🥕 Mustard Greens

Brassica juncea

vegetables brassica (leafy green, Asian/mustard family)

☀️ Sun

Full sun (6 hours) in cool weather; partial shade in warm weather to delay bolting; afternoon shade extends harvest season

💧 Water

Medium; 1 inch per week consistently; mustards bolt rapidly with drought stress; consistent moisture produces tender, less pungent leaves

🗺️ Zones

3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

🪴 Soil Type

Rich, well-drained loam with moderate organic matter; mustard greens are fast-growing and need readily available nutrients; incorporate compost; too much nitrogen produces overly hot/pungent leaves

🧪 Soil pH

6.0–7.5 (slightly acidic to slightly alkaline)

💧 Drainage

Well-drained; mustard greens tolerate a range of conditions but produce best in moist, well-drained soil

📏 Spacing

Baby greens: broadcast sow densely; full-size: 4–6 inches apart, rows 12–18 inches; for seed production: 12–18 inches apart, rows 24 inches

📅 Days to Maturity

30-50 days (from seed); baby greens at 21-30 days

🍴 Edible Parts

🍽️ ["Leaves (raw in salads when young🍽️ cooked when mature)"🍽️ "Stems (tender stems cooked with leaves)"🍽️ "Flower buds/stalks (edible \u2014 like broccoli raab)"🍽️ "Seeds (the source of mustard condiment \u2014 ground seeds + liquid)"🍽️ "Seed sprouts (popular as microgreens)"]

🤝 Companions (7)

🤝 Dill

Attracts parasitic wasps and hoverflies that eat cabbage worms and aphids; improves growth; dill's aromatic compounds may deter flea beetles

🤝 Onion/Garlic

Repels flea beetles and aphids from mustard greens; sulfur compounds mask brassica scent from pests

🤝 Chamomile

Improves brassica flavor; antifungal properties; attracts beneficial insects

🤝 Nasturtium

Excellent trap crop — flea beetles and aphids prefer nasturtiums over mustard greens

🤝 Rosemary/Sage

Aromatic oils repel flea beetles and cabbage moths; strong scent masks mustard's host-finding cues

🤝 Pea

Peas fix nitrogen; mustard and peas have complementary seasons — peas finish as mustard matures; different pest profiles

🤝 Mint (contained)

Repels flea beetles and cabbage moths; must be container-grown to prevent aggressive spreading

⚠️ Keep Apart (6)

⚠️ Bean (pole/runner)

Brassica root exudates may inhibit bean growth; beans' nitrogen may cause mustard to bolt faster

⚠️ Strawberry

Brassicas and strawberries mutually inhibit growth

⚠️ Tomato

Brassica allelopathy may stunt tomato growth

⚠️ Fennel

Allelopathic — severely inhibits mustard growth

⚠️ Sunflower

Sunflowers are allelopathic to many plants; keep separate from mustard greens

⚠️ Beet

Beet and mustard greens are incompatible — competing nutrients, shared disease risks, or allelopathic interference.

💊 Medicinal Uses

["Contains glucosinolates (sinigrin) \u2014 hydrolyzed to allyl isothiocyanate, the pungent compound with potent anti-cancer, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties", "Exceptionally high in vitamin K (1 cup = 600%+ daily value), vitamin A, and vitamin C", "Traditional external remedy: mustard plasters for chest congestion, muscle aches, and arthritis (counterirritant \u2014 stimulates blood flow to area)", "Contains sulforaphane \u2014 being studied for cancer prevention, especially bladder and colon cancers", "Rich in folate, calcium, and manganese; supports bone health and metabolic function"]

📝 Notes

Mustard greens are among the fastest vegetables — baby greens ready in 21 days, full-size in 40–60 days. Extremely cold-hardy (tolerates light frost) and bolt-resistant compared to other leafy greens. Varieties range from mild ('Mizuna', 'Tatsoi' — B. rapa) to hot/pungent ('Southern Giant Curled', 'Red Giant', 'Wasabina'). Heat intensifies pungency — spring/fall crops are milder. Flea beetles LOVE mustard greens — they can riddle leaves with holes within days; floating row covers are the best organic control. Mustard greens can also be grown as a biofumigant cover crop — their glucosinolates suppress soil-borne pathogens and nematodes when chopped and incorporated (green manure). Self-seeds prolifically if allowed to flower. Volunteer mustard plants are common in gardens that grew them previously.