Giant Red Mustard

100 seeds

Matures in 45 days

Planting companions: Garlic, Eggplant, Celery, Strawberry, Onion, Peas

Unsuitable companions: Beet, Potato, Tomato

Add a tasty kick and color to your salads. The leaves are tender and brown with light green veins. This plant often withstands winter and is slow to bolt.

Mustard plants thrive in cool weather, so they taste best when grown in early spring or fall. For a spring crop, sow your mustard seeds directly in the garden at about 1/4 inch deep, 4 weeks before the last risk of ground frost. For a continuous harvest, you can plant new seeds every 10 to 15 days. For fall planting, plant green mustard seeds in late summer or early fall, about 10 weeks before the first frost. Keep the soil around the plants moist and free of weeds. You can mulch the base of the plants to help control moisture levels and unwanted herbs.

Harvest the leaves when they reach about 4 to 5 inches high; the young shoots are tender and flavorful, perfect for salads. Older leaves tend to have a more pronounced flavor. The leaves can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days and can also be frozen after blanching.