Lettuce leaf basil
How to grow & use Lettuce leaf basil
Equipment
- Plant pot & soil
- 1 Seed tray (optional)
- 1 Heating mat (optional)
Seeds
- 1 packet Lettuce leaf basil seeds
Instructions
The first step is to get the basil seeds.
- You can order them online from Amazon or some garden centres will sell them.
The next stage is to put the seeds in the soil.
- Fill a plant pot (or a few pots ) with soil, then add the seeds and sprinkle a bit of soil on top.
- Quick tip – If you put the seeds into a bowl of water for 30 minutes to 1 hour they will start growing quicker then simply putting them in soil.
- Quick tip – Instead of using plants pots start the seeds using a seed tray with a lid. The advantage of using a lid is that it will retain the moisture helping your plants grow. Simply put a bit of soil in the tray, spoon in the seeds and cover with a bit of soil.
Then simply put the pot or tray somewhere safe and leave them to sprout.
- The seeds will germinate in 12 to 30 days.
- Quick tip – Use a heat mat. All you do is put the tray on the mat and the extra heat will significantly speed up how fast your seeds will grow.
- For more info & why it works so well have a look at our article on a seed starter mat
Help them grow
- When they’ve grown thin the seedlings or transplant leaving 30 cm between plants, Then simple put them somewhere warm and sunny and wait for them to grow.
- One option (depending on the time of year or where you live) is to use an indoor grow light.
- For example the picture shows after it was sown on 7 July, transferred into a pot on 14 July – the picture was taken 14th August and was ready for harvesting i.e. 2 months from sowing to harvest.
Notes
How to grow it indoors (hydroponics or aquaponics)
Because of the importance of moisture and light it is ideally suited for hydroponics with additional lights.
Not only are they easier to grow, but you will also get fast results.
New to hydroponics? – Top 5 hydroponic kits for beginners
2. Example Lettuce leaf basil Recipe
This type of basil has a lovely flavour, and great as a substitute for normal lettuce.
For example the Tacos (shown on the right) are a very easy dinner to make, and very often normal lettuce will be part of the recipe.
But replacing the lettuce with lettuce leaf basil will provide an lovely extra flavour.
The full recipe can be found here – lettuce leaf taco recipe
More information
The type of basil you use will differ depending on the flavour you need, as well as recipe requirements.
There is more info at the example basil recipes page
It was fun to grow but did take up a lot of space. However much nicer to use then lettuce. (much more flavour)