Specialty Mustards
Brassica juncea are members of the Brassicaceae (mustard) family.
Chinese Green Mustard, Gai Choy Brassica juncea var. rugosa var. foliosa
Mizuna, Potherb Mustard Brassica juncea var. japonica
Varieties include Mizuna - usually listed in seed catalogs simply as Pot-herb Mustard, or Mizuna, or Kyona. Chinese green mustard - usually listed simply as Gai Choy (foliosa), Dai Gai Choy (rugosa), Tendergreen, Green-in-Snow, India Mustard, Common Leaf, Leaf Mustard, AkaTakana. Other types - Giant Red Mustard, Osaka Purple, and Fordhook Fancy. The most popular specialty mustards currently are the Red Asians such as Giant Red and Osaka Purple.
Several species of Brassica are known as mustard; they are mostly annuals grown for the cluster of basal leaves used as greens. The Chinese green mustard rugosa varieties have brownish-red leaves rather than the dark green leaves of the foliosa varieties. Rugosa also has broader, thicker leaves than foliosa.
Mizuna is grown widely in Japan. It is 12 to 18 inches in height with yellow-green, smooth, and a bit fuzzy, leaves which have a distinct shape. They are deeply notched, narrow and feathery.
Market information
Use. The leaves may be eaten raw in a salad mixed with other greens. All of the mustards can be steamed, boiled, or stir-fried. The gai choy varieties can be treated just like spinach.
Culture
Climatic requirements. They should be grown at the same time of year as other cool season greens. Mizuna withstands frost and light freezes and is not quick to seed ever in periods of warm weather that may occur during the winter months.
Propagation and care. Mustards come up quickly from seeds. Keep well watered. Mizuna seeds should be sown 1/2 inch deep in rows 12 to 18 inches apart. Thin to stand 6 to 12 inches apart. The leaves are ready for use anytime after 3 weeks. Chinese green mustard foliosa varieties have small seeds that should be planted 1/4 inch deep, 3/4 inch apart in rows 12 inches apart, thin to 4 inches. They should be harvested when 6 to 8 inches in height. Any taller and they become too pungent. The rugosa varieties should be planted 1/2 inch deep and 2 inches apart, later thinned to 10 inches.
If you are going to harvest mustards young (4 to 6 inches tall) then it is better to simply broadcast the seed and rake it in to a depth of less than one-half inch deep. Such thick plantings must be harvested young. Insecticides are not recommended for young salad greens, row covers can be used instead.
In warm areas mustards are very susceptible to flea beetle attacks.
Sources
Seed:
American Takii Inc., 301 Natividad Rd., Salinas, CA 93906.
W. Atlee Burpee & Co., 300 Park Avenue, Warmister, PA 18974.
The Cook's Garden, P. O. Box 65, Londonderry, VT 05148.
Johnny's Selected Seeds, Foss Hill Rd., Albion, Maine 04910.
Nichols Garden and Nursery, 1190 North Pacific Hwy, Albany, OR 97321.
Northern Sales Co. Ltd. 5th Floor-200 Portage Ave., Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 3X2
Park Seed Co., Cokesbury Road, Greenwood, SC 29647-0001.
Sakata Seeds, 18695 Serene Dr., Morgan Hill, CA 95037.
Seeds Blum, Idaho City Stage, Boise, ID 83706.
Shepherd's Garden Seeds, Shipping Office, 30 Irene Street, Torrington, Conn. 06790.
Sunrise Enterprises, P. O. Box 10058, Elmwood, Conn. 06110-0058.
Le Jardin du Gourmet, P. O. Box 75, St. Johnsbury Center, VT 05863.
Tsang and Ma, P. O. Box 5644, Redwood City, CA 94063.
American Takii and Sakati are Japanese seed companies that are very familiar with mustards.
More information:
Shephens, James. Minor Vegetables. Univ. of Florida Cooperative Extension Bulletin SP-40. June 1988, 123 pp.
Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. Hortus Third. MacMillian Publishing Co., New York. Cornell University. 1976. 1290 pp.
Harrington, Geri. Grow Your Own Chinese Vegetables. Garden Way Publishing, Pownal, Vermont. 1984. 268 pp.
Mansour, N. S. Mustard. Oregan State University Vegetable Crops Recommendations. 1990.
Compiled by Claudia Myers, UC Small Farm Center.
Reviewed by Warren Weber, Nov 1989.
Reviewed by Georgeanne Brennan, Nov 1989
Reviewed by Vince Rubatzky, 12/18/89
Captions:
Figure 1. Mizuna mustard grows 12 to 18 inches in height and has distinctive, feathery leaves. (Photo by Charlotte Glenn).
Figure 2. Red Asian mustard shown in a thick planting for young harvest, when the leaves are 4 to 6 inches high. (Photo by Charlotte Glenn).
8/24/90