Mizuna Green

Mizuna Green — variety description

Mizuna Green is an annual vegetable of the cabbage family (Brassicaceae). Mizuna has a distinctive flavour profile and is one of the most interesting vegetables around. Sharp, spicy and magnificent, a staple vegetable in many Asian countries.

A cross between rocket and mustard, mizuna also has a mild peppery flavour. The plants have feathery serrated edges and a glossy surface, which makes the greens great as an ornamental too.

The plant is most popular in Japan. With a special role in Japanese culture and history, mizuna is used in many Japanese dishes. You will often find the stalks pickled and served as an appetiser or with beer. The leaves are often eaten with rice.

Mizuna is also known as Japanese mustard greens, or shui cai (“water vegetable”). Thanks to its lush green colour and the chlorophyll that comes with it, mizuna is rich in vitamins A, C and K, as well as beta-carotene.

Mizuna and komatsuna are Japanese leafy vegetables with a mild, slightly peppery flavour — for salads, soups and stir-fries. They grow quickly and can be cut repeatedly.

Key features

• Measured germination rate of the batch: 95%
• Pack size: 1 g
• Seed origin: Italy
• Sowing: March and April and September and October; direct
• Harvest: June – October
• Position: sun to partial shade

When to sow Mizuna Green

Mizuna Green seeds are sown in March and April and September and October. Harvest in June – October. The months are a guide for a temperate climate — in warmer areas sow 1–2 weeks earlier, in cooler or upland areas, later.

How to sow and grow Mizuna Green

• Sowing method: direct
• Depth: 0.5–1 cm
• Spacing: 15–25 cm
• Germination: 3–7 days at 15–20 °C
• Position: sun to partial shade

Can be grown from early spring to late autumn, showing resistance to bolting. Growing mizuna is easy. The seeds should be placed in a watered vegetable bed or in a container filled with standard garden soil. This plant requires regular watering and access to light. Leaves that have grown 5-8 cm long can be cut at the base and eaten raw. They will soon regrow, making subsequent harvests possible.

Sow in several batches in spring and late summer; water regularly.

Harvest and use

Cut the leaves 3–5 cm above the ground — the plant regrows.

Frequently asked questions

When should Mizuna Green be sown?

The recommended months for sowing are March and April and September and October. Sowing method: direct.

What is the germination rate of the seeds?

The measured germination rate of this batch is 95%. The test was carried out under controlled laboratory conditions; in the field, emergence depends on soil, temperature and moisture.