Harvest guide
When to harvest green shiso
How to harvest green shiso
Harvest gently with clean scissors or a knife rather than tearing, and take a little at first to see how the plant responds.
Storing your harvest
Keep it cool and use it fresh where possible; most home-grown crops lose flavour quickly once picked.
The mistake to avoid
Assuming every part of green shiso is edible. For a number of food plants, one part is the crop and another is not safe to eat — confirm which before you harvest.
More green shiso care
- When to harvest shiso (perilla) — the species this cultivar belongs to
- When to harvest green shiso — our other guide for the same plant
- Full green shiso care guide
- How to prune green shiso
- How to propagate green shiso
- Growing green shiso in a pot
- How to overwinter green shiso
- Best plant identifier apps — tested and ranked
Harvesting green shiso — FAQ
When is green shiso ready to harvest?
Depends on the crop — confirm which part is eaten before you harvest. Which part of green shiso you harvest, and when, depends on the variety and on what you grow it for — and it is not something we assert from a name alone. Check a source that describes green shiso specifically before you pick, and if any part of the plant is known to need cooking or preparation to be safe, follow that guidance.
How do you harvest green shiso?
Harvest gently with clean scissors or a knife rather than tearing, and take a little at first to see how the plant responds.
How do you store green shiso after harvesting?
Keep it cool and use it fresh where possible; most home-grown crops lose flavour quickly once picked.
What is the most common green shiso harvesting mistake?
Assuming every part of green shiso is edible. For a number of food plants, one part is the crop and another is not safe to eat — confirm which before you harvest.