How to grow Mizuna in Australia

Where to plant

Grow mizuna in sun or light shade, in fertile soil with plenty of compost that stays moist. It is compact and quick, so it suits bed edges, gaps between slower crops and containers.

Mizuna grows best in mild, damp weather. Heat, dry soil and long days make it run to seed, so in warm areas grow it through autumn, winter and early spring.

• South East Queensland, the Northern Rivers and Sydney: sow from March to September.
• Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth: sow from March to September and avoid the December to February heat.
• Canberra: sow from February to April for autumn and winter picking, or in September and October for spring. Once established it is very cold hardy.
• Hobart: sow from August to March; late sowings stand well into winter.
• North Queensland and Darwin: sow in the dry season, May to September.

Choosing a variety

• Green mizuna has bright green, finely cut leaves with a mild mustard flavour.
• Red or purple mizuna has purple-red leaves or veins, adds colour to salads and grows a little more slowly.

How to plant

1. Sow seed thinly in shallow drills and cover lightly, with rows about 20 to 25 cm apart.
2. Keep the soil moist. Seedlings appear in about a week.
3. Thin to 10 to 15 cm apart for baby leaves, about 20 cm for larger leaves, or 30 to 40 cm for full-size plants.
4. Sow small batches every few weeks for a steady supply.
5. Protect seedlings from slugs and snails in damp weather.

Watering and feeding

Keep the soil evenly moist, especially while plants are young and in dry or warm spells. Water in the morning where possible. Dry, stressed plants flower early and their leaves turn tough and hot.

Dig in compost before sowing and feed with a liquid or nitrogen-rich fertiliser every couple of weeks while picking for fast, tender leaves.

Pruning and care through the year

• Weed regularly so seedlings are not crowded.
• Give light shade in warm spells, pick often and remove flower stems to delay bolting.
• Cover with insect mesh if cabbage white butterflies or flea beetles are a problem.

Harvesting

Start picking baby leaves when plants are 8 to 10 cm tall, after about a month. Take a few outer leaves from each plant so it keeps growing; you may get up to five pickings before it flowers.

For a bigger harvest, cut the whole plant at six to eight weeks, about 5 cm above the soil, and it should regrow. Once flowering takes over, harvest everything that still tastes good.

Growing in pots

Mizuna is ideal for pots, troughs and growing bags. Use a container at least 20 to 30 cm wide, as smaller ones dry out too quickly, with good potting mix. Keep it in sun in the cool months and light shade in warm weather, and water often.

Using it

Young leaves are best raw in salads, where their feathery shape looks good. Larger leaves are stronger and better lightly steamed, stir fried or added to soups. The buds and flowers are edible, and young flowering stems can be cooked like broccoli. Keep picked leaves in a damp cloth in the fridge for up to about four days.

Saving seed

Let a few plants flower at the end of the season. Seed forms in long, thin pods after flowering; collect them when dry and keep the seed in a cool, dry place.