When to plant Basil in Sheffield

Take healthy basil cuttings about 10 cm long around 9th September - 9th October. Cut just below a leaf node with clean scissors, remove the lower leaves and place the cut end in water or moist compost. Keep warm and bright, out of direct sun. Roots usually begin to form within one to two weeks.

Once the cuttings have developed roots a few centimetres long, pot each one into its own container. Use small pots filled with fresh, peat-free multipurpose compost. Plant the rooted cutting gently into the compost and firm it in. Water the newly potted basil and keep it in a warm, light spot (but sheltered from harsh sun) to help it settle in. Soon the cutting will resume growth as a new basil plant.

Begin keeping rooted cuttings indoors from 8th November, as basil cannot tolerate frost. Keep them warm and bright throughout the full frost season. Water when the compost surface dries, taking care not to leave it wet in low light. Keep plants indoors until the return-outside step after the local last frost.

After the local last frost, harden overwintered plants off over 23rd April - 7th May. Put them outside in shelter for a few hours at first, then increase exposure each day. Move them outside permanently once nights reliably stay above 10 °C and no frost is forecast.