How to Grow Dijon Mustard

Dijon mustard is a pungent brown mustard made from brown mustard seeds and vinegar, wine or green grape juice. The recipe for Dijon mustard was originally developed in 1856 in Dijon, France, where potassium-rich soil allowed mustard plants to thrive. Today, most mustard plants used for commercial mustard production are grown in Canada. However, you can grow brown mustard seeds in your own herbal garden plot. You aren't limited to making mustard, either: you can also use the seed to flavor cheese and egg dishes, throw whole seeds in the brine when you make pickles and use the leaves raw in salads or cooked as a side dish.

Things You'll Need

• Garden plot (well drained)
• 5-10-10 fertilizer
• Trowel
• Brown mustard seeds (such as Blaze or Common Brown)

Instructions

1. Mix fertilizer into the top 2 to 3 inches of soil in your garden plot.

2. Use the trowel to dig rows a foot apart and 1/4 to 1/3 inch deep.

3. Place the seeds in the rows with about 3 inches of space between each seed. Cover the seeds with soil and water.

4. Water the growing mustard plants regularly so the soil does not dry out. However, do not overwater and create puddles. Also pull any weeds you see. As the mustard plants grow taller, they will crowd out weeds.

5. Harvest the seed pods by cutting the stalks halfway up, just below the first branching stem. The seeds should be ready to harvest when the plant begins to turn yellow. Let the seed pods dry for a couple weeks and then break them open and get the seeds.

Tips & Warnings

• Mustard plants prefer full sun but can tolerate partial shade.

• Plant several small crops a week apart to give you a continuous supply of mustard seeds and greens.

• Mustard plants spread easily. Keep your mustard plants thinned or they may take over your garden.

References

• Vegetable Gardener.com: How to Grow Mustard
• Gardeners Net.com: How to Grow Mustard
• UCLA Biomedical Library.edu: Spices

Resources

• The Golden History of Brown Mustard