One of the first greens in spring and a traditional favorite in Southern cuisine. Heirloom broad leaf mustard’s large, rich-green leaves offer savory pungency. Fresh greens jazz up salads and sandwiches; keep their flavor and tang when sautéed, steamed, braised, or added to soup. Grows nicely in the north. How to Sow and Plant For optimum flavor, grow in cool weather. Prepare the bed by turning the soil under to a depth of 8 inches. Level with a rake to remove clumps of grass and stones. Sow in average well-worked soil in full sun. Do not plant where members of the cabbage family were planted in the past two years. Plant in early spring and again in midsummer for a fall crop. In rows 24 inches apart, sow seeds evenly and cover with ½ inch fine soil. Firm lightly and water gently. Seedlings emerge in 10-21 days depending on soil and weather conditions. For continuous harvest, sow every 14 days until the weather becomes hot. Thin gradually to stand 12 inches apart starting when seedlings are about 1-2 inches high. How to Grow Keep weeds under control during the growing season. Weeds compete with plants for water, space and nutrients, so control them by either cultivating often or use a mulch to prevent their seeds from germinating. Avoid disturbing the soil around the plants when weeding. Keep plants well watered during dry periods to promote rapid, uninterrupted growth. Plants need about 1 inch of rain per week during the growing season. Use a rain gauge to check to see if you need to add water. It’s best to water with a drip or trickle system that delivers water at low pressure at the soil level. If you water with overhead sprinklers, water early in the day so the foliage has time to dry off before evening, to minimize disease problems. Keep the soil moist but not saturated. Monitor for pests and diseases. Check with your local Cooperative Extension Service for pest controls recommended for your area. Tips Harvest young foliage when it reaches 6-8 inches long, about 45 days after sowing. Pick the lower leaves or harvest the entire plant at once before the foliage becomes too tough. For a fall harvest, pick after a light frost as the frost improves the flavor. Stop picking once plants flower as the leaves will become bitter-tasting. Flowers are also edible. Mustard is great for salads or as cooked greens. You can also boil or sauté the foliage. Refrigerate the harvest to preserve until used. You can also blanch and freeze the leaves. They may also be pickled. I own a small town country store and I buy my loose garden seeds in bulk and measure them by scoops based on volume not weight. I use the Keystone Seed Scoop "A" for 1/2 ounce and "B" for 1 ounce. From Beets to Zucchini you will get more seeds for less money than from pre packed seed packs! Small seeds are sold by the scoop and are measured by volume not weight in both 1/2 oz and 1 oz scoops. PLEASE READ THIS LIVE PRODUCT WARRANTY BEFORE ORDERING OUR SEED Seed is a live product which depends on many important related grower skills such as, proper planting time, seed depth, type of soil, irrigation, proper use of fertilizers, weed controls, fungicides, insecticides, disease free soil, and reasonable weather conditions during the growing period. These factors are totally out of the seller's control and are the growers responsibility and risk. Our seed cannot be unconditionally guaranteed to perform properly - regardless of weather conditions or the growers methods or mistakes.