This is one of two plastic tubs I have planted with mustard greens on the deck just outside the back door. I started them about 3 weeks ago.
They will be ready to begin harvesting in about another 3 weeks. I'll use these for my morning smoothies from mid-October through mid-January, longer if we don't have a hard freeze.
Mustard greens are in the cabbage family of vegetables. They're pretty cold hardy. But being in a tub will provide greater exposure to cold temps at the root zone than if they were planted in the ground. Because they are in a tub on the deck, though, I am more likely to use them on those frosty mornings in later fall.
It's a fun growing project, but it also provides me with organic leafy greens at a fraction of the cost of their commercial counterparts.
These are the seed pods from spring-planted mustard greens. Because they go to seed once the heat of summer rolls around, I can plant some in spring and still have time for seeds to form before our cold and wet weather comes. For my area, if I always plant some seeds in spring then collect seeds in fall, these are a "buy once, plant forever" garden green.
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Saving seeds is a smart way to do things.
ReplyDeleteI got your newsletter this morning about shopping for bargain canning jars. Since you have Winco with bulk goods in your area, I understand why you wanted some. And glad you made it to the store in time. :)
Hi Live and Learn,
DeleteFor my garden, it doesn't always work to save seeds, the warm season isn't long enough. But it does work with a few veggies, Mustard greens being one of them. And it gives me something productive to do some rainy October afternoon (emptying the seed pods), which is a nice feeling.
The larger canning jars will keep pests out better than the plastic ones I've been using. But to be honest, I also really like the look of a neat pantry with items in glass. Sometimes even frugal people do things in not wholly frugal ways. I could've just used our gazillion glass jars repurposed from food purchases.
Have a great day!