Green shiso is especially popular in cooking, and it’s a very versatile herb. You can use it in sushi rolls or garnish sashimi, fry it in a tempura batter, add it to miso soups, or eat it raw in salads.

Feeding: Side dress shiso with compost tea or a dilute solution of fish emulsion every 3 or 4 weeks during the growing season.

Known commonly by its original Japanese name shiso. Welldales super green perilla shiso is a very popular addition to Asian cuisine. Popular with Japanese chefs, this versatile plant is used as both an ingredient and a garnish. This variety is slightly stronger in taste, in comparison to red perilla shiso. With a cinnamon like taste, this is very a popular addition to soups, stews, salads and Japanese dishes. Add fresh leaves to sashimi or sushi platters, for an extra splash of flavour. Growing Perilla Shiso in the UK Shiso is a herb belonging to the mint family. Its Latin name is Perilla frutescens var. Crispa, but it is known under several common names, such as zǐsū (紫蘇 “purple perilla”) or huíhuísū (回回蘇 “Muslim perilla”) in Chinese, tía tô in Vietnamese, and ggaetnip (깻잎) or soyeop (소엽) in Korean. Shiso (perilla frutescens var. crispa) is a Japanese herb from the mint family, also known as beefsteak plant, perilla mint, Chinese basil and purple mint. Available in green, red/purple and bi-colour (green and purple), shiso is a delicious herb that brings colour to your garden. Sow direct into free-draining moist soil. Full sun soil is ideal for shiso seeds. In traditional Chinese medicine, shiso is used as an anti-inflammatory herb to relieve coughs or asthma symptoms and gastrointestinal ailments such as nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. The leaves also have antibacterial properties, so they are often used for skin conditions, such as eczema. What can you cook with shiso? Most home gardeners can’t tell whether the seeds are dormant or not, which is why buying them from a trusted source is a must. If you’re not sure if your seeds are dormant or not, you can store them in your refrigerator at temperatures between 35°F to 45°F (2°C to 7°C) for 1 to 3 months before sowing. – Preparation tips

On the other hand, dried leaves can make tea, while the seeds can be sprinkled on salads or turned into oil. Can you eat raw shiso leaves? You can start harvesting shiso leaves when the plant is 8 inches (20 cm) or taller. Snip off the leaves as and when needed. Regular harvesting will also encourage the plant to become bushier, especially if you pinch the stem tips. Best location: Plant shiso in full sun or light shade; in hot summer regions grow shiso in dappled sunlight.Feed your shiso plants with a liquid, organic fertilizer once a month. A fish fertilizer solution works best. Water your plants regularly, but don’t worry too much about missing a day or two. Shiso can be quite tolerant to drought. – Caring for your shiso plant

Shiso also has several close cousins that look similar but offer a very different taste. Look for Perilla frutescens var. Crispa or Japanese Perilla. Bicolor shiso: the best of both worlds, this variety of shiso has leaves that are bright green on the top, and a deep purple on the bottom.The most common name comes from Japanese: shiso (written as either 紫蘇 or シソ). You will also find it under English versions such as perilla mint, Chinese basil, Japanese Perilla, or beefsteak plant — sometimes mistakenly called ‘breakfast plant.’ If you want to grow shiso in winter, the only way to do so is indoors. Shiso is easy to grow as a houseplant, in pots or containers. It’s unpretentious and easy to care for, but growing indoors in winter makes sure that it gets plenty of light. Otherwise, it can become leggy. When to harvest shiso? There are three main types of shiso: red, green, and bicolor. All three of them are edible, but their uses are slightly different. Green shiso is the most popular variety used in Asian cooking, and its leaves can also be eaten raw. Companion planting: Shiso roots spread via rhizomes; be careful that shiso roots do not impede the growth of other herbs. This is why we recommend eating shiso fresh, as soon as it’s been harvested. Is beefsteak plant invasive?

Shiso is the perfect companion for Japanese dishes. Depending on the variety, the leaves can be eaten either raw or cooked. Another recommendation is germinating shiso seeds indoors rather than sowing them outside directly. Shiso is not frost hardy, and low temperatures can either prevent sprouting or prolong germination by almost a month. To save some time, sow your pre-soaked shiso seeds in compostable seed starter trays. Cover them with a very light layer of soil, and use a spray pump to water them gently. – How long do shiso seeds take to germinate? Seed starting indoors: Sow seed indoors 4 to 6 weeks before the last spring frost. Seeds will germinate in 7 to 21 days at 70°F (21°C). To improve germination, soak seeds in water for 24 hours before sowing. Grow shiso indoors in bright but indirect light. Keep seedlings away from blowing warm air. Avoid soil too damp; seedlings can be killed by damping off fungal disease.

Culinary companions: Shiso has a distinctive taste and aroma which is a flavoring match for Japanese cuisine. Depending on the variety, the flavor may include hints of mint, cinnamon, clove, citrus, cumin, cilantro, and basil. Both red and green shiso have ruffled varieties, where the leaves are slightly crumpled or ruffled. The red shiso cultivars are the most eye-catching and can also be planted as an ornamental shrub, similar to coleus. Shiso, especially the red variety, is remarkably similar in appearance to purple basil, so it can be easy to confuse the two plants. The two belong to different families: shiso is a type of mint, while purple basil is, well, a type of basil. Given the fact that they taste different, you should be careful of which variety you buy. Read the seed information carefully and make sure that it mentions shiso, Japanese Perilla, or even better, the plant’s Latin name: Perilla frutescens var. crispa. How to germinate shiso seeds Chilli Greeting Cards and postcards Beautiful, chilli-themed postcards and greeting cards (left blank for your own message).