How to grow mizuna in a raised bed

Mizuna is a feathery Japanese salad green with a gentle mustard tang — fast, pretty and generous, giving cut-and-come-again leaves for weeks from a single sowing.

Quick facts

• Position: full sun to part shade
• Spacing: 20 cm apart
• Tub depth: our 23 cm depth
• Time to harvest: 5–7 weeks

When should I plant mizuna?

Mizuna grows best in the cool but is more heat-tolerant than most Asian greens — sow autumn through spring, and a short row every few weeks. Our free garden calendar shows the right months for your postcode.

• Subtropical (Brisbane & SEQ): February to September
• Temperate (Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth): February to May and August to November
• Cool & mountain (Tasmania, Canberra, highlands): September to March
• Tropical (Cairns, Darwin): April to August
• Arid inland: March to August

How do I grow mizuna in a raised bed?

Sow directly into moist, rich mix. Pick the outer leaves and it keeps producing. A brassica, so netting helps — though its speed usually wins.

How often should I water and feed mizuna?

Keep the mix evenly moist for tender, mild leaves.

What pests attack mizuna?

Keep an eye out for caterpillars, aphids and slugs and snails. Most are easily managed — see our safe pest guide.

What diseases affect mizuna?

The main one is downy mildew, usually from damp, crowded conditions. Good airflow and morning watering prevent most.

What grows well with mizuna?

A tidy, productive salad green among other quick crops. See our companion planting guide.

When do I harvest mizuna?

Harvest outer leaves young, or cut the whole plant a few centimetres above the base and it'll reshoot. Use fresh.

More growing guides: tatsoi, broccolini and mustard greens.

Plan your patch: our free garden calendar shows what to plant now where you live. Ready to grow? Browse our raised garden beds or build your own with the garden bed builder.

Image: Kingfiser, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.