How to Grow Mustard Microgreens
Brassica juncea
Brassica juncea microgreens offer a rapid harvest of pungent greens packed with nutrients. Gardeners prize them for their quick growth cycle and ability to thrive in cool conditions, adding flavor and nutrition to salads or sandwiches within just over a week.
📷 Wikimedia CommonsStarting Mustard Microgreens: indoors or direct sow?
🌾 Sow directly in the garden — Mustard Microgreens is not usually started indoors.
These microgreens are grown entirely in containers indoors from sowing to harvest and do not require transplanting outdoors.
Soil, care & harvest
Prepare your container by filling it with a sterile seed-starting mix adjusted to a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. Since this is a cool-season crop, sow seeds densely indoors two to six weeks before the last spring frost. Press seeds gently into the medium at a depth of roughly one-quarter inch, then keep the soil consistently moist until germination occurs within one to three days.
Keep the growing medium uniformly wet but not waterlogged to support rapid development. Because you are sowing densely, do not worry about spacing individual plants; they will grow close together naturally. No trellising or staking is required for these low-growing greens. Avoid adding fertilizer or mulch, as the short growth cycle and dense canopy make these unnecessary.
Flea beetles and aphids are rare threats indoors due to the quick harvest window, leaving your crop virtually disease-free. To prevent issues, ensure good air circulation and avoid overwatering. Harvest when plants reach six to eight days of age by snipping them just above the soil line with scissors or a knife.
When to Plant Mustard Microgreens
Planting windows vary by USDA hardiness zone. Look up yours by ZIP code.
| Zone | Start Indoors | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | January – December | — | January – December |
| Zone 2 | January – December | — | January – December |
| Zone 3 | January – December | — | January – December |
| Zone 4 | January – December | — | January – December |
| Zone 5 | January – December | — | January – December |
| Zone 6 | January – December | — | January – December |
| Zone 7 | January – December | — | January – December |
| Zone 8 | January – December | — | January – December |
| Zone 9 | January – December | — | January – December |
| Zone 10 | January – December | — | January – December |
| Zone 11 | January – December | — | January – December |
| Zone 12 | January – December | — | January – December |
| Zone 13 | January – December | — | January – December |
Companion Plants for Mustard Microgreens
✓ Good companions
Similar spicy flavor profile and identical growing conditions for microgreens
Natural pest deterrent that protects brassicas from aphids and flea beetles
Attracts beneficial insects and complements mustard's peppery flavor in culinary use
Attracts beneficial insects while repelling aphids that commonly attack brassica microgreens
Fellow brassica with identical nutrient and water requirements for microgreen production
Complementary growth habits and can be harvested together in salad mixes
Both are brassicas with similar growing requirements and pest management needs
Compatible growing requirements and harvest timing for mixed microgreen production
✗ Keep away from
Releases juglone toxin that severely inhibits growth and can kill brassica plants
Releases allelopathic compounds that inhibit germination and growth of brassica family plants
Produces allelopathic chemicals that can stunt growth of nearby seedlings and microgreens
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving (USDA FoodData Central)
