Mustard will grow very quickly in fertile soil, making it excellent for suppressing weeds and stopping nutrients leaching from the soil between harvests in warmer months. However, it can struggle in very hot weather.

Growing calendar
Sow outdoors	Mar - mid Sep
Cut down/dig in	Mar - Oct

How to grow mustard

Sow mustard seed at 5g per square metre by scattering on the surface of your soil before raking and tamping (pressing down) to get rid of any air pockets. You can also sow mustard in rows 15cm apart.

Mustard prefers fertile soil.

Incorporating mustard into your soil

Cut down or hoe off leaves as the flower buds form, or two to four weeks before you need the soil for your next crop (whichever is sooner). Dig in the whole plants.

Tips on growing mustard

You can leave mustard over winter, however a heavy frost may kill the plants.
If you are following a crop rotation system, it should be grown in the same area or rotation as other brassica plants.

Growing notes
Difficulty	Easy
Average growing period	4-8 weeks, may overwinter
Equipment needed	None
Germination time	7-12 days
Average plant size	Up to 60cm tall, 20cm wide
Seed saving notes	Annual, self-pollinating
Latin name	Sinapsis alba
Family group (for rotation systems)	Brassica