Mizuna looks like lettuce, it is very similar to arugula, but it’s actually a type of cabbage. A crunchy texture and peppery taste are what make it much sought after.
Main Mizuna facts
Name – Brassica rapa japonica
Family – Brassicaceae
Type – leaf vegetable
Exposure – full sun
Soil – well drained, rather rich
Height – 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm)
Harvest – spring, summer, fall, winter
Mizuna cabbage is sown from spring until the beginning of winter.
When the first leaves appear, thin and keep the most vigorous seedlings, about one every 8 inches (20 cm).
If you purchase seedlings that are ready to plant, it is possible to plant them all summer long, even until the beginning of winter, but you must protect the plants from from freezing.
It isn’t necessary to bury the root crown completely.
Note that mizuna is perfectly suited to growing in pots.
Slugs will be a bane for your mizuna greens during their entire life cycle.
Easy to care for, mizuna cabbage is mostly only vulnerable to early bolting, which would keep the head from shaping up well.
Stay on the lookout for a dainty white butterfly. Its caterpillars would ruin your harvest.
Mizuna needs more or less 3 weeks lead time before harvest.
Harvesting in winter is perfectly possible.
Mizuna contains vitamins A and C and calcium, too. Leek can be eaten both raw and cooked.
As you till, provide your soil with nutrients (fertilizer, compost) to boost growth and enhance your harvest!
