How to Grow Mizuna and mibuna

Mizuna and mibuna are Japanese greens with a mildly spicy flavour, for eating raw or lightly cooked. The plants take up little space and are ideal in containers as well as in the ground. Sow repeatedly for harvests across most of the year.

Also known as oriental or Japanese greens, mizuna and mibuna are in the cabbage or brassica family. They are quick and easy to grow from seed in sun or semi-shade, forming leafy rosettes

Rosettes are the circular arrangement of flower petals; or a cluster of leaves radiating from approximately the same point usually around a stem. Examples include aeonium and most succulent plants, African violets, primula, sempervivums. about 20cm (8in) tall. They grow best in the cool, damp weather of spring and autumn, and late sowings will often continue cropping into winter, especially if given some protection. Both are ideal for harvesting as cut-and-come-again salads, providing repeated harvests of young leaves over several months. You can also let leaves grow to maturity for cooking.

Many other oriental greens, including pak choi, choy sum, komatsuna, Chinese cabbage and Chinese broccoli, can be grown in a similar way. For more veg-growing inspiration, visit the RHS gardens, which all grow a wide range of vegetables, including oriental greens and other brassicas.

Mizuna and mibuna both form compact leafy plants, and while their similar names can be confusing, their leaves look very different, so they are easy to tell apart:

• Mizuna forms loose rosettes
  Rosettes are the circular arrangement of flower petals; or a cluster of leaves radiating from approximately the same point usually around a stem. Examples include aeonium and most succulent plants, African violets, primula, sempervivums. of attractive serrated leaves up to 20cm (8in) long. These have a mild peppery flavour and can be used raw in salads when small or cooked in stir-fries when larger. If sown repeatedly, mizuna can be harvested almost all year round and makes an attractive crop with a feathery appearance. There are several varieties too, offering differences in leaf shape and colour – some more finely divided, others reddish-purple or lime green, for an even more decorative addition to both your garden and your plate.
• Mibuna forms larger, denser clumps of narrower, dark green, smooth-edged leaves that have a light mustard flavour. Use in salads or lightly cooked.

What and where to buy 

Seeds are widely available from most gardening retailers all year round, although specific varieties of mizuna may be harder to track down or only available online. Mizuna and mibuna are also often included in winter salad seed mixes. Mizuna plug plants

Seedlings or young plants grown singly in small modules, with the advantage that they can be transplanted with minimal root disturbance. Bedding plants and young veg plants are often sold as plug plants of various sizes, with smaller ones requiring more aftercare. They usually need to be potted up and grown on indoors until large enough to plant outside. are sometimes available in spring.

Recommended Varieties

Mizuna ‘Kyoto’

A well-flavoured and very hardy mizuna, for sowing all year round, although best grown under cover in winter.

Read more

Both mizuna and mibuna grow best in slightly damp soil, so after weeding thoroughly, fork in lots of garden compost or well-rotted manure to help retain moisture. Lightly tread the soil, then rake it to a fine texture ahead of sowing or planting. Alternatively, if you're practising no-dig, mulch

Mulch is a layer of material, at least 5cm (2in) thick, applied to the soil surface in late autumn to late winter (Nov-Feb). It is used to provide frost protection, improve plant growth by adding nutrients or increasing organic matter content, reducing water loss from the soil, for decorative purposes and suppressing weeds. Examples include well-rotted garden compost and manure, chipped bark, gravel, grit and slate chippings. the soil ahead of sowing or planting directly into the mulch.

Mizuna and mibuna are easy to grow from seed, indoors or outside, in the ground and in containers. They can be sown almost all year round, but need protection in winter, ideally in a greenhouse or in mild regions under cloches. They are cool-season crops, growing best in the mild, damp weather of spring and autumn. For continuous harvests, sow small batches a few weeks apart.

These compact plants are ideal when space is tight – use them to fill short-term gaps in your veg plot or borders, or sow in between slower-growing crops, such as parsnips and potatoes, for harvesting before the main crop needs the room.

Sowing indoors

You can sow mizuna and mibuna seeds indoors from February onwards, when it’s still too cold to sow outdoors, and in late summer or early autumn for cropping in a greenhouse through autumn and winter. Choose a peat-free seed compost

Seed compost is a free-draining compost formulated for germinating seed. It often contains a mix of fine materials including sterilised loam, coir, coarse sand or grit. It contains low levels of nutrients, as high levels could damage seedlings. and ideally sow in a modular tray for easy transplanting with minimal root disturbance.

The seeds should germinate in about a week – keep the seedlings

A seedling is a young plant grown from seed. in a warm, bright place and water regularly, then transplant into their final growing position after a few weeks – see Planting, below.

Sowing outdoors

The main outdoor sowing season runs from March to August. Take care not to sow too early, as cold temperatures and increasing day lengths can cause plants to flower prematurely ( bolt

When a vegetable plant starts flowering and forming seeds, often prematurely, making the crop unusable – salad leaves may turn bitter and root crops fail to swell. Adverse weather or changes in day length can cause bolting in a wide range of vegetables, including lettuces, onions , carrots and otheer root crops. ). Hot, dry conditions can cause this too, so in summer choose a cooler site in light shade.

Make a shallow drill

A miniature furrow typically 1–5cm deep, made with a stick, hoe or rake. It is used for planting seeds or bulbs, and ensures they are positioned at the correct depth and spacing. , about 1cm (½in) deep in prepared soil and water along the base. Sow the seeds thinly along the row and cover lightly with soil. Sow small batches regularly, spacing rows 23cm (9in) apart. Seeds should germinate in about a week. Protect seedlings

A seedling is a young plant grown from seed. from slugs and snails, especially in damp weather. For more outdoor sowing tips, see our guides below.

Thinning out seedlings

Thin out the seedlings along the row to prevent overcrowding. Spacing between plants depends on which stage you want to harvest them: 10–15cm (4–6in) apart for regular pickings of small leaves, 20cm (8in) apart for larger leaves, and 30–40cm (12–16in) apart for full-sized mature plants.

Sowing in containers

Both mizuna and mibuna grow well as salad crops in containers, for handy pickings. Choose a container that’s at least 30cm (1ft) wide, as smaller containers dry out too rapidly. Fill it with peat-free multi-purpose compost

Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost: • Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own. and position in a sunny spot – or in light shade during warm weather. These oriental greens can also be sown in growing bags. See our guides below for more sowing tips.

Young mizuna and mibuna plants grown from seed indoors should be planted out once well rooted, from March onwards. Mizuna plug plants

Seedlings or young plants grown singly in small modules, with the advantage that they can be transplanted with minimal root disturbance. Bedding plants and young veg plants are often sold as plug plants of various sizes, with smaller ones requiring more aftercare. They usually need to be potted up and grown on indoors until large enough to plant outside. may also be available to buy in spring, ready for planting out.

First harden off the young plants to acclimatise them to outdoor conditions. Then plant into prepared ground (see above) or into a large container, at least 30cm (12in) wide, filled with peat-free multi-purpose compost

Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost: • Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own. . Space your plants 10–15cm (4–6in) apart for salad leaves and up to 40cm (16in) apart for full-sized plants. Autumn sowings can be planted in a greenhouse, either in the ground or in large containers, to crop over winter.

Mizuna and mibuna are easy to look after, especially during the cool damp weather of spring and autumn. Hot, dry weather can cause poor growth or bolting (premature flowering), so summer cropping may not last long unless plants are watered regularly.

Watering

Mizuna and mibuna both grow best in moist soil, so for good crops you will likely need to water in dry weather, especially when plants are young. When growing in containers, these plants require regular watering, as the compost

Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost: • Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own. dries out more quickly.

The best time to water is in the morning, so the plants can grow steadily through the day. Avoid watering in the middle of the day in warm weather, as the moisture will evaporate quickly. Watering in the evening may not be ideal either, as damp soil overnight can attract slugs and snails. For more water-wise tips, see our guides below.

Mulching 

If you are growing mizuna or mibuna for mature leaves, mulch

Mulch is a layer of material, at least 5cm (2in) thick, applied to the soil surface in late autumn to late winter (Nov-Feb). It is used to provide frost protection, improve plant growth by adding nutrients or increasing organic matter content, reducing water loss from the soil, for decorative purposes and suppressing weeds. Examples include well-rotted garden compost and manure, chipped bark, gravel, grit and slate chippings. the soil around the plants to hold in moisture and deter weeds. Use a thick layer of organic matter, such as garden compost, and apply to damp ground. Mulching

Mulch is a layer of material, at least 5cm (2in) thick, applied to the soil surface in late autumn to late winter (Nov-Feb). It is used to provide frost protection, improve plant growth by adding nutrients or increasing organic matter content, reducing water loss from the soil, for decorative purposes and suppressing weeds. Examples include well-rotted garden compost and manure, chipped bark, gravel, grit and slate chippings. is not usually necessary or practical around cut-and-come-again crops.

Weeding

Weed regularly, so young plants don’t get overwhelmed by vigorous weeds or have to compete for moisture or light. Weeds can also provide hiding places for slugs and snails, which may damage the crop.

Flowering

Sooner or later, mizuna and mibuna will naturally try to flower and produce seeds. This puts an end to harvests, but can be delayed for a while by picking leaves regularly, keeping the soil moist and providing shade in hot spells – plants flower sooner if stressed by heat and/or drought.

Remove any flower stems that start to form too. The buds

A bud is a small, undeveloped shoot that contains the potential for new growth. Buds are typically found on stems, where they can be apical (found at the tip) or axillary (found between leaf axils) and may develop into leaves, shoots or flowers. and flowers are edible and can be added to salads and stir-fries. Once flowering becomes unstoppable, harvest the entire plant if the leaves still taste good, as they will only deteriorate.

Mizuna and mibuna can be harvested nearly all year round from repeated sowings, either as cut-and-come-again salad leaves or whole rosettes

Rosettes are the circular arrangement of flower petals; or a cluster of leaves radiating from approximately the same point usually around a stem. Examples include aeonium and most succulent plants, African violets, primula, sempervivums. . You can start harvesting a few baby leaves in as little as a month or so, once the plants are growing well and are 8–10cm (3–4in) tall.

With cut-and-come again harvesting, you pick just a few outer leaves from each plant, so it continues to grow, providing several small harvests. You may get up to five pickings from a plant before it starts flowering. Alternatively, you can harvest the whole rosette, using a sharp knife or scissors, after six to eight weeks. If you cut about 5cm (2in) above ground level, the plants should re-sprout.

The young leaves have a mild, slightly mustardy flavour and are best eaten raw, adding diversity and texture to salads. Mizuna leaves, with their feathery or lacy appearance, are particularly decorative. Larger leaves have a stronger flavour and more robust texture, so are best lightly cooked – either steamed or stir-fried. The buds

A bud is a small, undeveloped shoot that contains the potential for new growth. Buds are typically found on stems, where they can be apical (found at the tip) or axillary (found between leaf axils) and may develop into leaves, shoots or flowers. and flowers are edible too, either raw in salads or cooked in a similar way to the leaves.

Oriental greens are tough and vigorous plants that are relatively trouble free. Plants are, however, prone to flowering prematurely ( bolting

When a vegetable plant starts flowering and forming seeds, often prematurely, making the crop unusable – salad leaves may turn bitter and root crops fail to swell. Adverse weather or changes in day length can cause bolting in a wide range of vegetables, including lettuces, onions , carrots and otheer root crops. ) in hot, dry weather. To help them crop for longer, keep the soil or compost

Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost: • Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own. moist, apply mulch

Mulch is a layer of material, at least 5cm (2in) thick, applied to the soil surface in late autumn to late winter (Nov-Feb). It is used to provide frost protection, improve plant growth by adding nutrients or increasing organic matter content, reducing water loss from the soil, for decorative purposes and suppressing weeds. Examples include well-rotted garden compost and manure, chipped bark, gravel, grit and slate chippings. and sow in light shade in summer. Or, simply sow small batches regularly and remove plants once they begin to flower. Protect seedlings

A seedling is a young plant grown from seed. and young plants from slugs and snails. Flea beetles may make tiny holes in the leaves, but this is only cosmetic damage and a covering of insect proof mesh should prevent it if you wish. For more tips on tackling these and other issues, see Common problems, below.

Common Problems

Bolting in vegetables

Bolting is the term applied to vegetable crops when they prematurely run to seed, usually making them unusable. A cold spell or changes in day length...

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Cabbage caterpillars

Cabbages and other brassicas are a food source for the caterpillars of several species of moth and butterfly.

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Flea beetles on brassicas and allied plants

Some species of flea beetle feed on the leaves of all brassicas and related plants, including rocket, radish, swede, turnip and wallflowers. The resul...

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Pigeons

Pigeons can peck at leaves, tearing them, often just leaving the stalks and larger leaf veins behind. Pigeons will feed on many plants, lilac, brassic...

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Slugs and snails

Slugs and snails are common garden animals, and they are well suited to the damp, mild climate of the UK. A few species feed on garden plants, but mos...

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