leafy · direct sow
Mustard Greens: how much to plant.
A family of 4 eating mustard greens a few times a week needs about 5 plants in ~4 sq ft, worth about $12 a year at the store. Here are the exact numbers for your household, and when to plant in every zone.
How much to plant
Plants, space, seeds, and value.
Counts assume about 3 servings per person per week with a germination buffer built in. Store value uses ~$3.00/lb retail, an estimate that varies by region and season.
| Household | Plants | Bed space | Seeds to buy | Store value / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | 2 | ~2 sq ft | ~4 | ~$5 |
| 2 people | 3 | ~3 sq ft | ~6 | ~$7 |
| 4 people | 5 | ~4 sq ft | ~9 | ~$12 |
| 6 people | 7 | ~6 sq ft | ~13 | ~$17 |
Spacing
6" in row · 18" between rows
Sow depth
0.5"
Days to harvest
45 from seed
When to plant
Sow windows by USDA zone, 2026.
Zone dates are typical, not exact. The free planner uses your ZIP code's frost dates, not just the zone, and shifts every window to match.
| Zone | Spring sow window | Fall sow window |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | Apr 7 – May 10 | Jun 20 – Aug 1 |
| Zone 4 | Apr 2 – May 5 | Jun 30 – Aug 11 |
| Zone 5 | Mar 23 – Apr 25 | Jul 10 – Aug 21 |
| Zone 6 | Mar 13 – Apr 15 | Jul 20 – Aug 31 |
| Zone 7 | Feb 26 – Mar 31 | Jul 30 – Sep 10 |
| Zone 8 | Feb 15 – Mar 20 | Aug 20 – Oct 1 |
| Zone 9 | Jan 13 – Feb 15 | Sep 9 – Oct 21 |
| Zone 10 | Dec 24 – Jan 26 | Sep 19 – Oct 31 |
Know when it's time to plant
Give us your ZIP and we'll email you a planting checklist for your exact frost dates, this month's list right now, then once a month when sow windows open.
One email a month, only when there's something to plant. Unsubscribe anytime.
Know before you grow
The practical stuff.
Ready to pick when
Leaves 4 to 6 inches for salads, 8 to 10 for cooking, while deep green and crisp.
Don't wait: Bolting turns them fiery and tough, harvest hard at the first sign of a stalk.
Yield
About 0.8 bunchs per plant over ~1 productive weeks (~0.8 lb). Re-sow every ~21 days for a steady supply instead of one glut.
Watch for
Cabbage worms & loopers · Aphids · Flea beetles · Black rot · Cabbage root maggot, the pest guide covers organic fixes for each, and Pest Radar shows what gardeners near you are reporting right now.
On the plate (per 100 g, USDA)
27 kcal · 3.2 g fiber · 70 mg vitamin C · 384 mg potassium
Stop guessing. Get your exact numbers.
Tell the free planner what you want to eat and who you're feeding. It returns plant counts, spacing, and frost-safe sow dates for your ZIP code, not just your zone, in about 60 seconds.
Mustard Greens planting questions
How many mustard greens plants do I need per person?+
For steady eating (about 3 servings a week), plan on roughly 2 plants per person. A family of 4 needs about 5 plants, which takes around 4 sq ft of bed space.
How much space does mustard greens need?+
Space plants 6" apart in the row with 18" between rows. Sow 0.5" deep. Direct sow in the bed.
When should I plant mustard greens?+
It depends on your frost dates. Spring sowing is keyed to your last spring frost. It also has a fall window keyed to your first fall frost. The zone table on this page shows typical windows; enter your ZIP in the free planner for dates tuned to your exact location, not just your zone.
Is growing mustard greens worth it?+
At about $3.00/lb retail and ~0.8 lb per plant, a family-of-4 planting is worth about $12 a year at the store. Prices vary by region and season, so treat it as an estimate.