Growing Mizuna and Mibuna at the Allotment

Mizuna and Mibuna are Japanese salad leaf vegetables in the Brassica family. They grow similarly to Pak Choi and Chinese Cabbage and can be eaten fresh in salads or lightly cooked.

Mizuna and Mibuna are easy to grow, giving you a harvest all year round with continual sowing. While a staple in oriental cuisine, it has increasingly become popular in western salads because of its mildly spicy flavour and a slight bitter undertone (similar to mustard greens). As cut-and-come-again crops, they’re grown not only for their fresh flavours but are a rich source of vitamins (A, C and K), calcium, iron and folate.

Are you interested in learning how to grow Mizuna and Mibuna? This guide covers everything you need to know about growing Mizuna and Mibuna in the UK allotments, from the right time to plant to growing tips and harvesting best practices.

How to Grow Mizuna and Mibuna

Many first-time growers get confused when trying to grow Mizuna and Mibuna because of their nearly identical names. Here is how to tell them apart:

Mizuna: The leaves look like a fern or feather with fine cuts, and the colour is generally dark/light green and sometimes even red/purple. The leaves are tender and succulent, with a more delicate, peppery taste. It is ideal for salads and stir-fries.
Mibuna: The leaves are simpler, elongated, and have a glossier, green colour. It has a harder, more fibrous texture and a stronger, mustardier, bitterer taste. It is more suited for pickling and cooking in soups.

mibuna japanese greens brassica rapa var japonica

When to Plant Mizuna and Mibuna

It is very easy to grow Mizuna and Mibuna because of their almost year-long season. You can sow Mizuna and Mibuna indoors from February onwards, or sow directly in moist soil from March onwards. They should be protected or planted out when the weather has warmed up - too cold, and they can bolt, too hot, and they will wilt quickly. Harden your plants off before planting permanently.

Mizuna and Mibuna can be planted in containers and in the ground. A staggered sowing will provide a continuous crop. Autumn and winter plants will require protection with cloches or fleece to grow or be moved indoors in a polytunnel or greenhouse.

Tips for Growing Mizuna and Mibuna

Mizuna and Mibuna both prefer damp soil. Keep watering regularly in dry spells and keep them weed-free. You can add mulch to retain moisture, too.
As a fast-growing crop, they can be planted between slower-growing crops like parsnips and potatoes.
The seeds usually germinate within a week, and the seedlings need to be kept in a warm, damp and bright area until they are transplanted in a few weeks’ time.
The seedlings require thinning depending on the size of the harvest. For small leaves, keep a 4-6-inch gap; for medium-sized leaves, an 8-inch gap is enough; for a mature harvest, maintain a 12-16-inch gap.
You can grow Mizuna and Mibuna in a container containing peat-free compost.
Once the flower heads begin to form, they can be removed to encourage the leaves to re-grow, which is a cut-and-come-again type of growth. You can pick leaves regularly or wait and lift whole heads.
Keeping the soil moist and providing shade during hot days can also delay flowering.
Bear in mind the usual pests associated with brassicas, such as slugs and snails.

How to Harvest Mizuna and Mibuna

When growing Mizuna and Mibuna in the UK, the small leaves are ready to harvest a month after sowing. If you let the plants mature, you can harvest the entire rosette in 6-8 weeks. Cutting 2 inches above the ground allows the plant to resprout.

Wondering when to pick Mizuna and Mibuna? As a cut-and-come-again crop, you can get multiple harvests from a single plant.

Mizuna and Mibuna have a mild mustard-like flavour and are a tasty addition to a mixed salad. More mature leaves can be used, lightly cooked or stir-fried. You can also consume the buds and flowers of the plant.

Growing Mizuna and Mibuna in Summary

Sowing Mizuna and Mibuna

Sow early indoors or outside late March onwards
Can be sown in containers and directly
Sow in moist soil