Basil · Matadi, Bas-Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo
When to plant basil in Matadi
Main outdoor window
year-round warmth
A climate estimate. Check your soil, forecast and cultivar.
Timed from temperature
every month
No frost on record in Matadi, so the months this crop fits in our temperature model set the timing. This does not confirm local suitability.
Ready to pick
50–70 days
After planting. With no frost to close the season, the count from sowing is an estimate under suitable growing conditions.
Temperature-based estimate. Matadi has no dependable frost season.
These dates do not account for rain, humidity or waterlogging. Check the local growing season,
especially in monsoon climates, before treating this window as a planting recommendation.
Rainfall check: the wettest month is March (about 167 mm), and the driest is
July (about 0 mm).
Compare all months and check the limitations before choosing the season.
Step by step in Matadi
Download these planting dates (.ics)
Import into Apple Calendar, Google Calendar or Outlook. Dates use the selected risk level and are planning estimates, not frost alerts.
Each window is a planning range. Check the forecast, soil and cultivar before planting; a later date is not automatically safer in hot or wet conditions.
Sow direct
1 Jul - 30 Jun
Monthly average temperatures fit the model all year. This does not rule out heatwaves or establish year-round suitability. Check rainfall, drainage, day length and cultivar needs.
Basil through the year
Against the monthly temperature record in Matadi
Seasonal context
Rainfall and the growing season in Matadi
March has the highest average precipitation (167 mm); July has the lowest (0 mm). Compare this pattern with the planting windows and your water supply.
During wetter months, check that beds and containers drain after heavy rain. During drier months, plan how you will keep seeds and new transplants watered. Monthly averages can hide long dry spells and intense storms; they do not show soil moisture, humidity or this week's weather.
Frost-free does not mean every month is suitable. In tropical and monsoon climates, rainfall, heat, drainage and the cultivar can set the practical growing season. Match the temperature window to these conditions and check advice from a local grower before buying planting material.
Source: NASA POWER, corrected MERRA-2 precipitation, 2001–2020. Values are approximate monthly totals, including the water equivalent of snow, from the nearest 0.5° × 0.625° grid cell. This reference period differs from the temperature record. Rainfall provides context and does not change the calculated planting dates. Method and limitations.
Monthly growing conditions in Matadi
Compare the planting window with the local temperature pattern. These are historical monthly averages, not this year's forecast or measured soil temperatures. Average frost days do not tell you whether a particular night will freeze.
| Month | Average low | Average high | Frost days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 22.1°C (71.8°F)71.8°F (22.1°C) | 30.6°C (87°F)87°F (30.6°C) | 0.0 |
| February | 22.5°C (72.4°F)72.4°F (22.5°C) | 31.2°C (88.2°F)88.2°F (31.2°C) | 0.0 |
| March | 22.6°C (72.7°F)72.7°F (22.6°C) | 31°C (87.8°F)87.8°F (31°C) | 0.0 |
| April | 22.7°C (72.8°F)72.8°F (22.7°C) | 29.9°C (85.8°F)85.8°F (29.9°C) | 0.0 |
| May | 21.8°C (71.2°F)71.2°F (21.8°C) | 30.6°C (87.1°F)87.1°F (30.6°C) | 0.0 |
| June | 19.5°C (67.1°F)67.1°F (19.5°C) | 31.6°C (88.9°F)88.9°F (31.6°C) | 0.0 |
| July | 18.6°C (65.4°F)65.4°F (18.6°C) | 31.7°C (89.1°F)89.1°F (31.7°C) | 0.0 |
| August | 19.2°C (66.6°F)66.6°F (19.2°C) | 32.2°C (89.9°F)89.9°F (32.2°C) | 0.0 |
| September | 20.8°C (69.5°F)69.5°F (20.8°C) | 33.4°C (92.2°F)92.2°F (33.4°C) | 0.0 |
| October | 21.9°C (71.4°F)71.4°F (21.9°C) | 33°C (91.3°F)91.3°F (33°C) | 0.0 |
| November | 22°C (71.6°F)71.6°F (22°C) | 30.3°C (86.5°F)86.5°F (30.3°C) | 0.0 |
| December | 22°C (71.7°F)71.7°F (22°C) | 29.8°C (85.7°F)85.7°F (29.8°C) | 0.0 |
For basil, also check drainage, sunlight and cultivar requirements. See the rainfall context above; humidity, irrigation and local pest pressure are not calculated.
Local growing check
Before choosing basil for Matadi
- March is the wettest month in the rainfall grid, averaging about 167 mm. Check how your own bed drains and plan watering around actual soil moisture; monthly rain totals are not an irrigation schedule.
The temperature and rainfall tables on this page show the underlying climate estimates. How these suitability checks work · Record what happens in your garden.
Before you plant basil
Use the calendar to plan ahead, then check the conditions in your own garden.
- Measure the soil at sowing depth. Aim for at least 18°C (64.4°F); the calendar estimates soil warmth from air temperatures and cannot measure your bed.
- In a frost-free climate, check seasonal rainfall, humidity and heat before planting. A month with suitable average temperatures can still be too wet, dry or hot for this crop.
- Harden off plants raised indoors: gradually expose them to outdoor light, wind and temperature before their final move into the bed.
- Use the maturity range on your seed packet when choosing a variety. Cold, short days and transplant stress can make harvest later than the calendar estimate.
Keep basil leafy with warmth and regular tip picking
Start with healthy plants and a sunny, drained position. Keep moisture available without leaving the roots waterlogged; yellowing leaves are a reason to inspect roots and leaf undersides before adding fertiliser.
Pinch growing tips above a pair of leaves to encourage branching, and remove flower buds if leaf production is the aim. Where downy mildew has been a problem, look for a cultivar with documented resistance and leave space for airflow.
What to record this season
Which cultivar stayed leafy longest, and when did flowering or leaf disease begin? Add the cultivar, sowing date and conditions to your growing record so you can compare next season.
Further reading: NC State Extension: Ocimum basilicum . General crop guidance; local dates on this site are calculated separately. Source checked 19 September 2026 by Safe to Plant; this is not an expert review.
The reference describes plant identity and cultivation. Its regional calendar months and hardiness observations do not validate the calculated dates for another location.
How the dates are calculated and their limits · Keep a growing record · Report a local discrepancy
Why these dates
Frost-relative timing needs a dependable seasonal frost date. Matadi has no such date in this record, so this page compares monthly temperatures with the crop's model range instead. Local wet and dry seasons, day length and cultivar requirements still need a separate check.
The model uses a growing-temperature band for basil between 18°C (64.4°F)64.4°F (18°C) and 32°C (89.6°F)89.6°F (32°C) — and in Matadi every monthly mean falls inside that range, which is why the headline says "year-round warmth". Monthly averages can hide unsuitable hot spells. This temperature result does not establish a year-round planting recommendation: check rainfall, drainage, day length and cultivar requirements.
Growing basil in Matadi
Can I grow basil in Matadi?
The calendar estimates a planting window, not a guarantee of success. March is the wettest month in the rainfall grid, averaging about 167 mm. Check how your own bed drains and plan watering around actual soil moisture; monthly rain totals are not an irrigation schedule.
When should I plant basil in Matadi?
Matadi has no dependable frost season, and monthly averages fit the temperature model for basil all year. This is not a year-round recommendation: check rainfall, heatwaves, day length and cultivar needs. The crop maturity guide is 50 to 70 days under suitable conditions.
How much frost will basil tolerate?
Check the named variety and local forecast before exposing young growth. The catalog cold-damage figure is a reference, not a guarantee: plant age, acclimatisation, wind and the duration of a freeze affect damage.