Mustard Growing Guide

Sinapis alba

Mustard

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

Feeding

None generally needed.

Companions

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

Spacing

Single Plants: 15cm (5") each way (minimum)
Rows: 15cm (5") with 15cm (5") row gap (minimum)

Sow and Plant

In areas with cooler summers, mustard can be sown almost all year round, except for the coldest mid winter months. In areas with hot summers, avoid sowing in the hot mid summer months. Sow in late summer to use mustard as a short-term autumn green manure. Broadcast seed into raked soil so that the seeds are about 5 cm apart and 1 cm deep. Thin to 15 cm apart in all directions.
Our Garden Planner can produce a personalised calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area.

Notes

Use young leaves in salads and older ones for cooking. Mustard residue suppresses soil-borne nematodes, so it is an excellent green manure to grow before potatoes.

Harvesting

Chop down the green foliage with a hoe and turn it under before it starts to flower.

Troubleshooting

Irrigation is often needed to get a good stand if autumn is dry.

Planting and Harvesting Calendar

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Pests which Affect Mustard