🌿 Sweet Basil (Lettuce Leaf) — Organic Seeds

Botanical Name: Ocimum basilicum
Common Names: Lettuce Leaf Basil, Large Leaf Basil, Sweet Basil

🌱 Seed Quality Promise

All seeds sold by Yahuah’s Farm are 100% organic, non-GMO, and never chemically treated or coated.
We do not sell pelleted, dyed, chemically enhanced, or synthetic-treated seeds.
What you plant should be as pure as the medicine it becomes.

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About Sweet Basil (Lettuce Leaf)

Lettuce Leaf Basil is a large-leafed, tender, and highly aromatic variety of sweet basil known for its crinkled, soft, bright green leaves and mild, slightly sweet flavor. The leaves are much larger than standard basil varieties, making them perfect for wraps, fresh eating, pesto, drying, and herbal use.

This basil grows vigorously, producing lush foliage and branching easily when harvested regularly. It is one of the best varieties for high-yield gardens, kitchen gardens, and homestead food production.

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Traditional & Herbal Uses

Sweet Basil has been traditionally used as:

• A culinary herb
• A warming digestive herb
• A calming tea herb
• A fragrant kitchen plant
• A traditional food medicine
• A flavoring plant
• A gentle household remedy herb
• A fresh-use herb

Basil has long been valued not only for flavor, but also for its uplifting aroma and gentle herbal qualities.

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Plant Characteristics

Botanical Name: Ocimum basilicum
Variety: Lettuce Leaf
Life Cycle: Annual
Growth Habit: Bushy, branching
Mature Height: 18–24 inches
Mature Width: 12–18 inches
Leaf Type: Very large, crinkled, soft
Flower Color: White to pale lavender
Bloom Time: Mid to late summer
Attracts: Bees, beneficial insects

This basil is especially beautiful and lush, making it ideal for raised beds, containers, and edible landscapes.

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Growing Sweet Basil (Lettuce Leaf) from Seed

Basil is a warm-season plant that thrives in sun, warmth, and rich soil. Lettuce Leaf Basil is especially fast-growing and productive.

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How to Germinate Sweet Basil Seeds

Indoor Starting (Recommended)

1. Start seeds 4–6 weeks before last frost.

2. Surface sow or cover very lightly.

3. Keep soil warm and consistently moist.

4. Provide bright light.

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Outdoor Direct Sowing

1. Sow only after all danger of frost has passed.

2. Soil must be warm.

3. Keep moist until germination.

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Light Requirements

Seeds germinate best with light exposure.
Do not bury deeply.

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Germination Time

• 5–10 days
• Fast and reliable

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Ideal Growing Conditions

USDA Zones

Zones 3–10 (grown as an annual)

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Sun

• Full sun preferred
• 6–8 hours of direct sunlight daily

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Soil

• Rich
• Well-draining
• Loamy
• High organic matter

Basil thrives in compost-rich soil.

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Water

• Moderate, consistent moisture
• Do not allow soil to dry out completely
• Avoid soggy soil

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Spacing

• Space plants 12–18 inches apart
• Allows for large leaf development

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Growth Timeline

Weeks 1–2:
• Germination

Weeks 3–5:
• Leaf development

Weeks 6–8:
• Ready for first harvest

Ongoing:
• Continuous harvest encourages more growth

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Harvesting

Harvest often to encourage bushy growth.

Leaves

• Harvest when plants reach 6–8 inches tall
• Pinch just above leaf nodes
• Never remove more than ⅓ of the plant at a time

Flowers

Pinch off flower buds to extend leaf production.

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Seed Saving

1. Allow a few plants to flower.

2. Let seed heads dry on the plant.

3. Harvest and crumble flower heads.

4. Store seeds cool, dry, and dark.

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Why Grow Lettuce Leaf Basil?

• Extremely productive
• Large, tender leaves
• Mild, sweet flavor
• Perfect for fresh use
• Great for wraps and pesto
• Easy to grow
• Excellent container plant
• Pollinator friendly
• Fast harvest