Early Mibuna, MUSTARD SEEDS, Chinese Cabbage ,Asian Vegetable Mibuna

• Detailed Mibuna Chinese Cabbage Info: Brassica rapa var. japonica. Also known as Mibuna, Mibu Greens ‘Mibu.’ Biennial. 30 days. 12,200 seeds per oz. 6-18″ height. 18-24″ spacing. Produces slender, spoon shaped green leaves with a long stem.
• USDA Zones: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
• This variety is cold tolerant.
• This unusual Japanese green requires very little preparation. Plants grow to about one foot tall and produce tight clusters of long, narrow, rounded dark green leaves. Enjoy its light mustard flavor in a salad or as a side dish green, lightly cooked and seasoned. The leaves are also excellent for pickling.

This traditional (heirloom) Japanese green vegetable, dento yasai, is cultivated in Mibu, Kyoto prefecture. An early open pollinated variety, this vigorous grower produces a dense cluster of long, narrow, rounded, dark green leaves. The delicious leaves have a mild mustard flavor. Cut for baby leaves as early as 21 days. 
About Mibuna Chinese Cabbage: Chinese cabbage dates back to the 15th century in China, when a pharmacologist of the Ming Dynasty considered it nutritionally beneficial. Later it became the main ingredient in kim chi, the national dish of Korea; Japanese soldiers also discovered Chinese cabbage and took it home with them after the war. Americans became familiar with this vegetable in the late 19th century.
Germination:
Mibuna Chinese Cabbage Germination: Prepare the soil with compost or organic matter; Chinese cabbage prefers full sun or partial shade, and grow best in temperatures from 45-75 F (7-24 C). Direct seeding works best, about 4-6 weeks before the last average spring frost date. Plant seeds about 1/2″ deep and 12″ apart in rows about 12″ apart; germination should take place in about 10 days. For a fall crop, direct sow in July.
Growing
Growing Mibuna Chinese Cabbage Seeds: Keep the soil evenly moist for the healthiest growth. If the sun gets too hot, Chinese cabbage tends to “bolt” or go to seed; in long periods of heat, some kind of shade may be helpful.
Harvesting
Harvesting Mibuna Chinese Cabbage: Single leaves or the entire plant may be harvested, as soon as 21 days at the tender baby leaf stage, or when a fully mature loose head at 40 days.
Saving Seeds
Saving Mibuna Chinese Cabbage Seeds: In areas where the ground freezes over winter, it will be necessary to dig up the plant before the first heavy frost; cut off the top to 3″ and store the roots in sand or sawdust over winter, and plant them again in the spring. In warmer climates, cover the plant thickly with mulch over winter. In the spring, allow the plant to flower and go to seed. When the long green pods turn brown, pick them individually. Pour boiling water over the seeds to kill any bacteria that may have formed, them let them completely dry. Remove the pods and store the seeds in a cool, dry place.