Growing Mustard Greens - Homesteading 101

Mustard greens are fast growing, nutritious leafy greens. They're perfect for gardens and containers in both spring and fall.  They are a high biomass, nitrogen lifter for growing over the summer. It is one of the quickest growing, green manuring species and is very good at suppressing weeds. Used for creating short term green cover and game cover.

Mustard Greens

aka Mizuna, Mustard Spinach, Indian Mustard
Annual plant
Height:  6"       Width:  Up to 2'

Mustard Greens are a leafy plant with a zesty mustard flavor that is a fiber and nutrient-rich addition to salads and stir-fries.

Types:
Curly Leaf.  Curled or frilled leaf edges resembling Kale.  It's a very spicy tender green used in salads.

Flat Leaf.  Broad delicately flavored leaves are good for steaming or in soups.
Mustard Spinach.  Smooth leaves.  This plant is more tolerant of heat, making it a good choice in warmer climates.

Starting Seeds of Mustard Greens

Seed Depth:                Lightly cover the seed and tamp down on the soil.
Seed Spacing:            6" apart, and thin to 19" apart.
Germination Temp:     45-85 degrees.
Days to Germinate:    4-7 days.
Days to Harvest:         30-40 days or 60-70 days depending on the variety.
Seed Longevity:          2-3 years.

Sowing Indoors:

Spring:  Sow 6 weeks before your average last frost date.  Plant out 3 weeks before your average last frost date.

Sowing Outdoors:

Spring:  Direct sow 3-4 weeks before your average last frost date.

                                                       

Winter Sowing:

If you haven't tried winter sowing, you're in for a treat.  This method is especially good for sowing herbs and greens.  Winter sowing is basically sowing seeds in the bottom of a milk jug during the winter, setting the milk jugs outside for the winter and leaving them there until the seeds germinate in Spring.

For more detailed information about Winter Sowing, click here.

To watch our 30 minute video on how to winter sow, click here.


 

Growing Mustard Green Plants

Growing Temperature:      Tolerates light frosts which make leaves sweeter.
Plant Spacing:                   12"
Container Size:                  8" deep.
Sun/Shade:                        Sun is ideal.  It also tolerates shade.
Soil:                                    Moist, rich, well-draining.
Watering:                            Evenly moist for best flavor.  2" water per week.



Try Audible and Get Two Free Audiobooks

Fertilizing

Since greens are such a fast-growing crop, as long as they are grown in rich soil there may be little need for further fertilization. That said, a liquid balanced fertilizer when the seedlings are 4" tall will give your greens a boost and carry them through their short season. After the temperatures warm, though, the leaves of Arugula will turn bitter and no amount of fertilizer will help at that point.

Growing Tips

Sow Mustard Greens in succession every 2-3 weeks for a steady supply.

Harvesting Mustard Greens

Begin harvesting outer leaves in about 4 weeks when the leaves are 6-8" long, or treat as cut-and-come-again and harvest the whole plant 3" above ground level.

Using Mustard Greens

• Use smaller Mustard Green leaves in salads or on sandwiches for a peppery zing.
• Use steamed, braised, cooked in broth.
• 
  

Storing Mustard Greens For Later Use

Although tender green leaves, like lettuce, cannot be preserved well, the thicker leaved greens can be preserved.

Fresh

• Clean and pat dry.  Bundle stems lightly, place on a paper towel (to absorb moisture) and wrap in a plastic bag.  Keeps in refrigerator for 10 days.

Freezing for Later Use in Chilis, Soups, Sauces, and Casseroles.

• Steam or saute' leaves, chop them and store in freezer bags.
• Puree with water and freeze into ice cube trays.
• Clean and dry the leaves and store in quart size freezer bags.
• Frozen leaves will keep for 6 months.
• Blanching the leaves first for two minutes will extend freezer storage to 14 months.
  
  
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  

Mustard greens are fast growing, nutritious leafy greens. They're perfect for gardens and containers in both spring and fall. Although not quite as cold hardy as collards or kale but  mustard greens do tolerate a light frost, which makes their leaves sweeter. 

In areas where there are no killing freezes, gardeners enjoy growing mustard greens all winter long. The mustard patch is a pretty sight in the cool season garden. The leafy plants are easy to care for and good companions to fall flowers such as pansies. Mustard greens grow in a rosette of leaves up to about a foot-and-a-half tall. You can simmer the big peppery greens or pick smaller, young leaves to eat raw in salads and sandwiches.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This post may contain Amazon affiliate links and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases without costing you anything extra.

Growing Endive - Homesteading 101

aka Frisee

Annual Plant related to Chickory

Height:  6-12"       Width:  6-12"

Endive and Escarole are different forms of the same plant.  Endive has curly or crinkly-edged leaves and a sharp, somewhat bitter taste.  Escarole is a type of Endive which is hardier with flat, somewhat thicker leaves and a less bitter flavor.

Types:

- Curled Endive with pointy leaves.

- Smoother-leafed Escarole

Starting Seeds of Endive/Escarole

Seed Depth:                   1/4" deep.
Seed Spacing:                3 seeds per inch.
Days to Germinate:         5-7 days.
Days to Harvest:             45 days as baby greens.  60-100 days as mature heads.
Seed Longevity:              4-6 years.

Sowing Indoors:
Spring:  Sow 8 weeks before your average last frost date.

Sowing Outdoors:

Spring:  Direct sow as soon as the ground can be worked.
Fall:  Direct sow 15 weeks before the first expected frost date.


Salad Spinner

Winter Sowing:

If you haven't tried winter sowing, you're in for a treat.  This method is especially good for sowing herbs and greens.  Winter sowing is basically sowing seeds in the bottom of a milk jug during the winter, setting the milk jugs outside for the winter and leaving them there until the seeds germinate in Spring.
For our detailed article about winter sowing, click here.


Salad Tongs

Growing Endive/Escarole Plants

Growing Temperature:       Can take temperatures as low as 20 degrees.
Plant Spacing:                   8-12".
Container Size:                  12" deep.
Sun/Shade:                        Full sun to part shade.
Soil:                                   In poorer soils, add fish emulsion or seaweed.
Watering:                          Consistent moisture for best flavor.
                                          Light moisture when grown in a cold frame.



Try Audible and Get Two Free Audiobooks

Fertilizing:

Since greens are such a fast-growing crop, as long as they are grown in rich soil there may be little need for further fertilization. That said, a liquid balanced fertilizer when the seedlings are 4" tall will give your greens a boost and carry them through their short season. After the temperatures warm, though, the leaves of Endive will turn bitter and no amount of fertilizer will help at that point.


Salad Lunch Container

Growing Tips

Looseleaf varieties can survive winter if given some sort of protection like an unheated greenhouse.  If you leave undamaged roots and 1 inch of stem, new growth may appear in warmer weather.
Fall plants that are subjected to a few light touches of frost have a richer, less bitter flavor than spring-grown plants.

Harvesting Endive/Escarole

Harvest as soon as the outer leaves are of usable size.  Gather leaves as needed or cut the whole plant at the soil level.   Harvest all before the first frost.

Using Endive/Escarole

• Leaves are best used fresh.
• Endive begins to turn pale green and taste bitter when exposed to light.

Storing Endive/Escarole For Later Use

Although tender green leaves, like Lettuce, can't be preserved well, the thicker leaved greens can be.

Fresh

• Clean and pat dry.  Bundle stems lightly, place on a paper towel (to absorb moisture) and wrap in a plastic bag.  Keeps in refrigerator for 10 days.

Freezing for Later Use in Chilis, Soups, Sauces, and Casseroles.

• Steam or saute' leaves, chop them and store in freezer bags.
• Puree with water and freeze into ice cube trays.
• Clean and dry the leaves and store in quart size freezer bags.
• Frozen leaves will keep for 6 months.
• Blanching the leaves first will extend freezer storage to 14 months.

To read the other articles in our Growing Your Greens series, click on the name below:

Arugula

Kale

Lettuce

Mustard Greens

Radicchio

Spinach

Swiss Chard

Where to go next!

Great Garden Articles -- Full List!
Follow us on Pinterest!
Hit the "Follow Button" Our Blog Homepage!

This post may contain some Amazon Associate links meaning that I will get a small compensation at no expense to you if you purchase something from this blog.

Growing Pumpkins for Fall Decor

If you've priced the cost of buying pumpkins and other winter squash for your Fall display lately, you've probably discovered that growing them from seed would definitely be worth your time. 

Growing Swiss Chard - Homesteading 101

Swiss Chard

aka  Spinach Beet, Leaf Beet                               
Annual, Perennial in warmer climates.
Height:  1-3'   Width:  Up to 2'

Swiss Chard is both edible and beautiful as an ornamental plant.  It has colorful stems and bright green leaves making it as glamorous as it is nutritious.  It is high in vitamins A and C and a good source of calcium.  Swiss Chard will keep growing long after other greens have bolted.

Types:
Reddish, creamy white or colorful stalks, all of which taste mostly the same.

Try Audible and Get Two Free Audiobooks


 

Starting Seeds of Swiss Chard

Seed Depth:                    1/2" to 3/4" deep.
Seed Spacing:                 4", or thin seedlings later to 4" apart.
Germination Temp:          50+ degrees.  Optimum 85 degrees.
Days to Germinate:          5-7 days.
Days to Harvest:              40 - 60 days, depending on the variety.
Seed Longevity:               4 years.

Sowing Indoors:
Spring:  Sow 2 weeks before your average last frost date.  Plant outside after threat of frost has passed.

Sowing Outdoors:

Spring:  Direct Sow outdoors after the last frost date.
Fall:   Direct Sow 10 weeks before the average first frost date.

  

                                            

Winter Sowing

If you haven't tried winter sowing, you're in for a treat.  This method is especially good for sowing herbs and greens.  Winter sowing is basically sowing seeds in the bottom of a milk jug during the winter, setting the milk jugs outside for the winter and leaving them there until the seeds germinate in Spring.
See our Winter Sowing article on our website for detailed information.


 

Growing Swiss Chard Plants

Growing Temperature:   Tolerates both cool weather and heat.
                                       Tolerates light frosts in the spring and fall.
Plant Spacing:                5" to harvest often.  Mature plants 12".
Container Size:              12" deep, 12" wide.  3 in a 14" wide pot.
Sun/Shade:                    Prefers sun, but will tolerate shade.
Soil:                                Rich, fertile.  Amend with some compost.
Watering:                       Consistent moisture for best flavor.

Fertilizing

Since greens are such a  fast-growing crop, as long as they are grown in rich soil there may be little need for further fertilization.    That said, a liquid balanced fertilizer when the seedlings are 4" tall will give your greens a boost and carry them through their short season.  After the temperatures warm, though, the leaves of Swiss Chard will turn bitter and no amount of fertilizer will help at that point.


 

Harvesting Swiss Chard

Harvest anytime leaves are big enough to eat, usually at 6".
Cut stalks from the outside of the plant, leaving the heart which will continue to grow.  Overgrown chard will lose flavor.

Using Swiss Chard

• Use young raw leaves in salads.
• Large leaves can be cooked down like Spinach to use in casseroles, soups, and pasta.

Storing Swiss Chard For Later Use

Although tender green-leafed plants, like lettuce, cannot be preserved well, the thicker green-leafed plants can be.
Fresh

• Clean and pat dry.  Bundle stems lightly, place on a paper towel (to absorb moisture) and wrap in a plastic bag.  Keeps in refrigerator for 10 days.

Freezing for Later Use in Chilis, Soups, Sauces, and Casseroles.

• Steam or saute' leaves, chop them and store in freezer bags.
• Puree with water and freeze into ice cube trays.
• Clean and dry the leaves and store in quart size freezer bags.
• Frozen leaves will keep for 6 months.
• Blanching the leaves first will extend freezer storage to 14 months.
• 
  

This post may contain Amazon affiliate links and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases without costing you anything extra.

Growing Rosemary - Homesteading 101

Rosemary is a hardy evergreen shrub that is a staple in any herb garden.  Perennial in Zones 7 – 10 (and borderline Zone 6), Rosemary is one of the most aromatic and pungent of all of the woody herbs.  The leaves have a lemony flavor that pairs well with lamb, garlic and olive oil.  The flowers can be blue, pink, purple or white.

Starting Rosemary from Seed

Rosemary can be difficult to grow from seed and often does not grow true to their parent plant.  Taking cuttings is recommended as opposed to seed sowing, but here's the information in case you prefer to try.

Seed Longevity:                               1 year.

Seed Sowing Depth:                        Just cover.  Needs some light to germinate.

Best Soil Temp for Germination:      70 degrees.  Heat mat will help.

Days to Germination:                       14-21+ days.

Spring Sowing

Sow indoors 10-12 weeks before the last frost date to plant out after the last frost date.

Don't transplant seedlings until they're well established.

Winter Sowing

If you haven't tried winter sowing, you're in for a treat.  This method is especially good for sowing herbs.  Winter sowing is basically sowing seeds in the bottom of milk jugs in the winter, setting the milk jugs outside for the winter and leaving them there until the seeds germinate in the Spring.

For our article containing detailed information about Winter Sowing, click here.

To watch our 30 minute video on how to winter sow, click here.

Growing Rosemary

Plant Size:                              Height 1-8’  Width 2-4’.

Spacing:                                 Up to 3'.

Container Size:                       12” Deep  12” Wide.

Soil:                                         Sandy, well-drained.

Light/Sun:                                Full sun, 6 to 8 hours of sunlight.

Fertilizer:                                  5-10-5 in Spring.

Other Care Tips

Watering:                                                     

It needs excellent drainage.  Relatively drought tolerant.  Let the soil dry out between waterings.

                                  

Will grow back after extensive pruning.

Dividing Rosemary

Rosemary is a small woody shrub that should not be divided.  However, since Rosemary has rooted layers, the layers (branches that have developed roots while touching the soil) can be cut off the parent plant, dug up and replanted as though they were a division.

Rosemary Cuttings

Take a 4” cutting from the tip of the stem.  Remove leaves 1” from the base.  Put cutting in peat moss and vermiculite medium.  The cutting will root in 3-4 weeks.  Transfer to a 4” pot to let the root ball form, then transfer into larger pot or garden.

Harvesting Rosemary

Snip off sprigs of Rosemary all summer and into the fall and winter as needed.  It is possible to bring small plants inside.

Harvesting Rosemary Seed

The seed pods are very small.  Let them dry out on the plant, then remove them by pinching them off with your fingers.  Dry pods thoroughly in a paper bag for two weeks.  After they’re dry, rub pods to release the seeds.  Store in an airtight container.

Storing Rosemary

Fresh
Damp Paper Towel

This method works well for hardy herbs that have woody stems as well as a few soft-stemmed herbs.

Clean and thoroughly dry the Rosemary.  Arrange lengthwise in a single layer on a slightly damp paper towel.  Loosely roll up the herb and transfer to a plastic bag or plastic wrap.  Label and store in the fridge.   Rosemary will stay fresh in the fridge using this method for up to 3 weeks.

Try Audible and Get Two Free Audiobooks

Freezing

For best results, use frozen Rosemary within 1-2 years.

By freezing herbs, you will lose some of the herb's texture but preserve the flavor.

Here are some freezing methods to consider:

Tray Freeze

Spread the Rosemary onto a cookie sheet on a single layer. Freeze in the freezer, then transfer the Rosemary into a labeled freezer bag to store.  Since the leaves are frozen separately, you can easily remove the amount you need.

Ice Cube Trays with Oil

This method works well for hard-stemmed herbs that would probably be cooked when adding to a dish.  The oil reduces some of the browning and freezer burn.

Clean and thoroughly dry the Rosemary.  Mince and firmly pack herbs into an ice cube tray 3/4 full.  Add Olive Oil to fill and freeze.  Transfer frozen cubes into labeled freezer bags to store.

Flat Freezer Bag

Trim off the stems and place them in a labeled freezer bag.  Squeeze out the air, flatten the freezer bag, label and store.

Drying Rosemary

Rosemary is one of the best herbs to dry.  For best results, use dried Rosemary within 1-2 years.

Hang to Dry

Pick your Rosemary in bunches right before you intend to store them.  Tie the bottom of the bunch together with twine and hang upside down to dry in a dry, low humidity area. For added protection against dust, you can put the bundles inside paper bags with plenty of holes for ventilation.  When the herbs are dry, the leaves will crumble easily between your fingers.  Store in an airtight container.

Using Rosemary

• Great when used with pork, chicken, and potatoes.
• Rosemary’s spiky leaves can be used fresh or dried for long cooking in soups, meats, stews, and sauces.  
• Because the flavor is so strong, it’s best to add Rosemary sparingly at first adding more if needed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Growing your own herbs is fun, easy, more healthy than the herbs shipped to grocery stores, and what's best, saves you tons of money! Try it today.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back to Our Blog Homepage!

This post may contain some Amazon Associate links meaning that I will get a small compensation at no expense to you if you purchase something from this blog.