Detailed Guide to Perilla Cultivation Techniques and Harvesting and Processing Methods
1. Site Selection and Land Preparation
Perilla has strong adaptability to climate and soil. Choose a sunny, well-drained, loose and fertile sandy loam or loam. Plow the soil to a depth of 20 cm and rake it level. Break up clods and make beds; the bed and furrow width is 160 cm, and the furrow depth is 15—20 cm.
2. Direct Seeding Method
Spring sowing: the sowing time differs by one month between the south and the north, being April in the south and mid-to-late May in the north. For direct seeding, drill in rows within the bed, opening furrows 2—3 cm deep at a row spacing of 60 cm, evenly scatter the seeds into the furrows, and cover with a thin layer of soil after sowing. Hill sowing: sow in hills at a row spacing of 45 cm and a plant spacing of 25—30 cm, with shallow soil cover. Water immediately after sowing and keep the soil moist. The seeding rate is 1 kg per mu. Direct seeding saves labor, grows quickly, allows early harvest, and gives high yield.
3. Field Management
(1) Loosening Soil and Removing Seedlings
Before the plants grow to close the rows, weed frequently. In direct-seeded areas, pay attention to thinning seedlings and weeding. In drilled plots, when the seedlings are 15 cm tall, thin to a spacing of 30 cm, and use the surplus seedlings for transplanting. Plants in direct-seeded plots grow quickly; if the density is high, the plants become leggy and produce no branches or very few branches. In nursery plots, from transplanting to row closure, loosen the soil and weed 2 times.
(2) Topdressing
Perilla has a relatively short growing period; the whole plant can be harvested 2.5 months after transplanting, and since the whole plant is used as medicine, nitrogen fertilizer is the main type. Apply fertilizer intensively before row closure.
When the seedlings are 30 cm tall, apply topdressing. Open furrows between the rows and apply 1000 kg of human manure or urine per mu, or 8 kg of ammonium sulfate and 10 kg of superphosphate, then loosen the soil and earth up to bury the fertilizer well. Apply fertilizer a second time before row closure using the same method. However, when applying fertilizer this time, be careful not to touch the leaves.
(3) Irrigation and Drainage
After sowing or transplanting, if it does not rain for several days, water promptly. During the rainy season, pay attention to drainage and clear the working paths to prevent water accumulation from causing root rot and leaf drop.
4. Harvesting and Processing
Perilla leaves for eating: When picking fresh perilla leaves for cooking, choose a sunny day, as the aroma is stronger. Picking perilla leaves should be done from late May to early August, before perilla blooms. Each perilla plant can have 36-44 leaves picked throughout the year, and each mu can produce 1700—2000 kg of fresh leaves.