Vegetable · Leafy green
Mustard Greens
Brassica junceaA fast, peppery green that thrives in cool weather and adds real bite to salads and stir-fries alike. It matures quicker than almost any other brassica, making it a handy gap-filler crop. The one rule: harvest young leaves often, since maturity brings a sharper, spicier edge.
Sow depth
½ in
Spacing
6 in · rows 12 in
Sun
Sun or part shade
Germination
5–10 days
Time to harvest
30–45 days
Difficulty
Easy
When to sow mustard greens
- Sow from about 3 weeks before your last expected frost until about 2 weeks after your last expected frost.
- Sow from about 8 weeks before the first expected autumn frost until about 4 weeks before the first expected autumn frost.
Direct sow thinly — mustard greens germinate fast in cool soil.Sow in shallow drills and cover lightly with fine soil.Succession sow every couple of weeks for continual young leaves.
Water often — moisture stress speeds bolting and sharpens flavor.Thin seedlings so remaining plants have room to bulk up leaves.Mulch lightly to keep the soil cool through warmer stretches.
Pick young leaves — the mildest flavor comes from smaller growth.Cut outer leaves and let the center keep producing new ones.Harvest the whole plant before it bolts if flavor turns too hot.
Companion plants
Keep fromStrawberries
Mustard greens act as a trap crop, drawing flea beetles away from more valuable brassicas.
Watch out for
Flea beetles — Peppers leaves with small shot-holes in warm, dry spells. Keep plants growing fast and well-watered to outpace the damage.