How to Grow Basil With Parsley

Prepare the herb garden in the spring for basil and parsley, which are annual herbs. Cultivate the garden soil with the spade down to a depth of about 4 inches. Add 2 inches of compost over the soil to improve the soil composition and enhance the soil nutrients. Mix the compost and soil well with a garden spade and rake the soil smooth.

Dig holes for the basil and parsley. Space the holes about 2 feet apart to allow the plants to spread slightly as they grow. Make the holes large enough to accommodate the root systems.

Remove the basil and parsley from their temporary containers and transfer them to the prepared holes. Fill in soil around the roots carefully and tamp the soil down gently with your hands.

Place plant markers near both the basil and parsley to help you remember which plant is which. The basil plant has larger leaves, and the parsley plant has frilly, fuzzy foliage.

Water the newly planted herbs immediately after planting them. Keep the soil evenly moist while the herbs acclimate to their new growing location. This takes about one week. Allow the soil to dry out slightly after both the basil and parsley acclimate -- both of these herbs can tolerate somewhat dry growing conditions.

Water evenly just to moisten the soil after the soil dries for a day or two,.

Remove blossoms from the basil plant when they appear to keep the plant producing and to prevent the leaves from becoming bitter. Continue monitoring the basil throughout the growing season to remove blossoms as they appear. Parsley will not blossom.

Sprinkle about 1 inch of compost over the soil near the basil and parsley plants about midway through the growing season for a natural fertilizer. Scratch the compost into the soil lightly with the hand rake and water the soil evenly.

Harvest parsley and basil from both plants whenever you need it throughout the summer. Clip stems from the base of the plants and mince the fresh herbs for recipes.

Cut both parsley and basil down to just above soil level at the end of the growing season. Use the herbs fresh or bundle them in small bunches to dry upside down.