Early Mizuna Mustard

Seed Count: Approx. 300 seeds

Days to Maturity: 20 Day for baby greens, 45 Days for mature greens

Description: Early Mizuna Mustard is a nutritious, tender, early maturing Japanese mustard originally from Kyoto known for its quick growth.  This variety boasts long slender stems, and dark green, mildly spicy and sweet, serrated, feather looking leaves.  Mizuna Mustard withstands heat better than lettuce, and is a great green to add to your salads.  Its also very tasty added to pastas, soups, and stir fries. This mustard works really well as a cut and come again variety, and is both heat and cold tolerant. However, even though this variety is heat tolerant, it is best planted in the early spring or fall since its germination and early growth stage prefers cooler temperatures.

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 1/4th inch deep, 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 12-18" apart. When the seedlings emerge, thin them to 4-6" apart. Seedlings emerge in 7-14 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. Mustard are 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.