How to Grow Mustard Greens
Choose from a variety of mustard greens., Purchase your seeds., Prepare the soil., Time your planting., Plant the seeds., Water the greens., Remove weeds., Protect from bugs., Collect your greens., Store your greens., Harvest mustard seeds.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Choose from a variety of mustard greens.
Mustard greens come in different varieties ranging in color, texture, and shape of leaves.
These varying types of mustard greens come from different regions of the world, including Asia, Africa, and the Southeastern US.
To create an interesting mix, plant two or more of these varieties:
Ruby Streaks Red Giant Scarlet frills Southern Giant Curled Golden Frills Amara Red Giant Garnet Giant Red Splendor Suehlihung No. 2 -
Step 2: Purchase your seeds.
Purchase seeds for growing mustard greens from a local gardening center, hardware store, or department store.
You can also order seeds online.
Given the quick growth cycle of mustard greens, you can replant them every two or three weeks to keep up production.
If you intend to do so, purchase more accordingly. , Mustard greens grow best in moist, rich soil.
To prepare the soil for planting, spread compost over the planting area, about 3 to 6 inches thick.
Carefully turn the compost into the ground with a digging fork, loosening the soil., Mustard greens thrive in cooler temperatures but do not grow well in summer.
Aim to start seeds about four weeks before the last frost.
The plants can tolerate frost, which actually contributes to a sweeter flavor to the greens., Plant seeds just under the soil, about a half an inch apart.
Once the seedlings sprout and grow their first leaves, gently unearth them and pull them apart into clumps.
Replant the seedlings approximately 12 inches apart.
While this replanting of the seedlings is not necessary, doing so will allow greens to grow faster and yield more., Mustard greens require 2 inches of water per week to thrive.
Factoring in rainfall, make sure that they receive adequate hydration.
Be sure to keep the soil evenly and consistently watered. , Carefully remove any weeds you see growing around your plants.
While mustard greens do not require a lot of room to grow, the influx of weeds can cause unnecessary disturbance, particularly to fragile seedlings.
To remove weeds, softly dig them out with your hands, ensuring that the roots are removed as well., To ensure the successful growth of your mustard greens, protect them from bugs that might feed on them (e.g. cabbage worms, cabbage loopers, and flea beetles).
Cover plants with row cover fabric, available for purchase at most gardening centers.
Since the insects can’t reach the plant under the fabric, they can’t feed on it, or lay eggs to reproduce., Mustard greens should be harvested when the leaves are still young and tender; older leaves will have a more bitter flavor.
You can start to pick the leaves after 4 weeks, when they should be about 6-8 inches long (approximately 15-20 cm).
You can harvest greens by snipping off outer leaves from the plant, and then leaving it to continue growing.
Alternatively, you can unearth the entire plant and harvest all of the leaves at once.Discard any yellow leaves that you find on the plant. , Pick all your mustard greens and refrigerate them.
Leaves can be kept in the crisper drawer for up to a week.
Beyond that, you can freeze the greens to be used for cooking later on., When things get too hot, the plants will begin to seed and grow a flower stalk, signalling that no new leaves will grow.
At this point you can either dig up the plants, or leave them there to seed.
Once the seed pod developing on the plant has dried, you can collect the seeds.
Be sure to collect them before the seed pod splits open; seeds that spill onto the soil will likely be dispersed and grow into new plants later on. -
Step 3: Prepare the soil.
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Step 4: Time your planting.
-
Step 5: Plant the seeds.
-
Step 6: Water the greens.
-
Step 7: Remove weeds.
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Step 8: Protect from bugs.
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Step 9: Collect your greens.
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Step 10: Store your greens.
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Step 11: Harvest mustard seeds.
Detailed Guide
Mustard greens come in different varieties ranging in color, texture, and shape of leaves.
These varying types of mustard greens come from different regions of the world, including Asia, Africa, and the Southeastern US.
To create an interesting mix, plant two or more of these varieties:
Ruby Streaks Red Giant Scarlet frills Southern Giant Curled Golden Frills Amara Red Giant Garnet Giant Red Splendor Suehlihung No. 2
Purchase seeds for growing mustard greens from a local gardening center, hardware store, or department store.
You can also order seeds online.
Given the quick growth cycle of mustard greens, you can replant them every two or three weeks to keep up production.
If you intend to do so, purchase more accordingly. , Mustard greens grow best in moist, rich soil.
To prepare the soil for planting, spread compost over the planting area, about 3 to 6 inches thick.
Carefully turn the compost into the ground with a digging fork, loosening the soil., Mustard greens thrive in cooler temperatures but do not grow well in summer.
Aim to start seeds about four weeks before the last frost.
The plants can tolerate frost, which actually contributes to a sweeter flavor to the greens., Plant seeds just under the soil, about a half an inch apart.
Once the seedlings sprout and grow their first leaves, gently unearth them and pull them apart into clumps.
Replant the seedlings approximately 12 inches apart.
While this replanting of the seedlings is not necessary, doing so will allow greens to grow faster and yield more., Mustard greens require 2 inches of water per week to thrive.
Factoring in rainfall, make sure that they receive adequate hydration.
Be sure to keep the soil evenly and consistently watered. , Carefully remove any weeds you see growing around your plants.
While mustard greens do not require a lot of room to grow, the influx of weeds can cause unnecessary disturbance, particularly to fragile seedlings.
To remove weeds, softly dig them out with your hands, ensuring that the roots are removed as well., To ensure the successful growth of your mustard greens, protect them from bugs that might feed on them (e.g. cabbage worms, cabbage loopers, and flea beetles).
Cover plants with row cover fabric, available for purchase at most gardening centers.
Since the insects can’t reach the plant under the fabric, they can’t feed on it, or lay eggs to reproduce., Mustard greens should be harvested when the leaves are still young and tender; older leaves will have a more bitter flavor.
You can start to pick the leaves after 4 weeks, when they should be about 6-8 inches long (approximately 15-20 cm).
You can harvest greens by snipping off outer leaves from the plant, and then leaving it to continue growing.
Alternatively, you can unearth the entire plant and harvest all of the leaves at once.Discard any yellow leaves that you find on the plant. , Pick all your mustard greens and refrigerate them.
Leaves can be kept in the crisper drawer for up to a week.
Beyond that, you can freeze the greens to be used for cooking later on., When things get too hot, the plants will begin to seed and grow a flower stalk, signalling that no new leaves will grow.
At this point you can either dig up the plants, or leave them there to seed.
Once the seed pod developing on the plant has dried, you can collect the seeds.
Be sure to collect them before the seed pod splits open; seeds that spill onto the soil will likely be dispersed and grow into new plants later on.
About the Author
Katherine Allen
Specializes in breaking down complex crafts topics into simple steps.
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