How to Grow Mustard Microgreens: Our Experience with Organic Wasabina Mustard

We found that Wasabina Mustard microgreens grew differently than Red Garnet or Wasabi Mustard microgreens.

When we tried to grow them like other mustards, we had problems with poor germination, not only once but twice.

The takeaway from this article is not all varieties of a microgreen family will grow best using one method.

We will show you how to grow Wasabina Mustard microgreens and when to harvest them.

How to Grow Mustard Microgreens Articles

This isn't the first how to grow mustard microgreens article that we have published. In fact, it's the third.

Why Write Another Mustard Microgreen Article?

We wanted to add a spicy mustard microgreen seed to the Home Microgreens Store. Wasabina mustard proved to be the best choice.

We wanted to add these seeds because of their spice level (not quite as spicy as Wasabi mustard), the cost of the seed is much less than other organic spicy flavored mustards, and because we wanted to add another organic variety to the store.

The Truth of the Matter

Truthfully, we would not have published another mustard microgreen article if all went the way it should have gone.

But when testing - we always test new varieties of seed and each lot of seed we purchase - these organic Wasabina mustard seeds did not grow as we expected. 

So we thought it a good idea to share our experience.

How to Grow Mustard Microgreens - Or Not

The first time we grew Wasabina mustard seeds, we used the domed method, with 1.8-grams of seed on Home Microgreens Potting Mix in a Home Microgreens planting tray.

The results weren't outstanding. 

Poor germination and small weak plants.

Of course, we thought it was a problem with the seed. But before we threw in the towel, it was time to get back to basics.

Growing Wasabina Mustard Microgreens with Great Results

On the next go-around, we increased the amount of seed on each tray to 2.0-grams. One tray went through the blackout period using the dome method, the other the weighted method. 

After 3-days, we took off the towel that kept the trays in the dark and looked at the results. The first photo shows the domed method on the left and the weighted method on the right.

The results are pretty shocking to us; as you can see in the photo below, the right tray (weighted method) looks nice. However, the mustard seeds under the dome have poor germination (left tray) and are straggly.

The shocking part is how poorly the domed method worked. Not only once, but twice. Usually, thin stemmed microgreens, like mustards and amaranth, do well under the domed method. 

For instance, look at the results from the Red Garnet Mustard (top) and Wasabi Mustard grown under a darkened dome (bottom). 

The fuzzy white stuff you see is not mold. Those are root hairs and are commonly seen using the dome method as there is so much humidity under the dome that the roots down try to grow downward. 

In the right photo, the one with the Wasabi Mustard, the tray on the left side was in a weighted blackout. So it isn't surprising that the Wasabina Mustard using the weighted method germinated well. 

The advantage of the domed method, especially with thin-stemmed microgreens, is that they grow quicker and taller than the weighted method. However, mustards and Amaranth that are left in the weighted method too long can have issues.

The Best Way to Grow Wasabina Mustard

Fill the tray with a good potting mix, level, and tamp the soil as shown in the How to Grow Microgreens for the First Time video. 

Next, wet the upper surface of the soil by misting it three or four times.  Remember, all of the soil does not and should not be completely soaked. 

Sprinkle the Wasabina Mustard microgreen seeds onto the soil. If you're using the Home Microgreen Trays, we recommend 2.0-grams of seed.

If you are growing microgreens in a different size tray, use the Home Microgreens Seed Calculator to find a good starting seed mass for your size tray. 

Here's the Important Part for Wasabina Mustard Microgreens

Be sure to place the tray of Wasabina Mustard into a weighted blackout. This means covering the tray with something that will allow you to put weight on it and press the seeds into the soil.

It appears that the seeds like to have good seed-to-soil contact. 

If you are unsure what the weighted blackout is, you can read and listen to the description here. 

Growing Wasabina Mustard Microgreens After Blackout

Once the microgreens are out of the blackout, water them from the bottom and put them under LED lighting. 

Mustard microgreens grow rather quickly. 

In 7-days, the microgreens should look like the trays below. 

Your Next Decision with Wasabina Mustard Microgreens

As you can see, Wasabina Mustard microgreens can be ready to harvest in as few as 7-days. First, however, you have a choice to make.

You can harvest them in the cotyledon stage, like those above and below. 

Or, you can wait seven to ten more days and start harvesting them when the true leaves form. Similar to the leaves in the photos below.

You can click any image in this article to expand it for better viewing. 

What's the difference Between the Leaves?

There are two differences as far as you, the consumer, are concerned.

In general, the flavor of true leaf microgreens is bolder. Therefore, letting the Wasabina form true leaves will provide you with a spicer and a stronger horseradish flavor.

The second difference is letting microgreens grow to true leaf size will give you a larger yield.

There Are Drawbacks

The main drawback is that it takes longer to grow microgreens to their true leaves. 

So if you let them grow out for 15 or 20 days, you could grow almost 3 trays of microgreens grown to the cotyledon stage and probably more mass of microgreens. Of course, that would take three times the amount of supplies. Growing to true leaf is less expensive in the long run.

The other drawback is the amount of care.

As microgreens grow, not only are the plants getting larger and requiring more water, but the roots are filling the tray, reducing the amount of water that can be absorbed in one watering. 

Also, the longer a tray of microgreens grows, the more chance of something going wrong.

Our Suggestion On When to Harvest

We suggest taste testing as the microgreens grow. Not only for mustards but all microgreens. There is no sense in growing a microgreen to the true leaf stage if you don't care for the flavor as much. 

Don't listen to when we or anyone else says a microgreen is ready to harvest. That's for you to figure out based on your tastebuds.

Summary of How to Grow Wasabina Mustard Microgreens

1. Purchase Organic Wasabina Microgreens and soil from the Home Microgreens Store.
2. If you are using a Home Microgreens Tray, use 2.0-grams of seed. If you have another size tray use the microgreen seed calculator in this article to determine how much seed you need.
3. Only wet the upper layer of soil and mist the seeds after sowing on top of the soil.
4. Place the tray into a weighted blackout for 3-days at average room temperatures. 
5. Once the seeds have germinated and are looking for a way out from under the weight (see the photo in this article), place the tray under LED lights and bottom water the planting tray.
6. Watch them grow for 4 to 16 days afterward, and start taste testing 7-days after planting.
7. Maybe let the first tray continue to grow, tasting a few each day until you find the perfect flavor for you and your family. Remember how they look and grow your next trays to that stage.

If You Have Any Questions

Leave a comment below, or you can reach out to us, and we will answer you promptly. 

We are happy to help.

Remember, the Home Microgreens Store has all the seeds and supplies you need to grow microgreens at home.