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Herbs Microgreen

Sweet Basil

Sweet basil microgreens (Ocimum basilicum) are an herb microgreen with a sweet, aromatic and anise flavor, ready to harvest in 12-18 days. MicrogreenUSA grows them sushi-grade indoors for wholesale standing orders, and they are best for Italian, cocktails and dessert.

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Sweet Basil Microgreens

Sweet basil microgreens deliver true basil aroma in miniature - sweet, warm and unmistakably fragrant. They are slower to grow than brassicas, which makes reliable wholesale supply genuinely valuable to a kitchen.

Finishes Caprese, tomato dishes, cocktails and desserts. The aromatic intensity per gram is far higher than mature basil, so a little goes a long way.

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Common nameSweet Basil
Botanical nameOcimum basilicum
CategoryHerbs
FlavorSweet, aromatic, anise
Grow time12-18 days
Best forItalian, cocktails, dessert
AvailabilityYear-round wholesale
Minimum order5 lbs / week
Grow Data & Sources

What do seed suppliers publish for growing sweet basil microgreens?

These figures are True Leaf Market's published guide for Basil - Genovese - Microgreens Seeds (Ocimum basilicum) plus Basil, Italian Large Leaf (944M) from Johnny's Selected Seeds' 2017 yield trial, not our farm schedule (that is on our process page).

Seeding rate (10x20 tray)1 oz per 10"x 20" tray
Pre-soakNo (No Soak)
Germination5-7 days
Blackout4-7 days
Days to harvest12-16 days
Flavorintense basil
Seed per 1020 tray (Johnny's trial)6.5 g
Yield per 1020 tray (Johnny's trial)7.5 oz
Days to first true leaf (Johnny's)19

Sources: True Leaf Market, Johnny's Selected Seeds.

How does sweet basil compare with the other microgreens we grow?

At 12-16 days, sweet basil is the 16th fastest of 18 varieties by supplier harvest window. Its 7.5 oz trial yield is 9th of 13, 1.15 oz of sweet basil per gram of seed. Sweet basil goes on dry in the supplier guide.

Is there USDA nutrition data for sweet basil microgreens?

Not from a lab: FoodData Central has no entry for sweet basil microgreens, so we print no nutrient figures.

Are sweet basil microgreens a food-safety concern?

FDA classes sweet basil microgreens as covered produce, not sprouts (FDA guidance).

Common Questions

Sweet Basil FAQ

What do sweet basil microgreens taste like?

Sweet basil microgreens have a sweet, aromatic and anise flavor. They deliver true basil aroma in miniature - sweet, warm and unmistakably fragrant. They are slower to grow than brassicas, which makes reliable wholesale supply genuinely valuable to a kitchen. They are the young cotyledon-stage greens of Ocimum basilicum, harvested before the first true leaves appear.

How long do sweet basil microgreens take to grow?

Sweet basil microgreens take 12-18 days from seed to harvest in our indoor farm. The seed is sown dry with no pre-soak. For comparison, seed suppliers publish 12-16 days in True Leaf Market's guide and about 19 days to first true leaf in Johnny's 2017 trial. By that supplier window it is the 16th fastest of the 18 varieties we grow. Our full growing process is on our process page.

How do chefs use sweet basil microgreens?

Finishes Caprese, tomato dishes, cocktails and desserts. The aromatic intensity per gram is far higher than mature basil, so a little goes a long way. In our wholesale program they are best for Italian, cocktails and dessert. They are available year-round on a standing weekly order, on their own or as part of a custom blend with other varieties from our catalog of 20.

How long do sweet basil microgreens last after delivery?

Sweet basil microgreens keep 5-7 days, since basils are the most delicate greens we grow, when refrigerated at 34-38°F in sealed packaging and kept away from ethylene-producing produce. They are clean-cut with sanitized blades and in cold storage within 45 minutes of harvest, so orders typically arrive with 5-10 days of shelf life remaining.

How do I order sweet basil microgreens wholesale?

Order through a MicrogreenUSA wholesale account. The minimum is 5 lbs per week for a single restaurant, and sweet basil microgreens can be packed in 2, 4 or 8 oz anti-fog clamshells, 1-5 lb vacuum-sealed bulk pouches or uncut living trays. Southeast USA accounts get deliveries on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, and we reply to applications within 24 business hours.

Do sweet basil microgreen seeds need soaking?

True Leaf Market's grow guide for Basil - Genovese - Microgreens Seeds (Ocimum basilicum) lists no pre-soak, then lists 5-7 days germination, 4-7 days of blackout and 12-16 days to harvest. Our farm sets its own soak times by seed size; the schedule is on our process page.

How much does a tray of sweet basil microgreens yield?

Johnny's Selected Seeds measured 7.5 oz per 1020 tray for Basil, Italian Large Leaf (944M) in its 2017 microgreen yield trial, from 6.5 g of seed, cut at about 19 days at the first true leaf. Johnny's calls these rounded averages that vary with seed lot, density and timing. Among our varieties in that trial, sweet basil ranks 9th of 13 for yield.