GrowSabzHow to grow mustard in pots
Also called Mustard Greens, Indian Mustard, Leaf Mustard, sarson · Brassica juncea
سرسوں
- ☀️ Sunlight
- 4–6hours daily
- 💧 Water
- 0.4 Levery 2 days, 5 L pot
- 🌡️ Ideal temp
- 10–20°C
- 🪴 Min pot
- 5 L15 cm deep
- 🧺 Harvest
- 30–45days from sowing
- ⚖️ Yield
- 1 kgper 20 L pot
Mustard is one of the fastest things you can grow — roughly 45 days from sowing to harvest. That makes it forgiving of mistakes, because a failed sowing costs you weeks rather than a season, and it's a good crop to slot between slower ones.
Short answer
Grow mustard in a 5 litre container at least 15 cm deep, watering about 600 ml per 10 litres of soil every 2 days, and keep temperatures between 10 and 20 °C. First harvest comes 30–45 days after sowing.
Where to plant it
What size pot does mustard need?
5 litres and 15 cm deep is the realistic minimum for a single plant. Pick a container below to see what changes.
| Container | Minimum size | Depth | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pot | 5 L | 15 cm | Good drainage is essential. Can grow in smaller pots for baby greens. |
| Grow bag | 5 L | 15 cm | Fabric bags provide good aeration and drainage. |
| Open ground | — | 20 cm | Ensure consistent moisture and good soil fertility. |
| Raised bed | 10 L | 20 cm | Excellent for controlling soil conditions and drainage. |
Watering
How often should you water mustard?
Every 2 days through the growing season, at about 600 ml per 10 litres of soil — daily in hot weather, every 3 days when it turns cool. Water in the early morning. Drip irrigation or base watering works best.
Too little water
- wilting
- bitter leaves
- bolting
Too much water
- yellowing lower leaves
- stunted growth
- root rot
Avoid: water on leaves (can cause fungal issues); standing water; letting soil dry out completely.
Climate
Can you grow mustard where you live?
No hardiness zone needed — compare your actual temperatures against the plant's own limits.
| Ideal range | 10 – 20 °C |
|---|---|
| Survives | -5 – 30 °C |
| Germinates above | 4 °C — best at 18 °C, about 5 days |
| Flowers drop | above 25 °C, or below 5 °C |
| Sunlight | 4–8 hrs/day, best 6 |
| Frost | Low sensitivity |
The flower-drop thresholds matter more than the survival ones. A plant can be perfectly alive at 30 °C and still give you nothing.
How cold is too cold for mustard? Check your temperaturesEnter your night low and day high — see if it survives, and if it will cropTimeline
Mustard growing stages, day by day
Click any stage to see what's happening. Durations shift with temperature — a warm season runs roughly a quarter faster than a cool one.
Feeding
Fertiliser schedule for mustard
Feed on the interval below, changing what you give as the plant shifts from making leaves to making fruit.
| Stage | What to use | Per 10 L | Every |
|---|
How to prepare each feed
Common mistakes
Why mustard fails, and how to avoid it
- A container that is too small
Below 5 litres the root run is too shallow. The plant grows, flowers late, and drops whatever it sets because it cannot support the crop.
- Watering too lightly
A daily splash wets the top few centimetres and nothing else. Mustard wants about 600 ml per 10 litres of soil — one deep soak beats three shallow ones.
- Wetting the leaves
Overhead watering in the evening leaves foliage damp overnight, which is exactly the condition fungal disease needs. Water the soil, early in the day.
- Ignoring the flower-drop threshold
Above 25 °C, or below 5 °C, flowers fall before setting. The plant can look perfectly healthy and still give you nothing — shade it through the hottest hours.
- Planting it beside Cabbage
All members of the Brassica family (cabbage, broccoli, kale) share common pests and diseases, and compete for nutrients.
Companions
What to plant with mustard
Good neighbours
Repels flea beetles, a common pest of mustard, with its strong scent.
Attracts beneficial insects like ladybugs and parasitic wasps, which prey on aphids and cabbage worms.
Roots produce a chemical that kills root-knot nematodes, protecting mustard roots.
Believed to improve the growth and flavor of nearby plants, including mustard.
Can act as a trap crop for flea beetles, diverting them from mustard. Also harvested quickly.
Keep apart from
All members of the Brassica family (cabbage, broccoli, kale) share common pests and diseases, and compete for nutrients.
Sunflowers exhibit allelopathy, releasing substances that can inhibit the growth of nearby plants, including mustard.
Some sources suggest beans can stunt the growth of mustard, possibly due to competition or allelopathic effects.
Problems
Mustard pests and diseases
Each lists the weather that brings it on, so you know when to start checking rather than reacting once it's established.
Flea Beetles humidity any · temp >18
Small, shiny black beetles that jump when disturbed. They chew numerous small, round holes in leaves, giving them a 'shot-hole' appearance. Can severely damage young plants.
Aphids humidity any · temp 15-25
Small, soft-bodied insects that cluster on new growth and the undersides of leaves, sucking sap and secreting sticky honeydew. Can stunt growth and transmit viruses.
Cabbage Worms humidity any · temp >18
Green caterpillars (larvae of white cabbage butterflies or cabbage loopers) that chew large, irregular holes in leaves. Can quickly defoliate plants.
Slugs Snails humidity >70% · temp 10-20
Chew irregular holes in leaves, especially on young, tender plants. Leave slimy trails. Active in damp, cool conditions.
Downy Mildew humidity >85% · temp 10-20
Causes yellow spots on the upper surface of leaves, with fuzzy grayish-purple mold on the underside. Can lead to leaf drop and reduced yield.
White Rust humidity >80% · temp 10-25
Characterized by white, blister-like pustules on the undersides of leaves and sometimes on stems. Can distort leaves and reduce plant vigor.
Alternaria Leaf Spot humidity >70% · temp 20-28
Causes dark, concentric spots with yellow halos on older leaves. Severe infections can lead to defoliation.
Clubroot humidity any · temp 18-25
A soil-borne disease causing swelling and distortion of roots, leading to stunted growth, wilting, and yellowing of leaves. More common in acidic soils.
Bolting humidity any · temp >25
Premature flowering (bolting) is common in mustard, especially in hot weather or under stress. This makes leaves bitter and tough. Harvest quickly to avoid.
Harvest
When to harvest mustard
First picking falls between day 30 and day 45, and the plant then keeps producing for about 30 days. Pick often — what you leave on the plant signals it to stop making more.
How to tell it's ready
- Leaves are tender and 6-8 inches tall
How much to expect
Storing it: Refrigerate unwashed in a plastic bag for up to 1 week.
Questions
Mustard: common questions
How long does mustard take to grow?
About 45 days from sowing to the first harvest, with picking usually starting between day 30 and day 45. It then keeps producing for roughly 30 more days. Warm weather pulls that forward; cool weather pushes it back.
What size pot does mustard need?
At least 5 litres and 15 cm deep for one plant. A raised bed wants 10 litres of soil and 20 cm of depth.
How often should I water mustard?
About 600 ml per 10 litres of soil, every 2 days in normal weather — daily when it is hot and every 3 days when cool. Water in the early morning.
What temperature does mustard need?
It does best between 10 °C and 20 °C and survives from -5 °C to 30 °C. Seed needs soil above 4 °C to germinate, ideally around 18 °C.
Can I grow mustard in winter?
It tolerates cold better than most, down to about -5 °C, so a sheltered spot or a cold frame will often carry it through.
How do I know when mustard is ready to harvest?
Leaves are tender and 6-8 inches tall. Once picked: refrigerate unwashed in a plastic bag for up to 1 week.
How much does one mustard plant produce?
Roughly 1 kg from a 20 litre container, or about 2 kg in open ground. Larger containers give proportionally more, up to a point.