Mustard Seeds - Chirimen Hakarashi - Heirloom

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How to Grow Chirimen Hakarashi Mustard

This is a hardy, frost-tolerant variety of mustard. It’s best planted in the early spring for a late-spring to early-summer harvest or in early summer for a fall harvest. For direct garden planting in the spring, start about three weeks before the last frost. For a fall harvest, plant with enough time to harvest before a hard freeze. It’s okay to plant a new row every 2 weeks to allow for a continuous harvest. Space rows about 12 inches apart. Plant the seeds 0.5 inches deep and 1 inch apart. Thin them to 6 inches apart once sprouted. The soil should be fertile and well-draining. These plants should be kept well-watered, with about 2 inches of water per week. Dry soil will not produce the best greens.

Harvesting Chirimen Hakarashi Mustard

For the full-sized spicier greens, allow them to reach their full height of 10 inches (at about 55 days). Cut the stems a few inches above the base of the plant to allow new growth. The next growth will be ready to harvest a few weeks later. If the weather turns hot, the plant will bolt. This will make the greens bitter, so harvest completely before they bolt.

For baby greens, start harvesting at 3 inches tall, 3-4 weeks after sprouting. Individual leaves can be trimmed off and collected, or the entire plant can be cut at the base after about 4 weeks. This option is ideal for milder greens. Flowers can also be harvested, or the seeds can be saved for drying.

Culinary Tips

Chirimen Hakarashi Mustard is a tasty and spicy mustard green. Baby leaf greens are milder and are perfect for salads and sandwiches. Mature greens are often pickled, used in stir-fries, or steamed as a side dish with some added spices. Once the plant flowers, the fully ripened seeds can be saved, dried, and ground to make mustard or a delicious mustard sauce.

Tips From Our Gardeners

"When growing many types of mustard, I have found pests sometimes to become a problem. I have had success using floating row covers when the temperatures are low. Row covers will increase the temperature in the garden bed. I was cautious the first time I used them because I was worried it would interfere with the sunlight, but it turns out that they let about 85% of the light through! It's a great way to protect against pests, including cabbage loopers, flea beetles, and aphids!"

- David Wiley, True Leaf Market Writer

Seeds Per Package:

• 3 g packet - Approximately 1,100 Seeds
• 1 oz - Approximately 10,000 Seeds
• 4 lb - Approximately 40,000 Seeds
• 1 lb - Approximately 160,000 Seeds

From Our Kitazawa Garden

These beautiful Chirimen Hakarashi Mustard greens were grown by our own Juliet Webb from Kitazawa Customer Service. At Kitazawa Seed Company, we love providing our customers with up-to-date photos of vegetables and herbs grown in our own home gardens.