Growing Mustard greens, also gai choy

Brassica sp. : Brassicaceae / the mustard or cabbage family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
    S                  
      T T              
      P P   P          

(Best months for growing Mustard greens in USA - Zone 5a regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • P = Sow seed
  • Easy to grow. Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 10°C and 35°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 35 - 60 cm apart
  • Harvest in 5-8 weeks.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Dwarf (bush) beans, beets, celery, cucumber, onions, marigold, nasturtium, rhubarb, aromatic herbs (sage, dill, camomile)
  • Avoid growing close to: Climbing (pole) beans, tomato, peppers (chilli, capsicum), eggplant (aubergine), strawberry

Your comments and tips

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17 Feb 14, warwick (Australia - temperate climate)
Ebay
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27 Aug 13, Lindsay (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Have grown a good crop not sure of the best way to eat them
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12 Aug 19, Liz (Australia - temperate climate)
Eat them very which way! Young in salads, stir fries, soups, stock, and fermented in Kimchi. And here they are so easy to grow and save seed.
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28 Aug 13, Cecilia (Australia - temperate climate)
I use bok choy a lot, which may be cooked in similar ways. Usually: wash the leaves, shake or pat dry, shred leaves, lightly sauté in olive oil with some chopped garlic and/or ginger, add a small splash of liquid (something acidic like lemon juice, ver juice or left-over wine, a dash of mirin and tamari or fish sauce), cover and steam over moderate heat for a few minutes.
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30 May 13, Ally (Australia - temperate climate)
Do these guys need full sun or will they grow ok in shaded areas?
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06 Aug 12, Frank Ryan (Australia - temperate climate)
Am growing mustard to dig bach into the soil. My question is at what stage of plants should I pull and dig in. They have not yet flowered.
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22 Aug 16, Rosemaria (Australia - temperate climate)
A friend just told me you dig them in just before they flower, If that helps, Frank.
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07 Aug 12, Daryl Walter (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
dig in before they flower
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06 Aug 12, hz (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I did this twenty years ago with giant red mustard. I always let a few plants on the edges go to seed, and strew the seed. I still have volunteer red mustard, and so can add some young leaves into a salad if I wish, but also benefit from the chemicals it produces when dug in to the soil to deter nematodes. Dig it in whenever you are ready by the way !
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17 Mar 12, Dee (Australia - temperate climate)
Started growing some years ago and they now come up all over the vegetable garden. But why is it suggested that it not be grown with some other vegetables?
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Showing 21 - 30 of 44 comments
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Just got hold of mustard greens seed, packaged by Kirchhoffs (a popular seed supplier, stocked at most nurseries and co-ops, alongside other brands like Mayford and Starke Ayres). The package unfortunately doesn't say what type of mustard greens it is, but gauging by the image on the pack, I'd say it looks like Southern Giant Curled.

- Doné

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