Botanical Name: Brassica juncea
Days to Maturity: 45–60 days
Family: Brassicaceae
Native: Widespread, probably Asia
Hardiness: Frost-tolerant annual
Plant Dimensions: 16"–22" tall
Variety Information: Large, dark green oval leaves with serrated edges up to 10" long, and 8" wide
Attributes: Good for Containers
When to Sow Outside: RECOMMENDED. 4 to 6 weeks before your average last frost date, when soil temperature is at least 40°F, ideally 60°–75°F. Successive Sowings: Every 3 weeks until 10 to 12 weeks before your average first fall frost date for continuous harvest. Mild Climates: Sow in late fall through winter for cool–season harvest.
When to Start Inside: Not recommended; transplant stress can cause plants to bolt (prematurely flower).
Days to Emerge: 5–10 days
Seed Depth: ¼"
Seed Spacing: A group of 3 seeds every 4" – 6"
Row Spacing: 12"–18"
Thinning: When 3" tall, thin to 1 every 4" – 6"
Harvesting: Harvest in the morning if possible. You may start harvesting leaves when they are 2" tall, as needed; remove no more than 1/3 of the plant if regrowth is desired, or let plant grow to maturity and harvest entire plant. Late summer crops will last until the first hard freeze.
