Florida Broadleaf Mustard

Growing Instructions

Mustard greens are cool-season crops that can handle a bit of heat, and Florida Broadleaf is no exception. It can be planted in early spring or late summer for fall harvests. In mild winter areas like Florida, it can even be grown through winter. Sow seeds directly about 1/4" deep in well-prepared soil with full to partial sun (4-8 hours a day). These seeds germinate quickly, often within a week. For baby greens, you can sow densely (every 1"-2") in bands or rows and start harvesting when leaves reach 3"-4" tall. For larger leaves, give the plants more space by thinning seedlings to about 6"-8" apart and rows 12"-18" apart. Keep the soil evenly moist to encourage tender growth. If you succession plant by sowing a new batch every 2-3 weeks, you can ensure a fairly continuous supply of greens.

Harvest, Storage, and Use

You can begin harvesting Florida Broadleaf Mustard as soon as 3 weeks after germination if you want baby greens. Simply snip the larger outer leaves with scissors, and the plant will keep producing new ones from the center. To harvest the whole plant, wait until about 6-7 weeks when the plant has formed a rosette of broad leaves 8"-12" long and cut the whole plant at the base. Because it’s a cut and come again variety, many gardeners take a few leaves from each plant at a time, allowing the rest to continue growing. Store fresh harvested leaves in the fridge wrapped in a damp paper towel where they will stay crisp for about a week, or leaves can be blanched and frozen for later use.

The flavor is sharp and mustardy, with younger leaves being milder and older leaves having that horseradish-like spice. Young tender leaves can be mixed into salads to add a peppery bite. The full-size greens are best cooked either simmering or braising them with a bit of smoked meat to mellow the spice and add savory depth.