Can Basil Plants Survive in Freezing Temps?

Potting

• Digging up the basil plant and moving it indoors is one of the surest ways to keep basil alive during a freeze. However, if you don't have a sunny window to set it in, this is only a temporary solution. Basil needs full sun to grow and thrive and does not respond well to dark garages or windowless corners of the house. So if you've planted your basil outside for spring but you're experiencing overnight freezes, you may need to keep the potted basil outside during the day and bring it in at evening time.

Cuttings

• Storing plants through the winter indoors to protect them from frost is problematic when there's not much space. However, small basil cuttings can be rooted in small containers and kept on windowsills to wait for spring planting. You still need to keep an eye on them since they will bend to the light coming through the window. If the leaves have pressed themselves against the window and frost forms on the window, the cold temperature may damage the leaves in contact with the window.

Mulching and Covering

• If you have several basil plants and just need to protect them from a fluke overnight freeze, mulching and watering them in well may help the roots survive. Covering the tops of the plants all the way down to the soil helps trap heat as well. If the cold snap is especially severe, a string of Christmas lights under the covering will produce heat, and the cord can be strung so that the lights and their heat encircle and protect the plants. The basil may still suffer damage from the cold, but they're far more likely to survive.

Considerations

• Freezing temperatures are 32 F and below, but basil is sensitive to temperatures under 50 F. While it may not die, it will suffer damage from lower temperatures. Wait until overnight lows are above 50 F before setting out transplants to avoid having to dig them back up or cover them to protect basil from cold snaps.