmer from March, the kingweed sprouts again.
