Fall Planting Mustard Greens?

AlittleSalt · August 22, 2016

I want to plant a lot of mustard greens this fall to help combat a RKN invasion. I looked at this site https://bonnieplants.com/growing/gro...ustard-greens/ it says to plant transplants out 4-6 weeks before first frost.

I don't have the money to buy a lot of transplants, but I do have a lot of mustard green seeds. We have 4 packs of Florida Broad Leaf and 5 packs of Southern Giant Curled. I'm guessing I should start them 8 or more weeks before first frost. Our average first frost is around November 20. There are usually hard freezes in winter here, but who knows this year. Here it is August and we are going into the second week of high temps in the 80s - that's just unheard of around here. High temps are usually in the 100s in August.

I'm new to planting greens in a fall garden, so I'm asking for helpful knowledge from you all who may be more familiar with fall and/or overwinter planting.

Worth1 · August 22, 2016

Salt I was waiting for someone better than me to say when.
But I would say in October would be when you need to sow the seeds.
No need to buy sets as you said.

If you have never had the curly leaf greens they are to die for.
Very hot in a salad.

Worth

4season · August 22, 2016

When I had RKN in the carrot patch about 4 or 5 years back I used chicken litter, marigolds, and chitosan. One or all worked. At the New Mexico Organic Conference a couple years back I think tilling green mustard plants in was mentioned as a fumigation method.

AlittleSalt · August 22, 2016

4season, That is what I've read about it too, and is why I bought so many packs of seed. They'll be planted in our raised beds. We're going to plant Elbon cereal rye in in our main garden to till in as well.

Worth, I was thinking the same. Also, I need to factor in however the weather turns out. I'm hoping it stays cooler than average. Last year in early October, the soil temperature was still around 90, but it was a hot late summer here.

meandtk · August 23, 2016

It depends on whether you wish to harvest some of the mustards or not.
If only for a green manure and astringent for the soil, plant from Sept 15-Oct 15.
Here our first frost is early Nov. some people plant mustards in August. They are very hardy to heat and cold. The real problem is insect pressure on those planted in Aug- early Sept heat.

meandtk · August 23, 2016

Boil the tender leaves with some pork fat in the mix.
Fix a pone of cornbread.
Eat
Smile happily while thinking of next year's maters benefiting as well as you.

Hellmanns · August 23, 2016

I'm going to sow my mustard today. Curled is the only mustard in my book! I just lightly sow the seed over freshly worked soil, nature does the rest.

AlittleSalt · August 23, 2016

We haven't eaten any greens we don't like so far, but mustard is one of our favorites. Last spring when it rained almost every day, mustard greens grew very well. They didn't have a lot of taste though - it was just too wet.

I like to cook them with bacon, ham, or salt pork. You have to eat them with cornbread, and a fried pork chop fits in well too.

Worth1 · August 23, 2016

Eat them raw too even on a sandwich.
Worth

AlittleSalt · August 23, 2016

Yes, raw and in a salad too. We like using greens instead of iceberg lettuce in salads.

My Foot Smells · August 23, 2016

pone
pōn/
noun US

noun: pone; noun: pone bread; noun: corn pone; noun: cornpone

unleavened cornbread in the form of flat oval cakes or loaves, originally as prepared with water by North American Indians and cooked in hot ashes.

(did not know what a pone was, so googled and shared)

As for the Q, it depends and my opinion is simply that, an opinion. If you are planning on doing a broadcast than probably best to wait a little while, esp. if you plan just to turn it into the soil (preferably before a light rain shower and extended overcast). I think the "transplants" make for a better crop, but with all those seeds, you could make your own transplants inside in a climate controlled environment underneath a light now and plant in the fall. (or outside in a cool shady area (indirect light should be sufficient in Tx))

I've seen ppl take such seeds and put in a freshly wetted with warm water quart mason jar, cover the mouth with breathable fabric, and cover the jar with cloth for germinating large amount. (The seeds stick to the wet jar, and removed before any prolific growth (otherwise get tangled easy))

But I really did not come here to give opinion on growing mustards or greens (don't feel qualified), just wanted to share my new found knowledge of the word pone. GL

Worth1 · August 23, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by My Foot Smells

pone
pōn/
noun US

noun: pone; noun: pone bread; noun: corn pone; noun: cornpone

unleavened cornbread in the form of flat oval cakes or loaves, originally as prepared with water by North American Indians and cooked in hot ashes.

(did not know what a pone was, so googled and shared)

As for the Q, it depends and my opinion is simply that, an opinion. If you are planning on doing a broadcast than probably best to wait a little while, esp. if you plan just to turn it into the soil (preferably before a light rain shower and extended overcast). I think the "transplants" make for a better crop, but with all those seeds, you could make your own transplants inside in a climate controlled environment underneath a light now and plant in the fall. (or outside in a cool shady area (indirect light should be sufficient in Tx))

I've seen ppl take such seeds and put in a freshly wetted with warm water quart mason jar, cover the mouth with breathable fabric, and cover the jar with cloth for germinating large amount. (The seeds stick to the wet jar, and removed before any prolific growth (otherwise get tangled easy))

But I really did not come here to give opinion on growing mustards or greens (don't feel qualified), just wanted to share my new found knowledge of the word pone. GL

All this stuff spelled pellagra for the poor folks that had to eat it everyday and not much else.
This is why I discovered a way to make it with Masa herina to get the niacin.

Worth

b54red · August 28, 2016

I usually just wait til the nights get in the low 60s and the days no more than mid 80s and broadcast. Make sure you don't put them out too heavily or thickly or you will need to thin them which is a pain you know where. It is important to water them lightly once or twice a day making sure not to have water puddle or the seeds can move and form clumps or get buried too deep in the fresh soil. As soon as the seeds germinate well you can let up on the watering. The trouble with planting them when it is too hot is the tiny sprouts can bake if not kept moist and the insects can have a field day with them.

I too prefer the curly leaf mustard for its flavor but it is slower to grow so I always plant both slick and curly leaf so I can start eating them sooner. They will survive most winter freezes down here but the slick leaf mustard are more prone to freezing but will frequently come back even after a hard freeze. Last winter was so mild I had to just pull them all up in the spring cause they were just too old and tough to eat. Besides by then I wanted something else to eat.

Bill

Bill

Worth1 · August 28, 2016

My summer in ground dormant onions have started to sprout again.
This is a sign that fall is right around the corner.
Worth

AlittleSalt · September 12, 2016

I decided today is the time to start some seeds for transplants. There are so many seeds that I can start some today (9-12-16) and plant some by seed in October as well. I have three 72 cell trays to start for transplants. Because of the comments on the curly leaf variety tasting so good, I'll plant two flats of it and only one flat of the broad leaf variety. I'm thinking that getting a month's head start should give us some to eat. I should mention that these cell trays will be inside with lighting (Like you start tomatoes and peppers.)

After the past couple months of solarization of the main garden - coupled with finding RKN in the raised beds too - I'm itching to plant something. I did get the black eyed peas turned under in the onion bed - I did that yesterday. I've read to turn in green manure a month before planting. I'm also thinking of tossing in some 10-10-10 fertilizer. Why? Because that's what I have a surplus of. Next year, I'll buy some high N fertilizer for greens.

August 22, 2016	#1
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	Fall Planting Mustard Greens? I want to plant a lot of mustard greens this fall to help combat a RKN invasion. I looked at this site https://bonnieplants.com/growing/gro...ustard-greens/ it says to plant transplants out 4-6 weeks before first frost. I don't have the money to buy a lot of transplants, but I do have a lot of mustard green seeds. We have 4 packs of Florida Broad Leaf and 5 packs of Southern Giant Curled. I'm guessing I should start them 8 or more weeks before first frost. Our average first frost is around November 20. There are usually hard freezes in winter here, but who knows this year. Here it is August and we are going into the second week of high temps in the 80s - that's just unheard of around here. High temps are usually in the 100s in August. I'm new to planting greens in a fall garden, so I'm asking for helpful knowledge from you all who may be more familiar with fall and/or overwinter planting.

August 23, 2016	#11
My Foot Smells Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Pulaski County, Arkansas Posts: 1,239	pone pōn/ noun US noun: pone; noun: pone bread; noun: corn pone; noun: cornpone unleavened cornbread in the form of flat oval cakes or loaves, originally as prepared with water by North American Indians and cooked in hot ashes. (did not know what a pone was, so googled and shared) As for the Q, it depends and my opinion is simply that, an opinion. If you are planning on doing a broadcast than probably best to wait a little while, esp. if you plan just to turn it into the soil (preferably before a light rain shower and extended overcast). I think the "transplants" make for a better crop, but with all those seeds, you could make your own transplants inside in a climate controlled environment underneath a light now and plant in the fall. (or outside in a cool shady area (indirect light should be sufficient in Tx)) I've seen ppl take such seeds and put in a freshly wetted with warm water quart mason jar, cover the mouth with breathable fabric, and cover the jar with cloth for germinating large amount. (The seeds stick to the wet jar, and removed before any prolific growth (otherwise get tangled easy)) But I really did not come here to give opinion on growing mustards or greens (don't feel qualified), just wanted to share my new found knowledge of the word pone. GL Last edited by My Foot Smells; August 23, 2016 at 04:27 PM.

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August 22, 2016	#2
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Salt I was waiting for someone better than me to say when. But I would say in October would be when you need to sow the seeds. No need to buy sets as you said. If you have never had the curly leaf greens they are to die for. Very hot in a salad. Worth

August 22, 2016	#3
4season Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: albuquerque Posts: 308	When I had RKN in the carrot patch about 4 or 5 years back I used chicken litter, marigolds, and chitosan. One or all worked. At the New Mexico Organic Conference a couple years back I think tilling green mustard plants in was mentioned as a fumigation method.

August 23, 2016	#5
meandtk Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: South MS Posts: 47	It depends on whether you wish to harvest some of the mustards or not. If only for a green manure and astringent for the soil, plant from Sept 15-Oct 15. Here our first frost is early Nov. some people plant mustards in August. They are very hardy to heat and cold. The real problem is insect pressure on those planted in Aug- early Sept heat.

August 23, 2016	#7
Hellmanns Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: kentucky Posts: 1,116	I'm going to sow my mustard today. Curled is the only mustard in my book! I just lightly sow the seed over freshly worked soil, nature does the rest.

August 28, 2016	#13
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	I usually just wait til the nights get in the low 60s and the days no more than mid 80s and broadcast. Make sure you don't put them out too heavily or thickly or you will need to thin them which is a pain you know where. It is important to water them lightly once or twice a day making sure not to have water puddle or the seeds can move and form clumps or get buried too deep in the fresh soil. As soon as the seeds germinate well you can let up on the watering. The trouble with planting them when it is too hot is the tiny sprouts can bake if not kept moist and the insects can have a field day with them. I too prefer the curly leaf mustard for its flavor but it is slower to grow so I always plant both slick and curly leaf so I can start eating them sooner. They will survive most winter freezes down here but the slick leaf mustard are more prone to freezing but will frequently come back even after a hard freeze. Last winter was so mild I had to just pull them all up in the spring cause they were just too old and tough to eat. Besides by then I wanted something else to eat. Bill Bill

September 12, 2016	#15
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	I decided today is the time to start some seeds for transplants. There are so many seeds that I can start some today (9-12-16) and plant some by seed in October as well. I have three 72 cell trays to start for transplants. Because of the comments on the curly leaf variety tasting so good, I'll plant two flats of it and only one flat of the broad leaf variety. I'm thinking that getting a month's head start should give us some to eat. I should mention that these cell trays will be inside with lighting (Like you start tomatoes and peppers.) After the past couple months of solarization of the main garden - coupled with finding RKN in the raised beds too - I'm itching to plant something. I did get the black eyed peas turned under in the onion bed - I did that yesterday. I've read to turn in green manure a month before planting. I'm also thinking of tossing in some 10-10-10 fertilizer. Why? Because that's what I have a surplus of. Next year, I'll buy some high N fertilizer for greens.