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How to Grow Mustard Greens Canada | Care, Pests & Disease Control

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Mustard Greens (Brassica juncea)

A young mustard greens plant growing in grass — “Brassica juncea kz01” by Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons

10 sources cited · Verified

The short answer

Ready in
25–50 days
Site
6+ hours of sun, soil pH 6–6.5
Biggest risk
Brassica downy mildew

In the UK, mustard greens are ready to harvest 25–50 days after planting.

Mustard greens (Brassica juncea) — annual.

This crop carries an unusually heavy problem load: 3 diseases, 5 pests and 0 nutrient issues are documented for it, so most of the effort in growing it well goes into prevention.

Core growing advice on this page is checked against named horticultural and university-extension sources — see References.

Diseases

A botanical specimen of Brassica juncea var. juncea — “Brassica juncea var. juncea” by Dalgial is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Brassica juncea var. juncea” by Dalgial is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Brassica downy mildew

Hyaloperonospora brassicae (syn. Peronospora parasitica)

White blister

Albugo candida

Plasmodiophora brassicae

Pests

Mustard greens plant in flower with small yellow blooms — “Starr-150328-0559-Brassica juncea-flowers-Eastern Island-Midway Atoll (25175596511)” by Forest and Kim Starr is licensed under CC BY 3.0 us. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Starr-150328-0559-Brassica juncea-flowers-Eastern Island-Midway Atoll (25175596511)” by Forest and Kim Starr is licensed under CC BY 3.0 us. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Slugs

Gastropoda (slugs, various spp.)

Cabbage root fly (US: cabbage maggot)

Delia radicum

Cabbage caterpillars

Pieris brassicae; Pieris rapae; Pieris napi; Mamestra brassicae; Plutella xylostella

Flea beetles

Chrysomelidae: Alticini (various spp.)

Mealy cabbage aphid

Brevicoryne brassicae

Quick Facts

A bushy mustard greens plant with broad crinkled leaves — “Starr-150328-0812-Brassica juncea-habit-South Central Eastern Island-Midway Atoll (24973647990)” by Forest and Kim Starr is licensed under CC BY 3.0 us. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Starr-150328-0812-Brassica juncea-habit-South Central Eastern Island-Midway Atoll (24973647990)” by Forest and Kim Starr is licensed under CC BY 3.0 us. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Factor Value
Soil pH 6 - 6.5
Sunlight 6-6 hours direct sun
Optimal growing temp 15-28C
Minimum survivable temp 0C
Time to harvest 25-50 days
Drainage Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand; moist but well-drained
Lifecycle annual
Edible parts leaves, stems, flowers, developing seed pods

At a Glance

Close-up of crinkled mustard green leaves — “Starr-150403-1408-Brassica juncea-leaves-Southeast Eastern Island-Midway Atoll (24982012140)” by Forest and Kim Starr is licensed under CC BY 3.0 us. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Starr-150403-1408-Brassica juncea-leaves-Southeast Eastern Island-Midway Atoll (24982012140)” by Forest and Kim Starr is licensed under CC BY 3.0 us. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Brassica juncea Mustard Greens Brassica downy mildew White blister Club root Slugs Cabbage root fly (US: c… Cabbage caterpillars Flea beetles Mealy cabbage aphid DISEASES PESTS

Soil & Growing Conditions

A bushy mustard greens plant with broad crinkled leaves — “Starr-150328-0812-Brassica juncea-habit-South Central Eastern Island-Midway Atoll (24973647990)” by Forest and Kim Starr is licensed under CC BY 3.0 us. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Starr-150328-0812-Brassica juncea-habit-South Central Eastern Island-Midway Atoll (24973647990)” by Forest and Kim Starr is licensed under CC BY 3.0 us. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Soil pH range

6 6.5

Span reflects genuine variation between the cited authorities, not a single agreed figure.

Growth Stages

A young mustard greens plant growing in grass — “Brassica juncea kz01” by Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Brassica juncea kz01” by Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Stage BBCH Notes
Sowing and germination 0 Sow 0.5-1cm deep directly outdoors, or start in modules/seedtrays, from early spring to late summer (RHS, Johnny's Selected Seeds).
Seedling establishment 1 Thin to 20cm apart for full-sized plants, or leave closer (about 3cm) for a baby-leaf crop; transplant module-raised seedlings once they reach 5-6 leaves (RHS).
Leaf growth and baby-leaf harvest window 3 Baby leaves can be cut from as little as 21 days; keep well watered through summer to keep flavour from turning too fiery (RHS).
Full-size bunching maturity 5 Cut when greens reach full size, about 12-18in (30-45cm), typically around 45 days from sowing (Johnny's Selected Seeds).

Harvest & Storage

Close-up of crinkled mustard green leaves — “Starr-150403-1408-Brassica juncea-leaves-Southeast Eastern Island-Midway Atoll (24982012140)” by Forest and Kim Starr is licensed under CC BY 3.0 us. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Starr-150403-1408-Brassica juncea-leaves-Southeast Eastern Island-Midway Atoll (24982012140)” by Forest and Kim Starr is licensed under CC BY 3.0 us. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

When to pick: Cut-and-come-again leafy crop; mustards reach maturity between 25 and 50 days from sowing depending on cultivar

References

  1. country=USA

  2. country=INTL

  3. country=UK

  4. country=UK

  5. country=UK

  6. country=UK

  7. country=UK

  8. country=UK

  9. Directly fetched and verified (canonical URL differs from requested URL /biodiversity/slugs -> redirects to /biodiversity/slugs-and-snails). RHS explicitly advises against slug pellets (even organic) due to wildlife harm, and cites RHS's own controlled trial finding no damage reduction from physical barriers (copper tape, bark mulch, eggshell, grit, wool) -- while also noting some other studies have shown copper barriers to repel slugs, a preserved disagreement rather than a silently resolved one. Details Nemaslug (Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita) biological control including application temperature range and its lack of effect on snails specifically.

  10. country=USA

10 independent sources are cited for this crop. Where they disagree - soil pH is the clearest case - every figure is preserved rather than averaged into false precision.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do mustard greens take to grow?

Typically 25–50 days, depending on cultivar and growing conditions.

What soil pH do mustard greens need?

A pH of about 6–6.5. That span reflects genuine variation between the authorities we cite rather than a single agreed figure — the References section lists each source's exact range.

What problems affect mustard greens?

Our data links 3 diseases and 5 pests to this crop. See the sections above for each one and how to manage it.

Plan next season before the problems start

Short-season growing is arithmetic before it is technique: days to maturity against frost-free days decides what will finish at all. The Canada Garden Planner does that subtraction for your region before you sow.

Get the Canada Garden Planner →

Instant PDF download · Written for Canadian growing conditions

SoilCommander Editorial Team

Canadian vegetable growing guides · Checked against provincial agriculture & university extension guidance

Every SoilCommander guide is written and maintained by our editorial team for real Canadian growing conditions, and checked against provincial agriculture and Canadian university extension guidance, and against frost-date and growing-season data, before publication.

Vegetable Growing Guides Canada

Last verified 2026-08-30

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