Fastest germination Battle
Fastest Sprout Battle: Basil
Nov 2 – Nov 30, 2026Online, from wherever you grow
Sow basil indoors from 2 November and race to the first sprout. Photograph the day you sow and the day your first seedling shows; judges check every photo before the results.
Battle starts
- grower
- 1
- weeks
- 4
For the winners: Winners get a Battle winner badge on their profile and are featured on the SeedBattle homepage.
Take part
Join the Battle
Joining is free and takes a moment. Here's what you sign up for.
- Accept the rules and eligibility below.
- Post one photo entry per week, for up to 4 weeks, starting Mon, Nov 2, 2026.
- Entries are public posts in the community, under your profile.
- Judges score every grower on the published criteria after the end.
Sign in to join
Battles are free. You need a SeedBattle account with a confirmed email address to join and post entries.
Timeline
Key dates
4 weeks of entries, one photo entry per week. Dates are in UTC.
- Done
Registration opens
Join the Battle and accept the rules. You can join until it ends.
- 2Coming up
Battle starts
Entries open. Post your first photo entry in week 1.
- 3Coming up
Week 1 entry
–
One photo entry, posted Nov 2 – Nov 9 (UTC).
- 4Coming up
Week 2 entry
–
One photo entry, posted Nov 9 – Nov 16 (UTC).
- 5Coming up
Week 3 entry
–
One photo entry, posted Nov 16 – Nov 23 (UTC).
- 6Coming up
Week 4 entry
–
One photo entry, posted Nov 23 – Nov 30 (UTC).
- 7Coming up
Battle ends
Entries close. Judges check every grower's photos against the criteria.
- 8Coming up
Results
Winners are announced here and get a badge on their profile.
Rules
Rules and eligibility
Joining means agreeing to these. Entries that break them can be removed.
The rules
How it works
- Join the Battle before you sow. Registration is open until the Battle ends.
- Sow indoors, on a windowsill or under grow lights, on or after 2 November.
- Post a photo the day you sow. Make it your entry for that week and fill in the sowing date.
- Post a photo the day the first seedling shows, with the sprouting date filled in.
- Keep going if you like: one entry per week, until 30 November.
Photos
- Real photos of your own plants only. No photos taken from the internet, no edited or AI-made images.
- Show the same pot or tray each time, so the judges can follow it.
- Every photo is checked before it appears publicly.
Judging
The leaderboard shows the days each grower reports while the Battle runs. Before the results, judges check the photos: a sprout counts only when the photos show it. Likes and helpful votes don’t change the ranking; they pick the community favorite.
Who can enter
- Anyone aged 16 or older with a SeedBattle account and a verified email address.
- Any basil (Ocimum basilicum) variety, from any seed source.
- One entry per person per week, from one account per person.
Seed for this Battle: Basil
Judging
How entries are judged
Sprout times are reported by each grower and checked against their photos at judging. Likes and helpful votes don't count toward the ranking.
Days to first sprout
80%Days from the sowing photo to the first seedling, as the photos show it. Fewer days score higher.
Photo evidence
20%Clear photos of the same pot on the sowing day and the sprouting day.
Recognition
Winners get the badge
Winners get a Battle winner badge on their profile and are featured on the SeedBattle homepage.
The top three get a podium place on their profile. We only list a prize once it's secured.
Leaderboard
Reported sprout times
Reported by each grower. Judges check the photos before results.
No standings yet
The leaderboard fills in once the Battle starts and growers post their entries.
Community
Community favorite
Not picked yet
Picked by helpful votes on entries. It's a separate honor from the judges' ranking and doesn't change it.
Entries
Latest entries
No entries yet
Entries open when the Battle starts on Mon, Nov 2, 2026. Every grower's weekly photos will show here.
Know your Battle seed
Basil
Ocimum basilicum
A fragrant, warm-season herb that's easy to grow from seed and does especially well in sunny pots. Start it indoors and move it outside only after the last frost.
- Sprouts in
- 5–10 days
- Sun
- Full sun, partial shade
- Sow
- 6 mm
Questions
Questions about this Battle
- When does Fastest Sprout Battle: Basil run?
- From Mon, Nov 2, 2026 to Mon, Nov 30, 2026 (UTC): 4 weeks of entries. Registration opens Fri, Oct 16, 2026, and results are due Mon, Dec 7, 2026.
- How many entries can I post?
- One photo entry per week, so up to 4. Each entry needs at least one real photo of your own plant.
- How is it judged?
- Judges score each grower on days to first sprout (80%) and photo evidence (20%). Sprout times are reported by each grower and checked against their photos before results. Likes and helpful votes don't count toward the ranking.
- Is there a prize?
- No prize is listed for this Battle. Winners get a Battle winner badge on their profile and are featured on the SeedBattle homepage.
- Which seed do I grow?
- Basil. Our basil page has its growing facts, researched and reviewed by our editors.
- Can I leave after joining?
- Yes, any time before the Battle starts, from the join panel on this page.
Competition time. Are you in?
Join Fastest Sprout Battle: Basil with a free account, then post your first photo entry in week 1.
