Cool-season produce

Mustard greens

Brassica juncea

Also known as Leaf mustard · Mizuna

Peppery leaves grow quickly. Mizuna is a leaf mustard type; harvest young before spring heat intensifies the bite.

EdibleCool-season crop

Growing spaceVegetable bed

Climate fitUrban core · USDA 9b–10a · Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b · Desert outskirts · USDA 8b–9b

Crop familyBrassicaceae (mustard)

Life cycleAnnual crop

Phoenix planting windowSeptember–February.

How to plantDirect sow seed.

Plant spacing6–12 in; closer for baby leaves

FrostTolerates light frost once established; cover during a hard freeze.

Time to harvestAbout 35–45 days

SuccessionSow every 2–3 weeks.

Special categoriesEDIBLE

Typical harvestCut young leaves through the cool season.

Right plant, right place

Will Mustard greens grow at your Arizona property?

Peppery leaves grow quickly. Mizuna is a leaf mustard type; harvest young before spring heat intensifies the bite.

Best regional fit: Urban core · USDA 9b–10a, Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b, Desert outskirts · USDA 8b–9b.

Light

Full winter sun; give leafy crops afternoon protection during warm fall and spring weather.

Water

Keep the vegetable root zone evenly moist with regular irrigation; adjust to rain, soil, and temperature rather than using a fixed summer schedule.

Planting & stewardship

1
Prepare a fertile, well-drained bed and keep seed or transplants evenly moist through establishment.
2
Thin to the final spacing; crowding reduces harvest quality.
3
Watch for aphids and caterpillars and protect sensitive growth from a hard freeze.
4
Harvest before sustained spring heat causes bolting or poor quality.

Read the growing reference ↗ Planting dates can shift with cultivar, weather, and your yard’s microclimate.