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Mustards Ultracross Cover Mix
  • Mustards Ultracross Cover Mix
  • Mustards Ultracross Cover Mix
  • Mustards Ultracross Cover Mix
  • Mustards Ultracross Cover Mix
  • Mustards Ultracross Cover Mix
  • Mustards Ultracross Cover Mix
  • Mustards Ultracross Cover Mix
  • Mustards Ultracross Cover Mix
  • Mustards Ultracross Cover Mix
  • Mustards Ultracross Cover Mix
  • Mustards Ultracross Cover Mix
  • Mustards Ultracross Cover Mix
Mustards Ultracross Cover Mix

Brassica species mix - juncea and rapa
$4.50
Description

This is a colorful and textured mix up of many varieties that were left to go to seed during a mustard variety trial at The University of Florida's Field and Fork campus farm. There are purples and greens, frilly, smooth, and fuzzy ones....expect a delightful mix! Some are great for eating, some are mild, and some really spicy. A few have excessive hairs that make them unpleasant for eating.

Mustards are a great option for a winter cover crop to help remedy an area that had root knot nematode infestations. We like to use mustards for this purpose in fall/winter beds that we're not planting in. Chop them down before the spring beetles show up and start munching on them, and just before or during flowering. They produce a good amount of leafy greens to add organic matter to the soil. If you incorporate them into the soil, wait at least a few weeks to plant anything, to allow the biofumigant properties to dissipate so they won't impact your next crop. Chopping/mowing them up finely is a good option, or placing a tarp overtop of cut down plants so they can rot in place. 
Product details
  • 300 seeds
  • 30-45 days to harvest
  • Seeds grown at University of Florida's Field and Fork campus farm in Gainesville, Florida
How to grow

Mustards do best in cooler weather, although they can often ride out the warm spells we often get during Florida winters, and will last into the early spring. In North Florida, you can plant them anytime from August through February. 

Direct sow or transplant seedlings ¼ inch deep or less, with plants spaced about 10–18 inches apart. Closer planting is ok if you are using this as a cover crop.

Although very easy to grow, they are generally heavy feeders and will grow best in fertile, healthy soil. Add compost or other organic fertilizers as needed, keep the soil covered with a thick layer of leafy mulch, and water regularly during extended dry periods. You can go easier on this if they are growing as a cover crop.

How to save seeds

Mustards are very easy to save seed from, but there’s a catch: they take a long time to mature for seed—up to 7 months! This is much longer than the quick harvest time we’re used to with their leafy greens. During this long growing period, plants still need regular care and can become more susceptible to insects and disease. They will  become very tall and heavy with seed pods, so staking may be necessary to keep plants upright and prevent them from flopping over.

Brassicas are highly out-crossing, meaning they naturally prefer to cross-pollinate with other plants rather than pollinating themselves. Having many plants flowering at the same time helps maintain good genetic diversity. While you can save seed from just a few plants for a season or two, consistently saving seed from a small population can lead to inbreeding and reduced genetic diversity over time, which can affect the health and resilience of your crop.

Brassicas within the same species can cross-pollinate if they are flowering at the same time. Brassica juncea, to which mustards belong is a diverse group of vegetables and if you are growing more than one type and they flower at the same time, they will most certainly cross. This is only a concern if you are attempting to preserve a specific variety.

After flowering and pollination, small green seed pods will form and gradually swell, dry, and turn brown. Ideally, let the pods mature and dry on the plant for as long as possible, provided they aren’t getting excessively rained on or developing mold. If wet weather threatens your seed crop, harvest earlier by cutting the seed-bearing stems, or the entire plant, and bring them indoors to finish maturing and drying.

For long-term seed saving, we recommend having at least 20 plants flowering when you collect seed. More is even better! When growing specifically for seed, we often grow 80–200+ plants to maintain a broad and healthy gene pool.

If growing that many plants isn't practical for your garden, don't worry! You can simply let a few plants flower and provide a valuable food source for bees and other pollinators, then cut them back once they're finished flowering.

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