Mustard Greens

I’m growing Mustard Greens for the first time this year and I’m surprisingly impressed with them. Firstly, I’ve found them really easy to grow. Almost every single seed I sowed germinated and sometimes that’s half the battle – in my garden at least.

Secondly, they are very decorative and I’ve used them in two of my patterned planting schemes to great effect. Their bright green and red wine colour leaves make for a colourful injection into the sea of green at this time of year.

Thirdly, they grow quickly – almost as quick as Radish, but not quite. Which means that as a cut and come leaf they are always available. The leaves can quickly get too big and a bit chewy but I just nip the big ones off and in a day or two brand new ones appear – perfect.

I have only used them in salads and they really do taste of mustard. But you can cook them too and there are lots of yummy recipes for cooked Mustard Greens that I haven’t tried yet. All-in-all I’d say £1.50 well spent.

Category: Salads     Tagged:

10 Comments on “Mustard Greens”

  1. Glad you posted about your mustard greens. I have a salad table and would like to try some new kinds of greens in it. Thanks.

  3. Ditto – First time for me too this year. I’m growing them in a greenhouse in trays and it’s worked brilliantly. Just a word of warning :) …if the leaves get too old, they become positively explosive in flavour – like traditional English mustard. I’ve had one leaf that made my eyes water.

    They’re great though. Lovely addition to salads.

  4. Delicious! Also a great one to try if you like the mustard spicy salads are ‘Ruby streaks’ & ‘Golden streaks’. They are wispy to look at, similar to endive shape leaves and look great with a mixed salsd.
    I grew them last winter and they even survived under snow in the garden! I think they are best sown in sept for harvesting in autumn as the hot sun can make them go to seed quickly.

  5. Ooh – I am gonna get me some of them, they will pep up my lettuce collection!

  7. Hmmmm. I am very grateful for them over the winter, but come spring and summer I yearn for something greener and sweeter, and I’ve just pulled all my mustards plants up.

    I’ll be sticking to an autumn sowing to tide me over the cold months – although I agree, they are very decorative.

    On another note: if your winter rocket looks like bolting: let it. The yellow flowers are fantastic in salads, a mix of nectar and peppery rocket.

  8. Hi! This is my 2nd year growing Osaka Purple Mustard greens and the seeds are from Seeds of Change. I read on the packet it repels aphids…I think it’s working!

  9. Mustard is a favorite late fall/early winter green grown in the southern US. It is quite good cooked with sauteed garlic and onion and a squeeze of lemon. The traditional acid is cider vinegar but I love lemon. My absolute favorite is curly mustard. It is truly beautiful! Best wishes.

  10. I grew some in November and they lasted through the winter in the polytunnel (though pickings were meagre) and then the came on in the spring and lasted for months! Seriously – until the end of April I was still getting new delicious leaves. I’m a big fan! Green in Snow, the green equivalent, didn’t perform anything like so well.