Mustard plant: flowering time, harvest & storage

You can usually see mustard grown in large fields, but it can also be very decorative and useful in your own garden. You can find out which types of mustard are available and how to care for the mustard here.

Mustard has a long history; it has been used as a spice for millennia and as a medicinal plant in the Middle Ages. Today it is enjoying increasing popularity in home gardens. This article provides an overview of different types of mustard, how mustard is grown in the garden and how to use mustard seeds.

Mustard plant: origin and characteristics

When the fields bloom yellow in autumn, the popular mustard grows there. We mainly use white and brown mustard (Sinapis alba and Brassica juncea) cultivated, the black mustard (

Brassica nigra) on the other hand, because of the difficult mechanical harvesting, hardly any agricultural crops are grown. From a strictly botanical point of view, brown and black mustard are not "real" mustards at all, because both plants do not belong to the mustard genus (Sinapis) at.

The pretty, yellow mustard blossoms look like those of the Rapeseed confusingly similar. Both plants belong to the cruciferous family (Brassicaceae), but differ in flowering time, smell and use. If the mustard is sown in May or pre-germinated on the windowsill from February, it blooms between June and September and can be used as a decorative flower.

Mustard is believed to have originated from India. During excavations there, remnants of cultivation were found dating from around 1800 BC. Chr. come. On the European continent, mustard was first used in a mustard paste recipe from ancient Rome around AD 100. Chr. mentioned. This makes mustard the first hot spice in Europe, alongside horseradish, and even older than pepper and chilli. In the Middle Ages, black mustard in particular was said to have a healing effect: it was said to promote blood circulation, calm pain and have an anti-inflammatory effect.

But what does the mustard plant look like? White mustard grows 30 to 70 cm high, brown mustard 120 cm, while black mustard can grow up to 200 cm high. What is striking about the annual herb is the angular, branched stalk that forms rough leaves. In addition, the mustard leaves are divided into a petiole and an egg-shaped leaf blade (this is the leaf surface). The edge is usually smooth to slightly serrated. The mustard blossom has four petals and six stamens - there is hardly any visual difference between the blossoms of rapeseed and mustard. The main distinguishing feature is therefore the flowering time: while rapeseed already flowers in spring, the mustard blossom can only be seen from late summer to autumn.

The mustard flowers are hermaphroditic and can pollinate themselves, so they do not need any other plant than a pollen donor. Pollination occurs either by wind movement or by insects, which like to visit the flower. Mustard forms a deep root system, which is why it is suitable for loosening soils, as a catch crop or as a green manure. The seeds are formed in pods and are about the size of a pea. You can either use it whole, grind it into powder or use it to make the famous spice paste, table mustard.

Types and varieties of mustards

A general distinction is made between white, brown and black mustard:

• White mustard (Sinapis alba): Also called yellow mustard because of the intense yellow flowers. It forms 4 to 8 seeds per pod, the seeds are white to light yellow with a mild taste.

• Brown mustard (Brassica juncea): Also known as Indian or Chinese mustard. It forms 6 to 15 seeds per pod, which are dark to light brown. The use of mustard oil is still common in Asia, but we have replaced it with rapeseed because of the low yield. The brown mustard is mainly used in Dijon mustard. It has a pungent taste. An interesting variety is ‘Rouge Métis’, which has a slit, red-purple leaf and is therefore particularly decorative in salads. The ‘Southern Giant Curled’ variety is also highly recommended: It forms very large leaves that can be used in salads, on bread or cooked like spinach.

• Black mustard (Brassica nigra): Seldom referred to as mustard cabbage. It forms 4 to 10 seeds per pod, which are dark brown or gray to black in color. A noticeable black stem, mostly hairy at the bottom, turns blue towards the top. Black mustard is not grown for commercial purposes because the pods are very close to the stem and therefore cannot be harvested mechanically. It has a pungent taste.

Maintaining mustard in the garden

Anyone in their own garden Plant mustard would like to need a sunny or at least partially shaded location. A humus, calcareous soil is preferred for growth. The cultivation of mustard is possible in mixed culture with almost all other vegetables, only other cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower(Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) or broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) should be avoided. It is also important to have a plant in the family again after four years at the earliest Brassicaceae is grown in the same location, otherwise diseases can be transmitted.

Mustard is a very undemanding plant during vegetation. If it is grown in a location that is well supplied with nutrients, regular watering is sufficient. If you use mustard as a catch crop or to improve the soil structure, this is usually done in less good locations.
Here it is recommended to provide the plants with additional nutrients in the form of fertilization. In this way they can develop their full power and improve the soil. Additional fertilization of the mustard on a lean site ensures that it grows better, the nutrients stores in all of its plant organs and releases them again when rotting on the compost or directly on the bed gives. The good growth of the mustard plants fixes carbon and can be used as humus after rotting.

Our mainly organic fertilizer, for example, is suitable Plantura organic universal fertilizer. This not only provides the plant with ideal nutrients, but also supports active soil life. Since mustard is an annual plant, it dies in autumn and is therefore not hardy. If the ripe seeds are not harvested, it will naturally sprout again the next year.

Harvesting mustard: timing and procedure

The first leaves can be harvested just three weeks after germination. These taste very tasty as an addition to a fresh salad; in Indian cuisine, vegetables similar to spinach are often cooked from the mustard herb. When the leaves are older, they become bitter and no longer taste that good. As soon as the mustard begins to bloom, the leaves should not be harvested at all. In this way, the plant can put all its energy into flower and pod formation and does not have to develop new leaves.

The mustard pods are ready to harvest as soon as they are dry. This is usually the case in September or October. If the pods rattle when shaken, they are dry enough. They can be easily detached from the plant by hand, then they have to be opened and the grains removed. With a large harvest, it is easier to put the collected pods in a bag and tap them with your hand or a rolling pin to loosen the mustard seeds. These can then be easily collected.

Store and preserve mustard

The harvested mustard seeds can then be dried. It is sufficient to put them on newspaper and leave them at room temperature and with good ventilation for about four weeks. If you put the newspaper together with the mustard seeds on the heater, the drying goes even faster. The whole grains can then be stored in a dark, dry place or ground into mustard flour. They are then suitable as an addition to pickled vegetables such as pickles or as a seasoning for meat and vegetables. As an alternative to drying, the mustard seeds can also be processed directly into mustard paste.

Ingredients of mustard

Mustard was already considered to be in the Middle Ages Medicinal plant, this is mainly due to its ingredients. The different types consist of around 20 - 30 percent mustard oil, which contains many healthy, unsaturated fatty acids. Mustard also contains a high proportion of protein (around 28 percent). The glycosides it contains are responsible for the spiciness of the mustard. These differ for white and brown or black mustard. The pungent taste only arises when the glycosides are broken up and react with an enzyme. That is why a mustard seed tastes sweet and nutty at first when you chew it and becomes spicy after a while.

Common mustard pests

Mustard is a very robust plant and hardly has to deal with pests. Just like other cruciferous vegetables, however, they can do so in drought conditions Earth fleas become problematic. As a preventive measure, however, it helps to remove weeds early, to water the plants regularly and to keep the soil permanently moist with a layer of mulch.
the Whitefly, also known as greenhouse whitefly, can easily be suppressed with beneficial insects. It is enough to make the garden attractive for beneficial insects, for example with insect hotels and one Flower meadow. This not only helps the mustard, but your whole garden.

As already mentioned, mustard is ideal as a green manure. In an article we have helpful hints and further possibilities of Green manure in autumn put together for you.