Mizuna

A mild, feathery Japanese mustard green with deeply serrated leaves that adds a gentle peppery note to salads. Mizuna is extremely cold-hardy and can be harvested well into winter under row covers or cold frames. The fast-growing plants produce abundantly and regrow quickly after cutting, making them ideal for cut-and-come-again harvesting. Use in salads, stir-fries, or as a garnish, and appreciate its attractive, finely cut foliage in the garden.

Direct sow 1/4 inch deep as soon as soil can be worked (40°F minimum). Seeds germinate rapidly in 4-7 days. For baby greens, broadcast thickly. For full plants, thin to 6 inches. Succession sow every 2-3 weeks. Indoor starting is unnecessary due to fast germination and growth. For fall and winter growing, sow in late summer and protect with row covers as temperatures drop. Seeds remain viable for 3-4 years.

The Season Plate

Your Mizuna Year

Composed for Zone 7 · typical seasons · frost passes Apr 2, returns Nov 1

Sow Mizuna Mar – May, Aug – Sep, pick Apr – Jun, Sep – Nov. Set your climate below and every date on this plate re-times itself.

Sowing window

Mar – May, Aug – Sep

re-timed to your frost dates

Plant out

after Apr 2

once frost risk has passed

First picking

around Apr 19

≈ 35 days from sowing · 150-300g per plant

Composed for —ColdTemperateMildWarmUse my locationUsed once to set your season · only the zone is kept

Week-by-week Mizuna reminders watering, feeding and pruning, timed to your dates

In the app

Frost alerts for your garden a warning before a cold night costs you the crop

In the app

Succession sowing dates so the picking never gaps mid-season

In the app

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Get my Mizuna datesSaved to your free garden plan · no card needed

Direct sow mizuna seeds 1/4 inch deep as soon as soil can be worked in spring, or start indoors 3-4 weeks before last frost. Seeds germinate rapidly in 4-7 days at 40-75°F. Thin to 6 inches apart for full-sized plants or broadcast thickly for baby greens. Rows should be 8-12 inches apart.

Mizuna is one of the most forgiving and productive greens in the garden. It tolerates cold down to 10°F with protection and handles heat better than most Asian greens. Provide consistent moisture and partial shade in warm weather to maintain mild flavor. Feed lightly with balanced fertilizer every 3-4 weeks. Plants form attractive mounds of feathery, deeply serrated leaves.

Succession sow every 2-3 weeks for continuous harvest. Mizuna excels as a cut-and-come-again crop, regrowing vigorously after harvest for 3-4 cuttings. In fall, extend the season with row covers or cold frames; mizuna continues producing long after other greens have succumbed to frost. Self-sows readily if allowed to flower, providing volunteer plants in subsequent seasons.

Mizuna pairs well with lettuce, spinach, and radishes in mixed salad beds. Its fast growth fills gaps between slower-growing crops. Taller plants provide beneficial shade in warm weather. Avoid planting near other brassicas to reduce shared pest pressure. Herbs like cilantro and dill attract beneficial insects. Mizuna works beautifully as an edible border or in ornamental vegetable gardens due to its attractive foliage.

The Society Table

Lettuce belongs beside it.

Old growers' knowledge, checked against Mizuna's real companion table below — test any plant you're growing.

Grows well in the company of · 3

LettuceSpinachRadish

Keep apart · 0

no recorded foes

Plant Mizuna with good neighboursThe planner flags conflicts before they're in the ground

Related growing guides

Vegetables

Lettuce

A good companion for Mizuna

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Spinach

A good companion for Mizuna

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Radish

A good companion for Mizuna

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Swiss Chard

View growing guide

Mizuna grows in almost any soil but thrives in fertile, well-drained soil with a pH of 6.0-7.0. Work in compost before planting. Light feeding with balanced fertilizer supports rapid regrowth after cutting. Avoid heavy nitrogen which can make leaves rank-tasting. Consistent moisture produces the mildest, most tender leaves. Mizuna is well-suited to container growing with quality potting mix. Raised beds provide the excellent drainage this plant appreciates.

Ideal Temperature

Hardiness Zone Compatibility

Begin harvesting mizuna baby leaves at just 21 days after sowing, or wait 35-40 days for full-sized leaves. For cut-and-come-again harvest, cut plants 1-2 inches above the soil with scissors. Plants regrow in 10-14 days for another cutting, producing 3-4 harvests before quality declines. Alternatively, pick individual outer leaves. Harvest in the morning for crispest texture. Flavor is mildest in cool weather and intensifies slightly with heat.

Storage & Preservation

Store unwashed mizuna in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. The delicate leaves wilt faster than sturdier greens, so use promptly. Mizuna does not freeze or dry well for salad use. For cooking applications, blanch briefly and freeze for up to 6 months. Use in stir-fries, soups, and hot pots directly from frozen. The fast growth rate makes fresh harvesting the best preservation strategy.

Flea Beetles

Pest

Tiny round holes peppering leaves, especially on young seedlings.

Prevention Use row covers from sowing, delay planting until warmer weather, maintain moist soil.

Fix: Apply diatomaceous earth, spray neem oil, use kaolin clay coating.

Clubroot

Disease

Stunted plants, wilting in warm weather, distorted swollen roots.

Prevention Maintain alkaline soil pH above 7.0, rotate brassica crops, use resistant varieties.

Fix: Remove infected plants, apply lime to affected soil, avoid brassicas for several years.

Slugs

Pest

Irregular holes in leaves, slimy trails, worse in wet conditions.

Prevention Water in morning, use copper barriers, keep garden free of debris.

Fix: Set beer traps, apply iron phosphate bait, hand-pick at night.

Troubleshooting Common Problems

Flea beetle damage on young seedlings is the most common pest issue; use row covers from sowing. Bolting occurs in hot weather above 80°F and long days; provide shade and plant in cool seasons. Plants become leggy and tough if overcrowded; thin adequately. Self-sowing can become weedy if plants are allowed to set seed; remove unwanted volunteers. Yellow lower leaves are normal as plants age; simply remove them.

Growing Tips

1. Succession sow every 2-3 weeks without fail. Mizuna grows so quickly that a single sowing provides only a few weeks of harvest before the plants bolt or exhaust themselves. Staggered sowings ensure a continuous supply from spring through late autumn.
2. Broadcast seed thickly for baby greens rather than thinning to full spacing. Dense sowings harvested at 21 days with scissors produce the most tender leaves and the highest yield per square foot — the classic cut-and-come-again method.
3. Provide afternoon shade in warm weather. Mizuna bolts rapidly when temperatures exceed 27°C (80°F) and day length is long. A shade cloth (30-50%) or the shadow of taller crops can extend spring plantings by 2-3 weeks.
4. Use row covers from sowing day to prevent flea beetle damage. These tiny jumping beetles can devastate mizuna seedlings in days, and prevention is far easier than treatment. Lightweight floating row cover lets in light and rain while excluding pests.
5. Grow mizuna as a fall and winter crop for the best quality. Cool temperatures produce the sweetest, mildest leaves with the crispest texture. Under cold frames or low tunnels, mizuna survives well below freezing and can be harvested all winter in zones 6 and above.
6. Water at soil level rather than overhead to keep the delicate, finely cut leaves clean and dry. Wet foliage in cool weather invites fungal problems, and grit splashed onto the serrated leaves is nearly impossible to wash out completely.
7. Allow one or two plants to bolt and set seed at the end of each season. Mizuna self-sows readily and the volunteer seedlings that appear in autumn often produce better than deliberately sown crops, benefiting from natural timing.
8. Try growing mizuna in containers on a balcony or windowsill. A wide, shallow pot (at least 15cm deep) filled with quality potting mix can produce several cuttings of baby greens. Keep the soil moist and provide at least 4 hours of direct light.