When is the best time to sow mustard?

Mustard greens, which are called kohlrabi in different regions, are not only suitable for fresh eating and cooking, but also for pickling. They are deeply loved by consumers and the market demand is also quite large. So when is the best time to sow mustard?

When is the best time to sow mustard?

Mustard is mainly propagated by sowing, and the cultivation methods are divided into open field cultivation and protected cultivation. In the Yangtze River and Huanghuai regions, spring and autumn are suitable for growing mustard, but autumn is the main season for sowing. The sowing period is from late July to October, and the harvest period is from mid-September to March of the following year. The yield from sowing in August is the highest.

Key steps in mustard cultivation

Mustard is a vegetable that has specific requirements for its growing environment. It prefers cool and humid climatic conditions and is neither resistant to severe cold nor to high temperatures. Mustard has a shallow root system and is therefore less resistant to both drought and waterlogging. The optimum temperatures for seed germination and seedling growth are 25°C and 22°C respectively, while the temperature during the rhizome expansion period needs to be maintained below 15°C. When the temperature exceeds 25°C, the growth rate of mustard will slow down and the quality will decline. During the entire growing period, the most suitable growth temperature range for mustard is 15-22°C. During the root and stem expansion period, mustard has the greatest demand for water and fertilizer, and the soil needs to be kept moist to meet its growth needs. Additionally, the right amount of phosphorus can enhance the flavor of mustard greens, while potassium helps reduce bitterness.

During the seedling stage, sufficient soil and compound fertilizers need to be applied to the seedbed, specifically 2,000 kg of soil and compound fertilizers and 50 kg of compound fertilizer per mu. The area ratio of the seedbed to the transplanting site should be 1:7. The soil needs to be deeply plowed and finely harrowed, and then arranged into 1.2-meter-wide ridges. The length of the ridge is determined according to the transplanting area.

In the Huanghuai region, mustard is usually sown in early August. The sowing time should not be too early or too late to avoid hollowing or affecting yield. Mustard seeds are small and are usually broadcasted. After sowing, the soil should be kept moist to promote germination. After germination, the first thinning is carried out when the seedlings show true leaves, and the seedlings are fixed when they have 3 true leaves. During this stage, keep the soil moderately moist to promote healthy growth of the seedlings. About 20 to 25 days later, when the seedlings reach 5 true leaves, they can be transplanted.

During the transplanting and field management stage, the first thing to do is to prepare the transplanting land and apply fertilizer. Apply 2 cubic meters of organic fertilizer and soil fertilizer, 40 kilograms of cake fertilizer, and 40 to 50 kilograms of three-element compound fertilizer per mu, and deep plowing and ridge formation. The ridge spacing is controlled at 55 to 60 centimeters. When transplanting, the plant spacing should be maintained at 25 to 30 cm, and the planting density per acre is about 4,000 plants. Water should be brought along during the transplanting process. After transplanting, you can water the seedlings once to help them grow, depending on the weather conditions. After the seedling growth period, the soil should be loosened and tilled to promote the growth of new roots, and 10 kg of urea should be applied after 7 to 10 days to promote the growth of seedlings. When the rhizomes begin to swell, apply 15 to 20 kg of compound fertilizer to promote rapid expansion and improve quality. Water the plant in time after fertilizing, and do not fertilize again afterwards. During the entire growth period, pay attention to adding soil 2 to 3 times to promote rhizome expansion, and always keep the soil moderately moist, generally watering once every 3 to 5 days until harvest.

The above is an introduction to the planting time of mustard greens. You can choose the appropriate variety according to local climatic conditions. In fact, mustard greens planting is very simple as long as you master the method.