Mustard Seeds - Central Red Mizuna - Hybrid

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How to Grow Central Red Mizuna

Start about 2 weeks before the last frost of spring, or 6 to 8 weeks before the first frost in fall. Sow 2-3 seeds per inch to start with. Let them sprout. As it becomes clear which ones are the strongest, thin them by trimming the smaller greens leaving about 6 inches between each seedling. Keep the soil moist, and water frequently if it’s not raining regularly. If you have room, start a new row every two weeks or so for a continuous harvest. For fully mature greens, thin the plants to 12 inches apart, still keeping them well-watered. This variety also does well in containers. For container growing, plant about 1 seed every 2 inches, then thin to 3 or 4 plants for a six-inch container of baby greens, leaving one plant to full maturity.

Harvesting Central Red Mizuna

Harvest the baby greens by trimming individual leaves as needed. Garden scissors are best, but shears will work fine. For mature greens, wait to let the leaves fully regrow. They will be ready 6 to 8 weeks after sprouting. Trim the leaves individually, it’s important to harvest before the leaves start to get too thick and become bitter. Be watchful and fully harvest the leaves before bolting occurs in the heat of summer. This is a hybrid plant. Don’t harvest the seeds, they will not breed true to type.

Culinary Tips

As mentioned, baby leaves are a great addition to salads or used in any baby leaf recipe. The mature leaves are often pickled. This is a favored green for Tsukemono, the Japanese term for any kind of pickled vegetable. Mature greens can also be used in stir-fries or added to any recipe in place of mustard or dark greens.

Stories From Our Gardeners

"I find red mizuna varieties great for continuous harvesting. Keep the microgreens from thinning in preparation for the appropriate baby green spacing. Then, it’s easy to clip off leaves once the plants get a little larger. Because the leaves regrow, you can take advantage of every space available. Once they start to get bigger, leave the largest, healthiest ones to mature. Cut off the small plants at the base."

- David Wiley, True Leaf Market Writer

Seeds Per Package:

• 2 g packet - Approximately 825 Seeds
• 1 oz - Approximately 11,500 Seeds
• 4 oz - Approximately 46,000 Seeds
• 1 lb - Approximately 184,000 Seeds
• 5 lb - Approximately 920,000 Seeds
• 25 lb - Approximately 4,600,000 Seeds