Mizuna looks like lettuce, it is very similar to arugula, but it’s actually a type of cabbage. A crunchy texture and peppery taste are what make it much sought after.
Main Mizuna facts
Name – Brassica rapa japonica
Family – Brassicaceae
Type – leaf vegetable
Exposure – full sun
Soil – well drained, rather rich
Height – 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm)
Harvest – spring, summer, fall, winter
Sowing, planting mizuna
Sowing mizuna cabbage
Mizuna cabbage is sown from spring until the beginning of winter.
- In loose soil, sow directly in the vegetable patch from June to August.
- From November on, sow under cover, such as a tunnel greenhouse or an unheated greenhouse.
- Dig furrows about ½ inch (1 cm) deep running parallel at a distance of 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30 cm) from each other.
- Protect the seedlings with agricultural shade cloth during heat waves.
- Keep the soil a bit moist.
When the first leaves appear, thin and keep the most vigorous seedlings, about one every 8Â inches (20Â cm).
If you purchase seedlings that are ready to plant, it is possible to plant them all summer long, even until the beginning of winter, but you must protect the plants from from freezing.
It isn’t necessary to bury the root crown completely.
Note that mizuna is perfectly suited to growing in pots.
Slugs will be a bane for your mizuna greens during their entire life cycle.
Caring for mizuna
Easy to care for, mizuna cabbage is mostly only vulnerable to early bolting, which would keep the head from shaping up well.
- Mizuna roots run along rather shallow in the ground, which means that the soil must be kept consistently moist to avoid drying out the plants.
- Water regularly but in a light drizzle to keep the substrate sufficiently moist.
Pests and diseases on Mizuna
Stay on the lookout for a dainty white butterfly. Its caterpillars would ruin your harvest.
Harvesting mizuna
Mizuna needs more or less 3Â weeks lead time before harvest.
- Its young leaves are perfect in mixed salad, mesclun-style, or as an edible decoration to a main dish.
- Slice leaves off at their base with a very sharp blade.
Harvesting in winter is perfectly possible.
- Sow from October to December with protective cover.
- Spread mulch such as dried leaves around your mizuna cabbages to protect them from frost.
Mizuna contains vitamins A and CÂ and calcium, too. Leek can be eaten both raw and cooked.
Smart tip about mizuna or Japanese greens
As you till, provide your soil with nutrients (fertilizer, compost) to boost growth and enhance your harvest!
- Find all our advice and tips on growing cauliflower
- Advice and tips on growing Brussels sprouts
- All our advice and tips on growing broccoli
- Find out how to grow Chinese cabbage
CC BY 2.0: Joi Ito
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