Botanical Name: Brassica juncea
Biennial (lives two years) or Reseeding Annual
- Cold hardiness zones: 3 – 12 (it can withstand cold down to -30° F, or -34° C)
- Preferred Soil PH: 6.0-7.5
- Watering needs: Average. They may need regular watering to get started, but once they have leaves, they’re quite drought tolerant. They do prefer well-drained soil.
- Blooming Season: Early through late summer.
- Harvest season: Leaves harvested in spring, pods in summer, and seeds in fall.
- Age to begin harvesting: As a fantastic microgreen, mustard can be harvested at any point after germination. The most common time is when the leaves have reached full size, but bolting has not yet begun.1
- Pollination for seed: They are self-fertile, and don’t need a second plant to get seed. But additional plants will increase the level of pollination. 2
- Size at maturity: 18 – 24 inches tall and wide (.5 – .6 meters), though I’ve seen them get quite a bit taller when they have good soil and moisture.
- Sun needs: Full sun to part shade. Fairly shade tolerant.
- Preferred habitat: Cool climate, lots of sun interspersed with shade in a nice, well-drained, neutral soil covered in lots of organic matter.
- Growth rate (vigor): fast
- Natural reproductive rate (and methods): High, through seed, though not considered aggressive.
- Propagation method: Direct sown seed, planted in fall or spring. Cold stratification and other preparation methods not necessary.
- Average life span: One growing season.
- Plant family: Brassicaceae
Notes:
While most sources list southern giant curled mustard as an annual, it’s technically a biennial, which means that in ideal circumstances, it grows only leaves its first year, and then flowers its second year. But in areas where summers are hot (which is most places), it will bloom and go to seed during its first year. After seeding, it probably won’t come back—though it has sometimes been known to, especially if the seed yield was sparse, or a freeze killed it during seed development. Either way, one of the beauties of this beautiful, prolific vegetable is that it produces a lot of seed, and new plants will grow back every year if you allow them to (by not weeding them), making them a potential food forest annual.
Most people can get new plant crops in both spring and fall.
For stronger, spicier flavor, plant seeds in intense sun and provide barely enough water to keep them healthy. For a milder flavor, more water and more shade will keep their flavor more subtle.
This fantastic mustard varieties is especially grown for their thickly-curled mustard greens, which are large and full of flavor. These mustard greens are popular in the south, and are often sauteed or used in salads, bacon (use mustard greens in place of broccoli in broccoli salad), or anywhere collard greens are requested. Recipes abound on the Internet for mustard greens.
The pods, or unripe green seed-packs, made a delicious crunch snack that hints of radish, pea pod, and mild horseradish. Perhaps this is why eating the pods by the bowl, like popcorn, isn’t uncommon.
The seeds can be ground and used to make traditional table mustard. Again, recipes abound online, but it primarily uses water, mustard seeds (ground up), vinegar, and turmeric, though garlic and paprika are often ingredients as well.
Southern giant curled mustard seed makes a great mustard seed for use as a Christian faith reminder, and is commonly added to necklaces, bracelets, or other jewelry to remind the wearer of the scripture in Matt. 17:20 “And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.”
The seed’s small, spherical shape makes it easy to craft with, as well as easy to plant.
How to Grow Southern Giant Curled Mustard from Seed
Intro
All seeds bought were taken from the plant within the last 12 months.
Sow directly in the soil in your garden in either early spring or early fall, and keep the soil evenly moist until plants germinate. Then water weekly (more or less often according to your climate). Mustard prefers cool weather, so planting midsummer is likely to have less success than early spring or fall. In most climates, they will be able to continue to be harvested nearly into winter.
Because of their readiness to reseed, planting southern giant curled mustard is easy. You can either sprinkle them over the soil and lay a little mulch on top, or sprinkle them over the soil and lightly rake to work them to just below the surface. Deep planting is totally unnecessary, and may even hinder the seedling’s ability to grow. Even seeds sitting above the soil sometimes grow as long as the soil is kept moist long enough for them to work into the soil with their seedling roots.
Happy seeding!
1https://www.gardeningchannel.com/growing-mustard-greens-brassica-juncea/