Mustard, Red Giant - 1,000 Seed Count

Bold Color and Robust Flavor

The Red Giant Mustard is known for its large, deep purple leaves, making it a beautiful addition to any garden and bringing a unique flavor to your kitchen. The younger, tender leaves taste milder, perfect for fresh salads or garnishing dishes. As the leaves mature, their flavor intensifies, offering a spicier, mustard-like bite that becomes even more pronounced in hot weather.

Key Features:

• Height: Grows up to 90 cm (3 feet) in height.
• Color: Striking rich purple leaves adds color to your garden and dishes.
• Flavor: Intensifies with maturity and hot weather, offering a spicy, mustard-like flavor.
• Cold-Enhanced Flavor: The flavor becomes sweeter and less intense after exposure to cool weather and frost.

Growing Instructions

Growing Red Giant Mustard is easy and rewarding, suitable for both beginners and experienced gardeners. This variety prefers cool weather and can be planted in early spring or late summer for a fall harvest. It's important to time your savings to avoid the intense heat of summer, as hot weather can cause the leaves to become more pungent.

Sow seeds every three weeks to ensure a steady supply of fresh mustard greens for a continuous harvest. In regions with mild winters, this mustard variety can be planted in late summer or early fall for a second harvest, as the cool weather enhances the flavor.

Planting and Care Instructions:

1. Location: Select a sunny location or a spot with partial shade, as mustard grows well in both light conditions.
2. Soil Preparation: Loosen the soil with a spade or fork, fertilize, and smooth with a rake. Ensure the soil is well-drained and nutrient-rich for optimal growth.
3. Planting Depth and Spacing: Sow seeds at a depth of 1/4-1/2 inch and space them 2 inches apart. Rows should be spaced 12-18 inches apart for adequate air circulation and growth.
4. Thinning: Once seedlings have reached a height of 2-3 inches, thin them to 4-8 inches apart to give each plant ample space to grow.
5. Watering: Keep the soil consistently moist, especially during dry spells, to encourage tender, flavorful leaves.

Harvesting and Maintenance

Red Giant Mustard can be harvested as baby greens or left to mature fully for a more intense flavor. For the best-tasting greens, pick individual leaves when they are tender and young before the onset of hot weather. Mature leaves have a more robust flavor but may be too intense for some tastes. 

Like most leafy greens, cool weather and light frost will sweeten the flavor, making late-season crops particularly tasty.

Harvesting Tips:

• Tender Leaves: Harvest individual leaves when young and tender for a mild flavor.
• Mature Leaves: Leave plants to mature fully for a more robust, spicy flavor.
• Before Hot Weather: Ensure the plants are harvested before the onset of hot weather to avoid overly spicy leaves.
• Cool Weather Crops: Plant in late summer or early fall for a crop that benefits from excellent weather, enhancing the leaves' sweetness.

Fertilization and Care:

• Feeding: Fertilize every 4-6 weeks with a balanced vegetable fertilizer to promote healthy growth.
• Weed Control: Keep the planting area weed-free to reduce competition for nutrients and water.
• Watering: Maintain consistent moisture levels in the soil to prevent stress and ensure tender leaves.

Ideal for Salads and Cooking

The Red Giant Mustard is a versatile leafy green used in various culinary applications. Its young leaves are tender and mild, perfect for fresh salads or as a garnish. 

With their spicier flavor, the mature leaves can be used in stir-fries, sautés, or soups to add a bold, mustardy kick. In Asian cuisine, mustard greens are often pickled or braised, making this variety an excellent addition to your vegetable garden.

Culinary Uses:

• Salads: Use young, tender leaves for fresh salads with a hint of spice.
• Stir-Fries and Sautés: Add mature leaves to stir-fries or sautés for a robust, mustardy flavor.
• Soups and Stews: Incorporate into soups and stews for added depth and spice.
• Pickling and Braising: Popular in Asian cuisine for pickling and braising due to its bold flavor.

Final Thoughts

The Red Giant Mustard is an excellent addition to any garden, offering visual appeal and a unique flavor profile. With its large, deep purple leaves and spicy taste, it's a versatile vegetable that can be enjoyed in salads, stir-fries, soups, and more. 

Easy to grow and maintain, this cool-season crop thrives in both spring and fall, and its flavor is further enhanced by cold weather. Following the proper planting and care instructions, you can enjoy a bountiful harvest of Red Giant Mustard throughout the growing season, bringing vibrant color and bold flavor to your table.