Tips on Planting Mustard Seeds

Planting

• Plant mustard seeds about 1/8 inch deep in the soil, and space the rows of seeds at least 1 foot apart. You can sow the seeds thickly and when the plants come up, thin them to about 10 inches apart. You can use these thinnings in the kitchen in salads, sandwiches or soups. Mustard can be eaten in all stages of growth, from sprouts to mature plants.

Maintenance

• Mustard grows in any environment that gets lots of sun, but it does best in rich, well-drained soil. For better seed production, fertilize the soil with compost or a commercial fertilizer. Mustard can tolerate cool weather and even light frosts. Mustard’s strong flavor naturally repels pests and diseases.

Harvest

• Start harvesting mustard seed when the pods turn brown. If you fail to do this, the plants will self-seed, which means their seeds will fall off the plants and be blown away. This is how mustard survives in the wild and isn’t a problem if you don’t mind it spreading and producing more plants on its own. Let the seed pods dry for two weeks before opening them and removing the seeds. Mustard is grown for a late summer harvest in the north but can be sown again in the fall in southern areas.