Schwarzer Senf

Season Overview

Description

Black mustard is one of the oldest spices in Central Europe and originated in the Mediterranean region. It is an annual herbaceous plant grown especially for the extraction of its pungent seeds, which have a digestive effect. The seeds, which must be removed from their shells and ground to be processed into food mustard, are different colors and can be dark brown, gray or black in color. Mustard seeds are used in Indian cuisine for curries, where they are mainly used roasted in oil to produce a typical nutty aroma. The resulting oil is also used in culinary applications. The use of this plant as a spice and for mustard production has become increasingly rare since the mid-20th century in the wake of mechanical harvesting, as other varieties are better suited to efficient processing and are milder and more tolerable.

Growing tips

The plant is quite easy to care for and thrives in a wide variety of soils, but especially well in calcareous subsoils. Sowing in mild temperatures in the spring directly into the open ground. Mustard grows very quickly and can reach a height of 150cm, but harvesting of the seeds can be expected only in early autumn. The seed is also characterized by an extremely long germination capacity of several decades - in some places it is reported that it still germinated after 40 years of storage.

Details

Seeding distance

20 cm

Row spacing

20 cm

Seeding depth

0 cm