Red Giant Mustard
Red Giant Mustard is a heirloom brassica variety (Brassica juncea 'Red Giant'). Harvest begins around day 45-60; seed germinates in 3-7 days. Set plants 8-12 inches apart. Grow in soil pH 6.0-7.0, zones 8-11, full sun to partial shade (4-6+ hours). Plants reach 12-18 inches. It will crop in a container.
Sowing
Direct sow in early spring or late summer. Plant seeds 1/4 inch deep. Succession plant every 2-3 weeks for continuous harvest.
Cultivation
- Sun
- Full sun to partial shade (4-6+ hours)
- Water
- High — consistent moisture needed
- Soil
- Well-drained, fertile soil with good organic content
- Soil pH
- 6.0-7.0
- Spacing
- 8-12 inches
- Height
- 12-18 inches
- Season
- Fall, Winter and Spring
Appearance & flavour
- Colour
- Bronze-red to purple-red leaves with green undersides
- Size
- 8-12 inches long, 6-8 inches wide leaves
- Shape
- Large, broad, serrated leaves with prominent veining
- Flavour
- Spicy, peppery, mustard bite when raw; milder and sweeter when cooked
In the kitchen
Stir-fries, salads (young leaves), braising, steaming, pickling, microgreens
Pests, disease & resistance
- Pests
- Flea beetles, aphids, cabbage worms, harlequin bugs
- Diseases
- Downy mildew, white rust, black rot, clubroot
- Resistance
- Generally disease resistant, tolerates heat better than most mustards
Planting calendar by USDA zone
| Zone | Start indoors | Transplant | Direct sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | April – May | June – July | June – July | July – September |
| 2 | April – May | June – July | May – July | July – September |
| 3 | March – April | May – June | May – June | June – October |
| 4 | March – April | May – June | April – June | June – October |
| 5 | February – March | April – May | April – May | June – November |
| 6 | February – March | April – May | April – May | May – November |
| 7 | February – March | April – May | March – May | May – November |
| 8 | January – February | March – April | March – April | April – December |
| 9 | January | February – March | February – March | March – December |
| 10 | January | February – March | January – March | March – December |
| 11 | January | January – February | January – February | February – December |
| 12 | January | January – February | January – February | February – December |
| 13 | January | January – February | January – February | February – December |
Companion planting
8 beneficial pairings indexed for this variety, 3 to avoid.
Avoid
Nutrition (per 100 g)
- Calories (per 100 g)
- 31
- Protein (g)
- 2.57
- Fat (g)
- 0.34
- Carbohydrate (g)
- 6.27
- Fibre (g)
- 2.4
- Vitamin A (µg)
- 8
- Vitamin C (mg)
- 91.3
- Vitamin E (mg)
- 0.15
- Vitamin K (µg)
- 102
- Vitamin B6 (mg)
- 0.191
- Folate (µg)
- 65
- Calcium (mg)
- 46
- Iron (mg)
- 0.69
- Magnesium (mg)
- 21
- Phosphorus (mg)
- 67
- Potassium (mg)
- 303
- Zinc (mg)
- 0.42
- Selenium (µg)
- 1.6
Where to buy seed and equipment
Some links are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Cultivar facts compiled from public horticultural references including USDA GRIN and NC State Extension. Descriptions are original to this catalogue.
Grown Red Giant Mustard?
Post a crop report — day counts, reservoir readings, what worked. Variety-specific logs are the most useful thing on the forum.
Similar varieties
Other brassicas with a comparable time to harvest, so a season that suits Red Giant Mustard suits these too.
- Kolibri 45 days
- De Cicco Broccoli 45 days
- EarliSnow 45 days
- Mustard Greens 'Southern Giant Curled' 45 days
- Bok Choy 'Joi Choi' 45 days
- Minuet 48 days