I'm a huge fan of mustard. There are few snacks I enjoy more than pretzels dipped in a delicious honey mustard. I love it on sandwiches and as an ingredient in all sorts of things from chicken dishes to potato salad. Mustard is simply awesome. That's my opinion anyway. It's also extremely easy to grow.
A couple weeks ago I planted a row of 'Giant Red' Mustard from seeds in one of my raised beds. There are several types of mustard which give you various colors depending on the variety. Giant Red Mustard has the botanical name Brassica juncea which will make a spicy mustard if harvested for the seeds. Mustard leaves are great to eat and have a sweet, tangy flavor. The leaves are great in fall garden salads mixed with lettuce, spinach, and kale. Mustard matures in about 40 days but can be eaten at any point.
Planting Mustard Seed
I planted my row of mustard seed in a raised bed after clearing out the tomato plants this fall. I made a very slight trench and sprinkled seeds along the trench. Then I came back and covered with just a small amount of soil. After a little watering the seeds germinated in about a week.
The Mustard Family (Brassica)
Mustard belongs to the mustard (Brassica) family of vegetables. Other members of the mustard family include Brussels sprouts, pak choy, cabbage, broccoli, kale, cauliflower, turnips, and kohlrabi.
Mustard is a simple and easy crop to grow. Do you grow mustard? For the seed or for the leaves?
Labels: lettuce and greens, mustard, vegetable garden
