{"id":2139,"date":"2019-10-08T03:11:16","date_gmt":"2019-10-08T03:11:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/greenmanpublishing.com\/?p=2139"},"modified":"2019-10-08T03:12:24","modified_gmt":"2019-10-08T03:12:24","slug":"mustard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/greenmanpublishing.com\/index.php\/2019\/10\/08\/mustard\/","title":{"rendered":"Mustard"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Brassica<\/em> <\/em>juncea<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Introduction<\/strong>: This species is believed to be a hybrid of B.\nrapa <\/em>and B. nigra.<\/em> It has been most highly refined in China, where\nit is a very important cool season vegetable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the green leaf mustard, not the condiment mustard, which\nis made from the ground seeds of B. nigra<\/em> <\/em>and B.\nalba<\/em>.<\/em> However\nthis species can be used for making mustard too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ease of growing<\/strong>: If given\nthe right conditions mustards are one of the most easily grown and fast\nmaturing crops you can grow. They produce heavily in a small area and require\nlittle effort to grow. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crop value<\/strong>: I have to\nadmit that I overlooked mustard for a long time. I guess I was put off for a\nlong time because they can get very pungent in hot weather. Only relatively\nrecently have I come to appreciate its\u2019 many virtues (speed of growth,\nnutritional value and (often) mild flavor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The mustards definitely deserve to be more widely cultivated in\nthe west, especially in small gardens where space is limited. We in the west\nhave a lot to learn from China about growing food in small spaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The one place you commonly find mustard leaves is in commercially\ngrown salad mixes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nutritional content<\/strong>: These are some of the most nutritious leafy greens, rich in\nvitamins A and C, as well as calcium, iron and potassium. Like other Brassicas\nthey also contain a variety of cancer preventing phytochemicals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mustard seeds are very rich in the\nglucosinolate phytonutrients (these are powerful antioxidants), as well as\nselenium, magnesium and omega 3 fatty acids. All of these are responsible for\nmaking the condiment mustard (see recipe below) a surprisingly nutritious food\nand medicine. When you eat mustard for its flavor you can be smugly satisfied\nthat you are also eating a very beneficial food supplement (though even this\ncan\u2019t turn a hot dog into a health food).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
About Mustards<\/strong>  
Seed facts<\/strong>
Germination temp: 45 – 95\u00b0F
Germination time: 2 – 7 day
Viability: 3 – 8 years
Germination percentage: 75%+
Seed viability: 4 years
Weeks to grow transplant: 3 – 4  

Planning facts<\/strong>
Hardiness: Hardy
Growing temp: 45 (55 – 65) 75\u00b0F
Plants per person: 5
Plants per sq ft: 4  

Planting<\/strong>
Start: 6 wks before last frost
Plant out 2 wks before last frost
Direct sow: 2 wks before last frost
Fall crop: Sow 6 – 8 wks before first frost
Succession sow: Every 4 weeks  

Harvest facts<\/strong>
Days to harvest:
20 – 40 days (summer)
60 days (winter)
Harvest period: 8 – 10 weeks
Yield per plant: 1 lb
Yield per sq ft: 2 – 4 lb  
<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n\n\n\n

Soil<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

pH 5.5 – 6.8<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mustards aren\u2019t particularly fussy about soils, but will be most\nproductive on rich moisture retentive ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soil preparation<\/strong>: If the soil is poor, dig in 2\u02dd of compost or aged manure, as\nwell as wood ashes or greensand (for potassium), colloidal phosphate (for\nphosphorus) and kelp (for\ntrace elements). You could also simply use a fertilizer mix to supply all of\nthese. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Planning<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where<\/strong>: The ideal spot for mustards depends on the weather. If it\u2019s cool\nthey should be planted on an open sunny site. If it\u2019s warm they will benefit\nfrom some shade during the hottest part of the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mustards are in and out of the ground quickly, so are commonly\ngrown as an intercrop between\nslower growing plants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crop rotation<\/strong>: They should not be planted where another Brassica has grown in\nthe past 3 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When<\/strong>: These fast growing plants will grow well in both warm and cool\nweather, but taste better when it\u2019s cool. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mustards can be planted at any time as a cut and come again crop.\nJust plant a small section of bed every two weeks (space the plants \u00bd\u02dd apart),\nkeep cool and well watered and see how it goes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spring<\/strong>: Mustards can be started indoors 6 weeks before the last frost\nand planted out 2 – 3 weeks later. Start direct sowing about 2 weeks before the\nlast frost date, so they have time to mature before it gets hot. They are\nsomewhat prone to bolting when planted at this time however and generally do\nbetter as a fall crop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Summer<\/strong>: In cool climates, it is possible to succession sow the mustards all summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fall<\/strong>: Mustards generally work best as a fall crop and (like many\nBrassicas) cold weather actually improves their flavor. Direct sow a fall crop\nat least 8 weeks before the first\nfall frost is expected. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winter<\/strong>: Mustard thrives in cool weather and can even take quite a bit of\nfrost (some varieties will take temperatures as low as 18\u00b0F). In milder areas\nit makes a great winter crop. It will also work in colder areas if it is grown\nunder cloches or in poly tunnels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Planting<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mustards can be direct sown or transplanted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transplants<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Starting\ninside<\/strong>: Mustard doesn\u2019t\nmind transplanting, so is easily started indoors in flats or soil blocks.\nHowever you gain little time by doing this because it germinates well at low\ntemperatures and grows quickly outside. I suppose it may be worthwhile in early\nspring to get a head start, or if you want to save bed space or avoid pests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Direct sowing<\/strong>: Mustard is usually direct sown, by broadcasting and then\ncovering with \u00bc – \u00bd\u02dd of soil (or a mix of half soil and half compost). It\ndoesn\u2019t mind being crowded so plant thickly and slowly thin to the proper\nspacing (eat the thinnings). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It can also be sown in rows, just make shallow \u00bd\u02dd deep furrows and\nspace the seeds \u00bd\u02dd apart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spacing<\/strong>: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bed\nspacing<\/strong>: Space the plants 6 – 12\u02dd apart each\nway. Exact spacing depends upon the variety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Row\nspacing<\/strong>: Space the plants 1 – 4\u02dd apart, in rows\n12 – 24\u02dd apart. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Care<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For best quality you want your mustard plants to grow as fast as\npossible, which means giving them everything they need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Water<\/strong>: If the soil is too dry the plants will develop a bitter and\npungent flavor. If you want tasty, mild flavored mustard greens you must keep it moist at all times <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fertilization<\/strong>: If the soil is less than ideal, you may want to feed your plants\nwith a foliar fertilizer such as compost tea. Do this after thinning them to\ntheir final spacing and\nagain as necessary. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mulch<\/strong>: This is primarily of value to keep down weed growth and keep the\nsoil moist. It can also help to keep the soil cool, which can delay bolting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pests<\/strong>: Mustards suffer from the same pests as the other Brassicas, but\nespecially flea beetles and cabbage root fly (see Cabbage<\/strong> for more on these). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Slugs and snails can be a serious problem early spring when there\nis not much else for them to eat. They can wipe out a new planting almost overnight. The best\napproach is to go out with a flashlight after dark and hand pick them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Harvesting<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Harvest mustards by cutting the whole plants, leaving several\ninches of stem behind. The remaining stem will then resprout and grow another\ncrop (you can sometimes cut\nthem several times).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alternatively you can harvest single leaves, as soon as they get\nlarge enough\n(about 3\u02dd high). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the plants bolt before you\nget a chance to harvest them, all is not lost. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If it is big enough, the immature flower\nstalk can be eaten like broccoli raab. The flowers and green seedpods can be\nadded to salads. Of course you can also collect the seed for various purposes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seed saving<\/strong>: It\u2019s easy to save seed from these annuals. Just treat them like\nkale and gather the seed at the appropriate time. Be careful not to let it\nself-seed too much, as it can become a weed if it gets established (though\nperhaps not an unwelcome one).\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mustard can produce far more seed than you need for propagation.\nYou can use the surplus for growing cut and come again salad greens and\nmicro-greens, or for sprouting like alfalfa (they make excellent, slightly\nspicy sprouts). They can even be used for making the super-nutritious condiment mustard (see below).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unusual growing ideas<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cut and come again salad\ngreens<\/strong>: Pungent mustard leaves are a basic\ningredient of salad mixes. The red types are particularly prized, as they add\ncolor as well as flavor. (See Salad mix<\/strong>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Micro-greens<\/strong>: This is just a smaller version of the above. You plant the seeds\n\u00bc\u02dd apart and harvest them when the first true leaves appear, which of often\nwithin a few days. See Micro-greens<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winter crop<\/strong>: Some mustard varieties are very hardy (especially the oriental\ntypes) and make excellent winter crops for mild climates. They can also be used\nin colder climates if protected by cloches, or grown in a cold frame or\ngreenhouse. If it gets very cold they may stop growing, but they won\u2019t be\ndamaged and will resume growing when the temperature rises sufficiently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ornamentals<\/strong>: Some mustards have unusual foliage and are quite ornamental.\nThese may be planted in ornamental borders to fill any unsightly gaps. Start\nthe seedlings inside, or in a nursery bed and transplant them as vacant spaces\nappear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Green manures<\/strong>: These fast growing plants are often grown as green manures, as\nthey produce a large amount of biomass in a short time. An advantage is that\nyou can also eat them. A disadvantage is that they are members of the Brassica\nfamily and so subject to all of their afflictions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Varieties<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a lot of variation in this crop. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Western\nmustards <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are some of the most commonly used varieties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Southern\nGiant <\/strong>– Large,\nhardy plant, very productive (55 days)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Florida\nBroadleaf <\/strong>– Large\nmild tasting leaves (45 days)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Savannah\nF1 <\/strong>– Early and\nslow bolting (35 days)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tendergreen<\/strong> – This is commonly thought of as a mustard, but is actually a\nkind of turnip (see Turnip<\/strong>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eastern mustards <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Gai Choy)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The mustards are much more important vegetables in Asia than they\nare in the west. They can be divided into a number of different types.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Broad\nleaved Mustard<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Brassica juncea var rugosa<\/em>) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Osaka\nPurple <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Red\nGiant <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ruby\nStreaks<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are all good for salad mixes as they add color as well as\nflavor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leaf\nmustard<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Brassica juncea var foliosa<\/em>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

San-Ho\nGiant<\/strong> – Very large plant for fall growing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Curled\nMustard<\/strong>  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Brassica juncea var crispifolia<\/em>) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Green\nWave<\/strong>: This curly mustard is very hardy, fast growing and resistant to\npests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Green-in-the-Snow<\/strong>, Snow Cabbage, Shi-Li-Hon<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Brassica juncea var multiceps<\/em>). This very hardy (down to\n20\u00b0F) type is grown in cold weather (as the name suggests). It doesn\u2019t work\nwell in warm weather though. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kitchen use<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The tender leaves can be used raw in salads, cooked as a potherb,\nor in soups and stir-fries. If they are very pungent try cooking with blander\ngreens, or change the cooking water half way through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Prepared Mustard<\/strong>  

1 tbsp coriander seeds
6 tbsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp black peppercorns
\u00bc cup chopped onion
\u00bd tsp dried thyme
2 cup water
2 tsp honey
\u00bc cup red wine vinegar
\u00bd tsp ground turmeric  

Toast the coriander seeds in a skillet, then crush them with the mustard seeds, and peppercorns. Mix with the thyme, onion, turmeric and leave
for three hours. Add water and vinegar and honey and simmer 10
minutes, being careful it doesn\u2019t burn. It will get thick.   <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Brassica juncea Introduction: This species is believed to be a hybrid of B. rapa and B. nigra. It has been most highly refined in China, where it is a very … Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2140,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[241],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2139","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-leaf-veg","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/greenmanpublishing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Mustard.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/greenmanpublishing.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2139","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/greenmanpublishing.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/greenmanpublishing.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greenmanpublishing.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greenmanpublishing.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2139"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/greenmanpublishing.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2139\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2142,"href":"https:\/\/greenmanpublishing.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2139\/revisions\/2142"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greenmanpublishing.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2140"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/greenmanpublishing.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2139"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greenmanpublishing.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2139"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greenmanpublishing.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2139"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}