Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Mustard seeds
WHAT YOU'LL NEED
• 10 ft.
2
(1 m
2
) of plants
• insect netting (or absence of cabbage pests)
• trellis or one support pole per flowering plant
POLLINATION NOTES
Thought it is sometimes described as a self-pollinator in the literature, mustard
is an outcrosser, and the various subspecies can all cross with one another. Use isolation cages when
growing multiple varieties at the same time.
GROWING FOR SEED
Plants produce seed in one growing season. Sow in mid to late spring; expect
bloom in late spring/early summer.
HARVEST
Harvest seed in early to late summer. Ripe seedpods explode, releasing their seed to the
ground, so harvest before pods attain full ripeness. Processing instructions as for
Brassica oleracea
.
SELECTION CHARACTERISTICS
Mustard is one of the most diverse of all
Brassica
species, and there
are many heirloom varieties. Selection criteria depend on the type of plant. For mustard greens, select
for low erucic acid and glucosinolate content. For use as a spice, select for light-colored seeds.
DISEASES AND PESTS
The diseases and pests of
Brassica oleracea
(which see) can also affect the
flowers and green shoots of mustard.
CULTIVATION HISTORY
Mustard is the result of a crossing of
Brassica nigra
and
B. rapa
. In India,
Pakistan, and eastern Europe, mustard is cultivated primarily as an oilseed crop, whereas in the UK
and Canada, mustard is primarily grown for condiment mustard.
