Growing mustard in your garden is relatively easy and straightforward. And you can start growing mustard plants for seeds and greens.
The plant is versatile, it can be grown as a vegetable and eaten like other herbs. Or you can also harvest seeds if the plants are allowed to flower and set seeds.
Mustard (Sinapis alba) is an annual plant of the family Brassicaceae. It probably originated in the Mediterranean region, but is now widely distributed throughout the world.
Mustard is an ancient plant very popular with home gardeners.
Green vegetables and oil are nutritious. Mustard seed oil contains little or no cholesterol, only traces of vegetable fat and about 25% protein.
While greens contain vitamin B and some minerals like calcium, magnesium and phosphorus.
How to grow mustard
Mustard plants are very easy to grow and plants can produce seeds in as little as 60 days. And the greens become ready much earlier.
However, here we describe more information about growing mustard in your garden.
Choose a good place
Choose a good spot in your garden to grow mustard. Mustard plants generally grow best in sunny areas with good drainage.
prepare the terrain
Mustard plants can be grown in almost any type of soil. But they grow faster and set more seeds in well-prepared, well-drained soil with a pH of at least 6.0.
To prepare the soil, first till it, then add organic matter (for example, well-rotted manure or fully-rotted compost).
Choose the variety
There are many varieties of mustard around the world. But you should choose based on availability in your area.
Check with some existing home gardeners in your area for advice on choosing a variety.
Some popular varieties of mustard are Dijon, English, French, American yellow, spicy brown, beer, honey, grain, hot pepper, hot, spicy, and fruit mustard.
Buy seeds
Today, mustard is available all over the world. So the seeds should be readily available in your area. Just visit any market near you and buy some seeds.
Best time to grow mustard
Mustard plants grow well in cool weather and can even tolerate a light frost.
Spring is considered good for sowing seeds in northern regions.
And sowing seeds between September and October is good for a fall or winter harvest in southern regions.
planting
Mustard plants are grown from seed. You can sow the seeds directly into the prepared bed or sow in rows.
If you are growing mustard in northern regions, sow the seeds about 3 weeks before the last frost date.
And sow in September-October to grow plants in the southern regions.
To plant seeds in rows, mark several rows in the prepared bed about 1 foot apart.
Then sow the seeds about 1 inch apart, then cut the seedlings about 6 inches apart.
Watering immediately after sowing the seeds will speed up seed germination.
Care
Mustard plants are very easy to grow and generally require less care and maintenance. They will grow well in cool weather, but will grow faster in warm weather.
However, extra care will help plants grow better. Here we will talk in more detail about additional care for growing mustard.
Fertilizer: Mustard plants generally do not require the use of additional fertilizers for best growth. They will grow well if you have prepared the soil by tilling it and adding organic matter to it.
Watering: Mustard plants need moist soil to grow best. So, when growing mustard plants, regular watering is a must. Plants should receive about 2 inches of water per week.
Mulching and weeding: Weeds consume nutrients from the soil, so it is very important to control them. Mulching will help rid your garden of weeds. Mulching also helps retain moisture in the soil.
Dilution: Mustard plants generally do not grow well if overcrowded. It is therefore important to clarify them. Cut plants about 6 inches apart when they are about 3 to 4 inches tall.
Pests and diseases
There are fewer diseases, but some pests can create problems for your mustard plants. Use homemade organic insecticides to get rid of most pests.
Harvest
You can start picking the greens when the plants are about 10 to 12 inches tall (depending on the variety). And you can expect to harvest seeds when the leaves of the plants begin to turn yellow.
The best time to harvest seeds is when the pods turn from green to brown (before they are fully ripe).
Harvesting during this time is important as the pods will break and the seeds will spread throughout the garden.
These are common ways to grow mustard organically in the vegetable garden. Hope you enjoyed this guide! Good luck and happy gardening 🙂
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