Transplanting Basil
 

I'm planning to grow some varieties of basil (genovese and red types), for myself and to give away. Partly because of space considerations, I've been starting plants in seed row trays, then transplanting. Is this ok with basil, or will it hate the transplant?

I don't know what other people do, but I transplant my basil every year.

It will be fine but make sure you harden it off and keep it watered. Likes lots of light and even endures full sun here when mature if hardened off and watered.

It transplants very well actually. Just wait until it gets its first set of true leaves. I plant mine using Craig's dense planting method and it works VERY well!8-)

Great, I'm glad to hear it. That's what I'll do then - thank you all.

I'm trying 3 kinds of red leaf basil, to see what's a keeper - Purple Ruffles (it's pretty), Opal (new to me), and Red Rubin (worked well last year and kept it's color)

I always transplant after the plants get about 5 or 6 inches tall and have been outside for a few weeks. It will grow much faster and get much bigger if grown in full sun. I now grow only a small globe shaped basil plant that I really like the flavor of and it is so much easier to control and doesn't get so large that it becomes a shrub. I save some seed each year and plant it really early in December and it is about ready to set out now.

tam91, Purple Ruffles is a keeper, it has very tender and tasty leaves.

I also transplant my basil.

I had purple ruffles one year, I think I had it in too much sun though, and it struggled a bit. It was very pretty. Last year I had Red Rubin, which I did like, and it held it's color well. But seed catalogs have too many choices...

I've always had good luck transplanting my basil. However, I notice some critters like eating it. I am picturing the rabbits doing that? Do rabbits like basil?

I'm a little late to this thread, but I grow my basil's from seed, pot up once inside, and transplant to garden after 8 weeks or so, and it works fine. I'm partial to Dark Opal Purple basil, Sweet Deni Lemon basil, and one ore more large-leaf green basil's: this year it's Ceasar and Large Green.