This basil, it’s a picky little thing, you know? It don’t like the cold, not one bit. I remember one year, the frost came early, and my whole basil patch, it just wilted up and turned black. Like it got burned, you know? It was a sad sight, that’s for sure. So, what temperature is too cold for basil?
Well, I tell ya, if it gets down to 50 degrees, that’s Fahrenheit, mind you, that basil is gonna start to feel it. It’s like when you leave your tea out on the porch in the winter. It just ain’t happy. They say 50 degrees is where it can have cold damage. And if you see it early, maybe you can save it, I don’t know. But best to keep it warm, that’s what I say.
Now, some folks say, oh, basil can take a little bit of cold. They say it can go down to like 53 or so. But I seen it with my own two eyes. That cold, it just does something to the leaves, turns ’em black and mushy. It ain’t pretty, let me tell you. My neighbor, she tried to cover hers with a blanket, but it didn’t do no good. The cold, it just seeped right through. She lost all of her basil plant.
Now I heard, if it gets down into the 40s, that’s when it’s really bad. That’s like, you know, when you leave your laundry out on the line overnight and it gets all stiff with frost? That’s what happens to the basil. It just can’t handle it. Basil plant temperature is important, I tell you!
- If it’s 50 degrees, your basil is gonna be unhappy.
- If it’s in the 40s, your basil might just give up the ghost.
- Best to keep it where it’s warm, like 65 to 85 degrees. That’s what I do now.
If you gonna plant basil, you gotta wait till it’s warm out. Don’t even think about putting it in the ground if it’s still cold and damp. That’s just asking for trouble. Wait till, like, early summer, when the sun’s been shining for a while. That’s when the basil will be happy.
And you know what? It’s good to plant it a few times, not just once. Like, plant some, then wait a month or so, and plant some more. That way, if one batch gets hit by the cold, you still got some others. That’s what I learned the hard way, after losing all my basil that one year.
Now, I keep my basil in pots, you know? That way, I can bring ’em inside if it gets too cold. I put ’em right there by the window, where they can get some sun. They seem to like it there. They grow up big and strong, and I got plenty of basil for my cooking. Basil plants need the sun, that’s for sure.
If you got your basil outside, and it starts to get cold, you can try to cover it up. Like I said, my neighbor tried it with a blanket, but it didn’t work so good. Maybe if you got one of them fancy greenhouses, that would be better. But for me, I just bring ’em inside. It’s easier that way.
You gotta watch out for that frost, too. Frost is the real killer. If the weatherman says there’s gonna be a frost, you better get your basil inside, or it’s gonna be a goner. Basil is frost sensitive, they say. One little touch of frost, and that’s it. It’s like putting an ice cube on a hot stove, you know? It just shrivels up and dies.
So, to answer your question, what temperature is too cold for basil? Well, anything below 50 is risky. 40s is real bad. And frost? Forget about it. Keep your basil warm, keep it happy, and it’ll give you plenty of leaves for your cooking. That’s all I got to say about that. Now, if you want to keep your basil alive, listen to me. Don’t let it get too cold! It ain’t worth the trouble, believe me. You’ll be sad to see your basil die. Keep it above 50, and you might be okay. Best to keep it much warmer, though, if you can.
