Plant This Leafy Green Veggie Indoors Now For A Full & Delicious Harvest

The window for a successful spring garden usually feels shorter than it actually is, leaving many gardeners to rush their planting once the ground finally thaws. You can avoid feeling rushed by starting your seeds in the warm corners of your home right now. Mustard greens (Brassica juncea) are the perfect candidates for an early indoor head start. These plants are resilient and grow well across USDA Hardiness Zones 2 through 11, making them an excellent choice for almost any climate. Because this plant is considered invasive in some areas of the United States, you should check the specific recommendations for your local growing area before you decide to put this plant in the ground.

By growing seeds in containers today, you give these peppery greens the chance to develop a strong root system without the threat of experiencing unpredictable spring weather outside. This preparation leads to a better harvest because the plants are already established by the time the outdoor growing season officially begins. As one of the fastest growing vegetables you can plant, starting early inside also means you get to enjoy the signature flavor of mustard greens weeks before your neighbors even have plants sprouting. It's a way to get the jump on the growing season while the weather outside is still catching up to your gardening goals.

Getting your mustard greens off to a strong start requires a bit of attention to the environment you create in your seed trays. You should use fresh, sterile seed-starting mix instead of heavy dirt from your yard to make sure the sprouts don't have to fight against soil-borne diseases. Place about three seeds in each cell of your tray and cover them with a thin layer of the mix, roughly a ¼ inch deep. These plants appreciate a bit of warmth during the germination phase, so a spot near a sunny window or on top of a refrigerator can provide the heat they need to pop up within a few days.

As one of the leafy greens that will thrive in a winter garden, mustard greens need some attention when they start to grow. Once the first green sprouts appear, your main job is to keep the soil consistently damp without letting it become too wet. You should also make sure they get plenty of bright light to prevent the stems from stretching and becoming weak. If the seedlings look like they're leaning too far in one direction, give the tray a turn every day to keep them growing straight and strong.

Transitioning the young mustard greens into the garden is a process that requires patience to avoid shocking the delicate plants. You should start by taking your trays outside for a few hours during the mildest part of the day, gradually increasing their exposure to the wind and sun over the course of a week. This hardening-off period helps the mustard greens toughen up so they can handle the transition to growing in the ground. When you're ready to transplant, choose a cloudy day or wait until the sun starts going down to put them in the soil, since this reduces stress on the plants. As a leafy plant that can also grow in hanging pots, mustard greens offer a bit of flexibility for gardeners with limited space.

Space your plants about 3 inches apart to give them room to breathe and expand their leaves. After they're in the ground, a thorough watering will help settle the soil around the roots and give them the water they need to recover. You'll soon notice a lot of new growth as the plants settle into their new home, leading to large green leaves you can begin picking very soon.