Fall Planting Mustard Greens? - Page 2

AlittleSalt · September 15, 2016

After a very long day - The first mustard green sprouted today. To see it, gave me hope. Dam it feels good to be farmer with some ammo.

RKN, you've got another thing coming. I'm planting some cereal rye in late October - it likes to eat you.

This thread is dead anyway - why not make it entertaining?

AlittleSalt · September 15, 2016

Freeze-frame (9-15-16)

Rajun Gardener · September 15, 2016

They're alive!!!

Robert you could've just broadcast those in the bed and they would grow. It should take about 2 days for them to pop in this heat. They'll probably bolt faster if it's too warm.

AlittleSalt · September 15, 2016

I agree. The 10 day forecast for here is every day in the low to mid 90s. That's why they're inside where it's 74 degrees.

Rajun Gardener · September 15, 2016

I planted 2 raised beds with fall stuff on Sunday and the mustard greens & radish started sprouting on Tuesday, I also have been having temps in the 90's. The beets came up today.

Worth1 · September 15, 2016

I think day length plays a part too with bolting?

MarianneW · September 15, 2016

Mine don't bolt when I plant them now. I'm lucky if it is under 100 out. So, I bet day length may play into it, as does plant size.

My greens are busy growing. I'm looking forward to my first arugula salad of the season! Beets are growing too, so is the portugese cabbage. My chickenwire over the area is keeping the birds from digging it all up, for once.

oakley · September 16, 2016

A bit of a different perspective on the fall hearty green cover crop....being in the North.
I broadcasted a mixed bag of greens, kales and chards and beet and broccoli and arugula (from my micro mixes i grow all winter indoors)...in my salad beds that are 3.5x
10 ft, maybe 12. Thick like grass seed. And about three weeks ago when the temps were
85-90, night-time 55-60. Shade frames cover and lots of water.

I'll plant some more this weekend when i pull the basil bed and the cilantro bed that i let bolt for seed. The bean bed is done so it might get some of that as well. I use it as a cover crop but will start harvesting bags of greens for salads this weekend being about 8-10 inches in the first beds planted...with scissors so they keep producing for a while.

I have Rye for the tomato beds but they are still producing and might for a while as last year i was still picking fruit into October. The salad greens will just grow a thick carpet and i pick until the holidays, with scissors for baby green salads until it snows.

I 5-second blanch the mixed greens, then pack in 1/2 pint containers with homemade chicken stock for the freezer and pull out later to add to soups all winter.

In the early Spring i double dig, no till, al that good thickly planted carpet of greens and shallow roots.

I could be so off the wall but i do believe thickly planting for health of soil and using as a cover crop is more effective directly seeded and thick like grass seed.

Today was the first cool day in NYC since June so we shall see how my plan goes.
Every year is a bit different as we all know.
15 yrs ago we had a hard frost the end of August in the Catskills...the last few years it has been frost free well into October.

Love my greens and does double duty as a cover crop. Another bonus is many come up in the spring for early greens. Even transplant fine into the kale bed.

I did buy about ten packets of sale mustard greens seeds for 25cents to add to the mix.

AlittleSalt · September 16, 2016

I'll be planting this weekend - except the ones growing inside.

I don't understand how they can grow in 96F heat, but I guess I'll try it.

Rajun Gardener · September 16, 2016

Plant'em they'll grow. I'm surprised MarianneW is growing them in 100 degree temps. I thought I was risking it some with temps in the 90's.

b54red · September 17, 2016

The biggest problem with planting mustard too early is pests eating them or getting sucked dry by whiteflies which can really do a number on young greens. Another problem is keeping them watered. It takes daily watering until they get a little size on them. I find mustard greens to be one of the easiest crops to grow in the fall so no need to transplant. However I have found that rutabagas do much better if transplanted and spaced at least a foot apart and mulched. Done this way they will get huge with large tops that make the most delicious cooked greens. Don't let the big tough looking leaves on large rutabagas fool you because they cook down tender as fast as just about any green and the flavor is wonderful. I prefer the greens to the roots but I like to mix them both in the same pot. That reminds me I haven't even started any rutabagas for the fall yet.

Bill

September 15, 2016	#16
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	After a very long day - The first mustard green sprouted today. To see it, gave me hope. Dam it feels good to be farmer with some ammo. RKN, you've got another thing coming. I'm planting some cereal rye in late October - it likes to eat you. This thread is dead anyway - why not make it entertaining?

September 15, 2016	#18
Rajun Gardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Tomato Cornhole Posts: 2,550	They're alive!!! Robert you could've just broadcast those in the bed and they would grow. It should take about 2 days for them to pop in this heat. They'll probably bolt faster if it's too warm.

September 15, 2016	#21
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	I think day length plays a part too with bolting?

September 15, 2016	#22
MarianneW Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2016 Location: Arizona Posts: 153	Mine don't bolt when I plant them now. I'm lucky if it is under 100 out. So, I bet day length may play into it, as does plant size. My greens are busy growing. I'm looking forward to my first arugula salad of the season! Beets are growing too, so is the portugese cabbage. My chickenwire over the area is keeping the birds from digging it all up, for once.

September 16, 2016	#23
oakley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: NewYork 5a Posts: 2,303	A bit of a different perspective on the fall hearty green cover crop....being in the North. I broadcasted a mixed bag of greens, kales and chards and beet and broccoli and arugula (from my micro mixes i grow all winter indoors)...in my salad beds that are 3.5x 10 ft, maybe 12. Thick like grass seed. And about three weeks ago when the temps were 85-90, night-time 55-60. Shade frames cover and lots of water. I'll plant some more this weekend when i pull the basil bed and the cilantro bed that i let bolt for seed. The bean bed is done so it might get some of that as well. I use it as a cover crop but will start harvesting bags of greens for salads this weekend being about 8-10 inches in the first beds planted...with scissors so they keep producing for a while. I have Rye for the tomato beds but they are still producing and might for a while as last year i was still picking fruit into October. The salad greens will just grow a thick carpet and i pick until the holidays, with scissors for baby green salads until it snows. I 5-second blanch the mixed greens, then pack in 1/2 pint containers with homemade chicken stock for the freezer and pull out later to add to soups all winter. In the early Spring i double dig, no till, al that good thickly planted carpet of greens and shallow roots. I could be so off the wall but i do believe thickly planting for health of soil and using as a cover crop is more effective directly seeded and thick like grass seed. Today was the first cool day in NYC since June so we shall see how my plan goes. Every year is a bit different as we all know. 15 yrs ago we had a hard frost the end of August in the Catskills...the last few years it has been frost free well into October. Love my greens and does double duty as a cover crop. Another bonus is many come up in the spring for early greens. Even transplant fine into the kale bed. I did buy about ten packets of sale mustard greens seeds for 25cents to add to the mix.

September 17, 2016	#26
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	The biggest problem with planting mustard too early is pests eating them or getting sucked dry by whiteflies which can really do a number on young greens. Another problem is keeping them watered. It takes daily watering until they get a little size on them. I find mustard greens to be one of the easiest crops to grow in the fall so no need to transplant. However I have found that rutabagas do much better if transplanted and spaced at least a foot apart and mulched. Done this way they will get huge with large tops that make the most delicious cooked greens. Don't let the big tough looking leaves on large rutabagas fool you because they cook down tender as fast as just about any green and the flavor is wonderful. I prefer the greens to the roots but I like to mix them both in the same pot. That reminds me I haven't even started any rutabagas for the fall yet. Bill