How to tell it is ready

The plant is ready for its first harvest once it is growing vigorously and has at least several sets of mature leaves, usually a few weeks after transplanting. Individual leaves are at their best when they are fully expanded, deeply colored, and still soft, before they toughen with age.

How to harvest

Pinch or snip off the larger outer leaves at the base of the leaf stem, working from the bottom of the plant upward. Pinch out the growing tips as well to encourage side branching, and never remove more than about a third of the foliage at one time so the plant can recover.

Timing

Harvest through the warm season from midsummer until the first fall frost, which ends the plant. Pick in the cool of the morning after any dew has dried, when the leaves are crisp and most fragrant, and make repeated light passes every few days. First leaves are typically ready within about 40 to 50 days of transplanting, with plants reaching full size around 70 to 90 days.

After the harvest

Handle the leaves gently and keep them out of direct sun after picking. Rinse them only if needed and pat them thoroughly dry, then refrigerate promptly or stand the stems in water; no curing is required.

Tips

Pick often to delay flowering, since once shiso bolts and sets seed the leaf quality declines. If you want it to reseed for next year, leave a few plants to flower at the end of the season, but pull volunteers where you do not want it to spread.

General guidance for US home gardens. Timing varies by variety and region; check your local frost dates. Page updated Aug 4, 2026.