How to Grow Mustard: A Detailed Guide to Cultivating the Partner of Japanese Cuisine

Mustard is the best partner of Japanese cuisine. Many people like eating mustard, while many others cannot get used to its taste, and mustard has many benefits for the human body. So, what cultivation methods are there for mustard?

1. Choosing and preparing the land

Mustard is generally grown in areas with higher altitude, so the planting site is best chosen on mountain land with a certain slope. Next, woodland or shrubland can be used for cultivation, because the growth of mustard has certain requirements for light: it likes light but cannot tolerate direct sunlight, so woodland is the very best choice for growing mustard. Then choose sandy soil with plenty of rainfall and woodland with strong surface water retention for planting. When preparing the land, plow the soil deeply, at least about 35 cm, remove the weeds in the field, and then open furrows and make ridges at a spacing of 1 m, which helps with drainage. Then spread a sufficient amount of base fertilizer and wait for sowing.

2. Sowing at the right time

In China, mustard can generally be grown in two seasons, namely in March and April in spring and in September and October in autumn. At these times, the temperature, light and rainfall all better match the growth needs of mustard, and the mustard planted then is easier to manage, while its yield and quality are also much higher than at other times. There are two planting methods, namely direct sowing and transplanting. Direct sowing is mainly done in rows at a spacing of 20 cm per row and 15 cm per plant, then covering the seed with soil and waiting for seedlings to emerge. Transplanting, however, requires first raising mustard seedlings, and when the seedlings are about 15 cm tall they can be transplanted.

3. Field management

For mustard, the most important parts of field management are water management and fertilizer management, followed by weeding and removing flower stalks. After planting, one watering is needed. Usually, if there is no rainfall for a week after planting, a second watering is needed. When the seedlings grow back to 15 cm after planting, carry out the first fertilization, mainly with nitrogen fertilizer and potassium fertilizer, about 50 jin per mu. When the mustard grows to about 25 cm, carry out the second fertilization. This time the amount used should be relatively sufficient, about 100 jin per mu, and part of the mustard leaves should be harvested. Finally, when the mustard has grown to a certain extent, use an appropriate amount of compound fertilizer for supplementary feeding, and after another ten days to half a month or so it can be harvested. Each fertilization needs to be done together with intertillage, which can enhance the plant's resistance and also help the full absorption of nutrients.

4. Pest and disease control

The most common diseases of mustard are mainly downy mildew and white rust. These two diseases mainly harm the stems and leaves of mustard and have a considerable impact on the yield and quality of mustard. Of course, for these diseases we mainly focus on prevention, but after they occur, zineb wettable powder plus 800-fold liquid of new high-fat membrane, and chlorothalonil wettable powder can be used respectively for control.

The above are the mustard cultivation methods summarized by the editor. I hope they can help you!