Mizuna - Brassica japonica

Sowing:

The germination temperature of the Japanese Mizuna is around 14°C (57.2°F) and takes about 14 days.

Sowing period: under heated shelter from February to May or outdoors from April to August

Harvest period: from July to September

You can either sow directly in place or prepare young plants that will later be installed in the garden in their final position.

Preparing young plants: Under shelter in cool months or in a nursery in the garden for the rest of the year (according to the recommended sowing period), sow the seeds at a depth of 1 to 2 cm (0 to 1in) in good sowing compost or fine soil. Lightly cover with compost and remember to keep the substrate moist but not waterlogged.

When the young plants appear strong enough to be handled, transplant them into pots if necessary before planting them in the garden, when there is no longer any risk of frost. During planting, respect the recommended spacings for direct sowing.

Direct sowing: In properly amended and finely worked soil, create furrows about one or two centimetres deep, spaced 20 centimetres (8 inches) apart. Sow the seeds and cover them with a thin layer of fine soil. When the seedlings are well developed, thin them out, leaving one plant every 20 centimetres (8 inches) approximately.

Cultivation:

The Japanese Mizuna is grown in full sun. It is a demanding vegetable that requires well-rotted, nitrogen-rich and potassium-rich soil. It is advisable to make a generous compost application (about 3/4 kg per m2), by raking it to a depth of 5 cm (2in), preferably in autumn, after having loosened the soil as for any vegetable crop. It is not very tolerant of soil pH, which should be between 5.6 and 6.5. In acidic soil, it will be necessary to gradually increase this pH by adding calcium in the form of Dolomite or Lime.

Beware of pests such as the Cabbage White Butterfly or Flea Beetles and consider installing insect-proof netting.