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Mustard

Mustard

Mustard is an annual herb that is native to certain regions in Europe, with roots in Asia, North Africa, and the Middle East as well depending on the variety of mustard. It is a cold-hardy annual and prefers cooler temperatures. Mustard has an extensive history, spanning back to the Stone Age and ancient Egyptian civilizations for its culinary and medicinal uses. All parts of the mustard plant are edible, and its seeds are used to create the condiment that we know and love as mustard, too. This condiment is usually made from white and black mustard seeds, as brown mustard is known to be very spicy. Mustard plants can grow up to 3 feet tall and is known for its yellow flowers that adorn it in groupings of two to twelve. These flowers are commonly consumed as well as used in everything from teas to garnishes for fancy plating of dishes.


A short list of popular varieties include: Red Giant, Scarlet Frills, Green Wave, Ruby Streaks, Southern Giant, Purplewave, Carolina Broadleaf, Mizuna (Japanese).


Mustard grows in USDA zones 4 to 11, however, it is an annual in zones 4 to 7.
Introduction
Mr. John Doe

Head Director

Description

Optimal Time/Temperature for Germination:
When planting mustard, it is important to ensure that the soil is prepared and has enough nutrients in it. A popular way of preparing soil for this herb is by adding compost in before sowing the seeds. Upon placing the seeds, the planting depth for mustard is ¼ to ½”, with a planting space of 6 to 8” between each plant. Mustard is usually planted after the last frost of the season but can be planted as early as 4 to 6 weeks before as it is cold hardy. It is usually planted in the fall or spring. Mustard thrives in full sun to partial shade conditions, with a decent balance between the two, and it is easily germinated with germination usually occurring after 8 to 10 days of sowing seeds but in some cases earlier than that. To ensure optimal growth and health, it is important to make sure that the soil is well-drained to avoid over-watering and retention of too much moisture.
Optimal Soil Conditions:
To grow properly, mustard prefers a soil that’s pH is above 6.0, but will still grow in acidic conditions. It needs consistent moisture, especially when it is in the beginning stages of growth, to ensure that it produces its leaves quickly. The soil needs to be well-drained to ensure that the plant does not receive too much moisture as this is not good for its well-being. It requires around two inches of water a week. It is important to keep an eye on rainfall, as you may need to water it less or none at all during rainy weather conditions. Do not let the soil dry out, as this will kill the plant quickly. Mustard thrives with addition of aged compost to its soil before sowing seeds. Mulch is not necessary for its growth, but if you have issues with your ground retaining moisture it may be a helpful addition to the livelihood of your mustard plants.
Seed Planting Depth, Spacing and Procedure:
Add compost before sowing seeds. Plant ¼-½” with a spacing of 6-8” between plants. Make sure it is planted where it can receive full sun to partial shade. Mustard car be grown in pots as long as care is taken to not overwater them. The pots need lighter soil and holes for drainage. Plant every 2 weeks for continuous harvest. Some plantings may bolt quickly in response to increasing temperatures and day length. High temperatures and lack of moisture increase peppery taste.
Best Companion Plants and Plants that Hinder:
Among mustard’s companion crops are known to be yarrow, dill, and plants within the mint family. Since mustard can fall victim to pests such as aphids and flea beetles, these plants aide mustard by preventing these pests from eating or destroying its leaves. This is possible due to yarrow and dill attracting ladybugs and lacewings, which feed on aphids. Plants within the mint family, such as mint and lemon balm, repel flea beetles. By strategically placing these companion plants together, it helps remove the possibility of damages to the plant from outside forces. Plants that may benefit from mustard are fruit trees as it helps stimulate their growth. It’s important to not place mustard near bean plants as this can cause them issues with mildew, as well as a struggle for sunlight. It is not a good idea to grow mustard near soybeans, sunflower, beans and strawberries as mold and mildew can spread between mustard and these plants.

Growing Instructions

Crop Maintenance

Moisture Requirements & Solutions:
Make sure that the soil is moist and well drained at all times. Check with fingertips to ensure that the soil is not dry nor too wet. It likes around 2” of water a week. Mustard prefers cooler climates but will tolerate hotter climates, as long as it is not exposed to too much heat in the early stages of growth or flowering. Too much heat can cause regression of growth and the plant to die, especially if the heat causes it to not retain enough moisture. Mustard prefers rich, well-drained soil. It does well in full sun but prefers partial shade as well, as too much sun can cause it to lose moisture quicker. To prevent over-watering, you may check the soil with your fingertips to ensure that is not soggy but rather moist to the touch.
Weeding Needs & Solutions:
Mustard does not like competition so removing weeds and making sure the plants have ample space to grow are best practices.
Feeding Needs/Optimal Natural Fertilizers:
If you already have rich garden soil, you likely won’t have to give your mustard any supplemental fertilizer. Adding compost or mulch regularly is the best strategy for conditioning the soil. Mustard is often thought of as a ‘weed’ since it will thrive under less than ideal conditions. In conventional farming, mustard is often grown as a fall/winter cover crop to enhance the soil after growing corn as a cash crop.
Pests, Diseases & Solutions:
Common insects: Flea beetles and aphids. Their impact can be halted or minimized by using row covers when planting mustard.
When to Harvest/Number of days to maturity:
Greens: 20 to 30 days for baby greens and 40 to 50 days for full leaf. Seeds: 70 to 80 days for most varieties.
How to Harvest:
Greens: You should harvest mustard greens while they’re still young and tender. Older leaves will get tough and increasingly bitter as they get older. Discard any yellow leaves that may appear on the plant. Mustard greens are harvested one of two ways. You can either pick individual leaves and leave the plant to grow more, or the entire plant can be cut down to harvest all the leaves at once. As a rule of thumb, it is important to never harvest more than 1/3 to 2/3 of the plant at one time, so that it will continue to grow. If you want to continue growing leaves longer, pluck off the flowers as they come in. Once the flowers blossom, the leaves will no longer grow. Seeds: A popular way of harvesting mustard seeds from their pods is by pulling up the plant and hanging it upside down in a paper bag and allowing it to dry out. After two weeks, shake the bag and the seeds should fall out of its pods and drop to the bottom. This method is the hang dry method. Another convenient way of drying them is to pluck the individual pods and dry them on a screen for two weeks in a single layer as well. When harvesting mustard, if the seeds are already not dry enough, these methods work nicely along with other alternative methods: oven drying and using a food dehydrator.
Optimal Storage temperature and conditions:
Greens: Should be eaten fresh, either raw or cooked. To store greens, they first need to be dried, by either hanging them in a cool dark room or using a food dehydrator or oven method. Seeds: As long as the seeds are dried to a moisture content of 10%, they can be stored in a cool dark room, in air tight containers for many years. Seeds are usually viable for 3 years when properly dried and stored.
Optimal Preserving Procedures:
Greens: Should be dried for storage. They can be cooked and frozen, like spinach as well. Seeds: Just need to be dried and packed in an air tight container.
Seed Saving:
If you are a seed saver, note that mustard greens can cross with broccoli raab, turnips, and Chinese cabbage. Leave at least 800 feet between crops to avoid cross breeding.

Harvest and Storage

Notes

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