Black Mustard Seeds

Minimum Seeds per Packet: 450

Packet Weight: 2.5g

Planting Season: All

Planting Method: Direct Seed or Transplant

Seed Depth: 1/4"

Direct Seed Spacing: 1"

Soil Temperature: 60-85 ℉

Days to Sprout: 3-12

Mature Spacing: 4-8"

Sun Requirement: Full/Part

Frost Tolerance: Moderately Tolerant

Days to Harvest: 20-40

Production Cycle: Annual

When to Seed Black Mustard

For a spring or early summer harvest, start your mustard seeds indoors four to six weeks before your last frost date, transplanting the seedlings about three weeks before your last frost date. For a fall harvest, sow your seeds in late July or early August. Mustard can also be direct seeded into the garden. Certain frost protectant measures can be used to extend your growing season by several weeks for your fall harvest. This may be necessary if the seed pods haven’t dried in time for harvest before the frost. 

Where to Plant Black Mustard

Mustard seeds will prefer a spot with full sun but can tolerate some shade. It will need well-draining, rich soil with a pH between five and seven. To increase the fertility of your soil ahead of planting, mix in two to four inches of compost and add additional high-nitrogen fertilizer if necessary.

Growing Black Mustard

When transplanting, ideally your seedlings will be three inches in height. Plant your seedlings out four to eight inches apart. You can also direct seed your mustard seeds. Plant seeds ¼ inch deep and one inch apart, thinning to their mature planting distance. Applying mulch after transplanting (or germination if direct seeding) can help keep weeds in check and hold in moisture. Ensure your seedlings get at least one to two inches of water per week. 

Harvesting Black Mustard

Black mustard is typically grown for the seeds which are used to make mustard. The seed pods grow on spikes like other Brassicas. They start green but will then turn yellow and brown. Once they are brown, they are fully dry. It is ideal to let the pods fully dry on the plant. Once you harvest the spike, remove the pods from the spike and place them in a colander with a bowl underneath. Use your hands to crush the pods in the colander. This will release the seeds, which will fall through the holes in the colander into the bowl below! You may have to remove some chaff, but this technique will largely do the work for you.