{"product_id":"shiso-perilla-green-ohba","title":"Shiso Seeds (Perilla) - Green Ohba","description":"\u003cp\u003eGreen Ohba shiso puts fresh, aromatic leaves within easy reach of the kitchen. This green Japanese shiso has broad, relatively flat leaves with serrated edges and green undersides. Pick them young for a bright, earthy accent in rice dishes, noodles, salads and garnishes, or use larger leaves for wraps and tempura. Regular pinching encourages a fuller plant and a continuing supply of tender growth.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eA handful of fresh leaves brings the garden straight to the table.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eVariety and background\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eShiso is a culinary form of Perilla frutescens in the mint family, Lamiaceae. Green Ohba, also called Ao Shiso, belongs to the Japanese green-leaf cooking tradition. Its green leaf undersides help distinguish it from forms with purple coloring. This is an open-pollinated annual herb; no named breeder or precise introduction date is claimed for this lot.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003ePlanting and growing\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eStart indoors or sow outdoors after frost danger has passed. Press seed into a moist, fine seed-starting mix and barely cover it so light can reach the seed. Aim for 65–70°F and allow 7–21 days for emergence. Keep the surface consistently moist without waterlogging. Give seedlings strong light, then harden them gradually before planting out.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGrow in full sun to partial shade in fertile, well-drained soil. Space plants about 12 inches apart, with 18 inches between rows for a regularly harvested leaf crop; give unpinched plants more room. Green Ohba can reach roughly 24–36 inches tall. Water during dry spells and pinch above a leaf pair to encourage branching.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eHarvest and use\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eBegin regular leaf picking around 60–70 days from sowing once plants are well established. Take individual tender leaves or short shoot tips, leaving enough foliage for regrowth. Fresh leaves offer their best aroma when used soon after picking. Add chopped leaves near the end of cooking, or serve fresh with rice, vegetables and noodle dishes.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eSaving seed\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eReserve healthy, true-to-type plants if saving seed. Keep different shiso varieties separated when varietal purity matters. Let selected flower clusters ripen and dry, then collect before the small seeds scatter. Dry thoroughly and store labeled seed cool and dry; use fresh seed and check germination after storage. Remove unwanted flowers and volunteers because shiso can self-sow freely.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Alliance of Native Seedkeepers","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52508652634414,"sku":"HB118","price":2.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0830\/7428\/5870\/files\/shiso-seeds-green-herb-seeds-alliance-of-native-seedkeepers-hb87-64631086-2605847_75ab6237-ae3c-4f55-ad78-8b04db348670.jpg?v=1791301225","url":"https:\/\/www.allianceofnativeseedkeepers.com\/products\/shiso-perilla-green-ohba","provider":"Alliance of Native Seedkeepers","version":"1.0","type":"link"}