Mustard Growing Guide

Sinapsis alba (formerly Brassica alba), Brassica juncea

Crop Rotation Group

Brassicas (Cabbage family) ●

Soil

Fertile, well-drained soil.

Position

Full sun to partial afternoon shade.

Frost tolerant

Mustard is cool-season annual that can tolerate light frosts but not hard freezes.

Feeding

None generally needed, because mustard is customarily used as a late summer/fall cover crop to take up nitrogen left in the soil by corn or other vegetables.

Companions

Mustard does an excellent job of suppressing weeds when grown in a solid mass.

Spacing

Single Plants: 6" (15cm) each way (minimum)
Rows: 6" (15cm) with 6" (15cm) row gap (minimum)

Sow and Plant

Sow in spring to use as a short-term cover crop or for seed, or sow in late summer for greens or as a fall cover crop. Broadcast seed into raked soil so that the seeds are about 2 inches (5 cm) apart and one-half inch (1 cm) deep. Thin to 6 inches (15 cm) apart in all directions, or sow into plug trays or small pots.
Our Garden Planner can produce a personalized calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area.

Notes

Mustard residue suppresses soil-borne nematodes, so it is an excellent cover crop to grow before potatoes.

Harvesting

Mustard tends to bolt in summer, which is great if you’re growing for seed. Harvest when seed pods dry to a pale brown. For greens, gather individual leaves for cooking, which taste best after the first frost has passed. For fall cover crops, chop down the green foliage with a hoe and turn it under just before hard freezes are expected. The mustard roots and foliage will rot during the winter months.