Southern Giant Curled Mustard

Seed Count: Approx. 300 seeds

Days to Maturity: 50-70 Days

Description: The Southern Giant Curled Mustard is a old Southern favorite that boasts bright green leaves with beautifully frilled edges.  This large, vigorous heirloom is 2 ft. tall, sits upright, and spreads about 18-24 inches.  It is mild in mustard flavor, with a bit of that classic, spicy mustard bite.  The young leaves tastes great raw in salads, but you can also use these yummy leaves in sandwiches, sautes, stir fries, and good old Southern style mustard greens.  The Southern Giant Curled Mustard doesn't get bitter and tough when the summer heat starts rolling in, which is great for gardeners in warmer climates, because it offers you a few extra weeks of that delicious mustard bounty.  This heirloom is slow to bolt, cold resistant, and also holds up well canned, and frozen.  Baby leaves can be harvested in 50 days, mature greens in 70 days.

How To Grow

Sowing:  For fall planting, plant the seeds in the late summer or early fall about 10 weeks before the first hard frost. Climates with warmer winters may be able to grow mustard from fall to spring. For a spring crop, direct sow the seed in full sun and rich soil about four weeks before the last expected spring frost, and lightly rake them into the soil. Keep the rows 10-12" apart. When the seedlings emerge, thin them to 5-6" apart. Seedlings emerge in 10-21 days depending on the soil and weather conditions.

Growing:  Keep the plants moist and free from weeds. A thick layer of mulch will help conserve moisture, control weeds, and keep the greens free from dirt. Red Giant mustard is especially winter hardy and will be slow to bolt. Watch out for aphids, and remove them promptly, or they will take over your plant and destroy the leaves.

Harvesting:  For baby greens, pick the leaves when they reach a height of 4-5 inches; baby greens are tender and flavorful, perfect for salads. The entire plant can be harvested at any point, or individual leaves can be taken for a continuous harvest. Mature leaves, which tend to be stronger in flavor, often taste best when cooked. Avoid using leaves that have begun to turn yellow, as these have passed their prime. Once cut, greens keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. They also freeze well when blanched. Mustard needs to overwinter before producing seed. In warmer locations, simply apply a thick layer of mulch and remove it in the early spring. In areas with very cold winters, dig up the plants and cut off half of the stem; store them at 32-40 degrees F until spring, when they can be replanted to go to seed.