How to grow Mizuna

Where to plant

Mizuna grows best in the cool, damp weather of spring and fall, in sun or light shade, in soil enriched with plenty of compost so it stays moist. Hot, dry weather and lengthening days in spring make it bolt, so in warm spells give it a cooler spot in light shade.

Mizuna forms loose rosettes of serrated leaves up to about 8 inches long with a mild, peppery flavor. Varieties differ in leaf shape and color, from lime green to reddish purple.

• Florida, the Gulf South, Texas, the Desert Southwest and Southern California: sow from fall through late winter, when it is cool; summer heat makes it bolt.
• The Mid-South, Mid-Atlantic and Southern Plains: sow in early spring and again from late summer into fall.
• The Northeast, Midwest, Northern Plains, Mountain West and Pacific Northwest: sow from early spring and again in late summer for a fall crop; late sowings often keep cropping into early winter under a cover.
• Northern California and Hawaii: sow in the cooler months.
• Alaska: sow in late spring and summer.

Choosing a variety

The RHS recommends 'Kyoto' as a well-flavored, very hardy mizuna. Red-leaved varieties such as 'Red Knight' add color to salads. Mizuna is also included in many salad seed mixes.

How to plant

1. Sow thinly about 1/2 inch deep in rows about 9 inches apart, and keep the soil moist; seed sprouts in about a week.
2. Thin seedlings to 4 to 6 inches apart for baby leaves, about 8 inches for larger leaves, or 12 to 16 inches for full-size plants.
3. Sow small batches every few weeks for a steady supply.
4. Use row cover to keep off flea beetles and cabbage worms, and protect seedlings from slugs in damp weather.

Watering and feeding

Keep the soil evenly moist, especially while plants are young and in dry or warm weather; water in the morning. Dry soil makes the leaves tough and hot and hastens bolting. Feed lightly with compost or a balanced fertilizer for quick, tender growth.

Harvesting

Start picking baby leaves when plants are 3 to 4 inches tall, often about a month after sowing. Pick a few outer leaves at a time, cut-and-come-again, for several harvests, or cut the whole plant about 2 inches above the ground after 6 to 8 weeks and let it regrow.

Young leaves are best raw in salads; larger leaves have a stronger flavor and are best lightly steamed or stir-fried. The buds and flowers are edible too.

Growing in pots

Mizuna grows well in containers at least 12 inches wide, filled with good potting mix and kept in sun, or light shade in warm weather. Water often, as containers dry out quickly.