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Can You Grow Basil in Alberta?

Canada · Canadian Zone 4 · zones 2, 3, 4, 5

Grows well here

Basil thrives here — it loves the summer heat your zone provides.

Plant zones

4a–11b

Alberta last frost

early May

Alberta first frost

early October

Days to harvest

30–60 days

When to plant Basils in Alberta

Start indoors

Apr 3

Transplant

May 1

Harvest

May 31 – Jun 30

Dates are approximate, based on Alberta's average frost dates. Your exact yard may vary by microclimate.

About Basil

Basil is the quintessential summer herb — heat-loving fast-growing and endlessly productive when harvested regularly.

Start indoors 4-6 weeks before last frost. Pinch flower buds to keep the plant producing leaves. Never let it set seed. Water at the base — wet leaves cause disease. Loves heat.

Full basil growing guide →

Gardening in Alberta

Alberta has a dry continental climate with cold winters and warm summers. Calgary and Edmonton are Zone 4-5. Intense sunshine compensates for the short season. Chinook winds bring warm spells in winter.