Da Ping Pu mustard
Price range: $4.00 through $10.00
(Brassica juncea) – 大坪铺包心大芥菜
A delightful Chinese head mustard for fall use (it will bolt if it experiences too much heat, so don’t attempt it in spring). Small heads have charmingly curved leaves with enormous petioles (the leaf midrib/stem); the leaf itself has a sulphurous, fiery burn (delightful!) while the petiole is milder with a hint of sweetness. A satisfyingly hefty vegetable. Brilliant for lacto-fermentation with salt, garlic and cayenne, in my opinion.
Plant in early August for fall harvest; 1/8” deep, 2” apart in rows 16” apart. Thin to 8-12”. If growing for seed saving, plant early in the spring, but it will bolt before there is much to eat.