Lemon Sweet Dan

Family: Lamiaceae Herb

Planting Schedule

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Sunlit and vivid, Lemon Sweet Dan basil releases a bright, lemony perfume with a sweet, gently herbal finish that lingers on the palate.

The leaves are tender and velvety, forming lush, compact mounds of medium-green foliage with a distinctly citrus-tinged aroma. Ideal for fresh use—tossed into salads, stirred into sauces, and used to crown summer dishes with a fragrant, lemon-bright signature.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 45 DaysHabit: Upright

Botanical illustration of Lemon Sweet Dan

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Lemon Sweet Dan Planting Dates by USDA Zone

Estimated US hardiness-zone windows for sow, transplant, and harvest. Enter a US ZIP above for exact local dates, or open a zone below.

Zone	Start Indoors	Sow / Transplant	Harvest
Zone 1a	Protected Environment Only
Zone 1b	Apr 20th	Jul 27th	Sep 10th – Aug 1st
Zone 2a	Apr 13th	Jul 20th	Sep 3rd – Aug 29th
Zone 2b	Apr 3rd	Jul 10th	Aug 24th – Aug 25th
Zone 3a	Apr 3rd	Jul 10th	Aug 24th – Sep 1st
Zone 3b	Apr 7th	Jul 14th	Aug 28th – Sep 21st
Zone 4a	Apr 3rd	Jul 10th	Aug 24th – Sep 24th
Zone 4b	Apr 1st	Jul 8th	Aug 22nd – Sep 27th
Zone 5a	Mar 27th	Jul 3rd	Aug 17th – Sep 30th
Zone 5b	Mar 23rd	Jun 29th	Aug 13th – Oct 5th
Zone 6a	Mar 20th	Jun 26th	Aug 10th – Oct 10th
Zone 6b	Mar 14th	Jun 20th	Aug 4th – Oct 16th
Zone 7a	Mar 9th	Jun 15th	Jul 30th – Oct 20th
Zone 7b	Feb 27th	Jun 5th	Jul 20th – Oct 28th
Zone 8a	Feb 18th	May 27th	Jul 11th – Nov 5th
Zone 8b	Feb 9th	May 18th	Jul 2nd – Nov 12th
Zone 9a	Jan 23rd	May 1st	Jun 15th – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Dec 29th	Apr 6th	May 21st – Dec 9th
Zone 10a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 15th – Feb 28th
Zone 10b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 15th – Feb 28th
Zone 11a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 15th – Feb 28th
Zone 11b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 15th – Feb 28th
Zone 12a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 15th – Feb 28th
Zone 12b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 15th – Feb 28th
Zone 13a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 15th – Feb 28th
Zone 13b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 15th – Feb 28th

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	45
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Upright
Support Needed	None
Planting Depth	Normal
Germination Temp (°F)	70
Min Soil Temp (°F)	60
Min Night Temp (°F)	50
Harden Off (days)	10

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

This lemon basil is built for aroma-first cooking—its citrus perfume blooms fast and fades if you cook it too hard, so treat it like finishing salt in leaf form. Use it to brighten creamy fats (olive oil, butter, dairy cheeses) and it’ll read as “citrus without sourness,” sweet and fragrant on the palate.

Best Uses

stir into warm (not boiling) butter or olive oil to perfume grains and vegetables
blend into lemony pesto or chimichurri-style green sauce
tear onto fruit-forward salads and shaved fennel to keep the citrus edge
finish hot pasta, grilled fish, or summer soups right off the heat

Flavor Profile

bright lemony top-notes sweet, gently herbal basil finish tender, velvety leaf texture aromatic, lingering citrus perfume

Kitchen Pairings

extra-virgin olive oil garlic lemon zest and juice Parmesan feta chicken or white fish

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a common pest or disease on sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum), and how can I prevent or treat it?

On Ocimum basilicum, downy mildew shows as yellow patches on the upper leaf surface with a gray-purple fuzzy growth underneath, often after cool, humid nights. Improve airflow by spacing plants and watering at soil level, then remove badly infected leaves early to slow spread. If it’s recurring, use a preventative copper-based fungicide according to label directions, especially when weather turns damp.

How often should I water lemon sweet basil during peak growth, and what soil moisture level should I maintain?

During active growth, keep the root zone evenly moist but never waterlogged—aim for soil that stays lightly damp 1 inch (2–3 cm) below the surface. In warm weather in full sun, this often means watering about once every 2–3 days, and sooner if the top layer dries out. Water in the morning and ensure drainage so stems and leaves don’t stay wet overnight.

How do I know when lemon sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) is ready to harvest?

Harvest when plants reach about 6–8 inches (15–20 cm) tall and have several pairs of mature leaves, typically around the 45-day mark. Pick when leaves are fully developed but before the plant starts extensive flowering; pinch or snip just above a leaf pair to encourage branching. For best flavor, harvest on a dry morning and avoid removing more than about one-third of the plant at a time.