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Brassicas

Mustard growing guide

Fast-growing leafy green with peppery flavour. Young leaves are mild; mature leaves are hot. Also grown as a green manure crop to suppress soil pests.

Photo reference

Use this real-world photo as the main plant reference, then compare it with the botanical drawings below for leaf, flower and harvest details.

Mustard real-world photo reference (Brassica juncea)
Wikimedia Commons · This work was made by Nafiur Rahman and released under the license(s) stated below. Please feel free to use it for any purpose as long as you credit Nafiur Rahman as author and follow the terms of the chosen license. If you use this work outside of the Wikimedia projects, I would very much like to get a note from you. Thanks! · CC BY-SA 4.0
3-7 daysGermination
30-50 daysHarvest
15 cmSpacing
0.5 cmSow depth
Full/PartSun
HardyFrost
2 cm/weekWater
5.5-6.8pH

Planting calendar by climate

Use these windows as a public guide. Plotera can personalise tasks around your saved garden, location and planting dates.

ClimateSowTransplant / PlantHarvest
TropicalApr - AugApr - AugApr - Sep
SubtropicalFeb - AugFeb - AugMar - Sep
MediterraneanFeb - SepFeb - SepMar - Oct
TemperateFeb - SepFeb - SepMar - Oct
CoolFeb - AugFeb - AugMar - Sep
AridMar - AugMar - AugApr - Sep

Botanical reference

Compare the whole plant first, then check the leaf, flower and harvest detail to identify what Mustard should look like as it grows.

Mustard whole plant

Whole plant

Overall shape, height, branching and growth habit.

Mustard leaf detail

Leaf detail

Leaf shape, edges, colour and vein pattern.

Mustard flower detail

Flower detail

Flower colour, structure and where blooms appear.

Mustard harvest / detail

Harvest / detail

Fruit, root, seed, pod or the strongest identifying feature.

Cooking and eating ideas

A quick garden-to-table guide for using Mustard after harvest.

Raw / fresh

Use tender leaves or shredded cabbage raw in slaws, salads, wraps, and quick pickles.

Cooked

Steam, roast, stir-fry, braise, add to soups, gratins, curries, or tray bakes.

Store / preserve

Ferment cabbage, pickle stems, blanch and freeze florets or sturdy greens.

Try: Slaw, Roasted brassicas, Stir-fry, Fermented cabbage.

Good companions

Onion, Garlic

Avoid near

Tomato, Strawberry

Growing note

Harvest young leaves for salads. Let mature for spicy cooking greens.

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