'Mizuna' has been cultivated in Japan since ancient times. Mizuna was successfully grown in the International Space Station in 2019. It grows in hardiness zones 4 to 9, prefers full sun or partial shade, well-drained soil, and has
'Mizuna' has been cultivated in Japan since ancient times. Mizuna was successfully grown in the International Space Station in 2019. It grows in hardiness zones 4 to 9, prefers full sun or partial shade, well-drained soil, and has a pH of 6.5-7.0. It can be grown as a microgreen, or for its leaves with a 20cm spacing.
The mizuna is native to the maritime areas of northern China, Korea, and Japan. It is also one of the plants called "Kyo-Yasai", those whose excellent flavor explained that they were traditionally cultivated for the emperor in the former imperial city, around Kyoto. Mizuna, introduced after World War II in the United States and then in Europe, quickly established itself there.
It is a hardy, biennial plant. It offers a yellow flowering (small flowers with 4 petals like all those of the representatives of the Brassicaceae family) the year following that of its sowing. In the first year, the mizuna develops a dense rosette, 15 to 25 cm high, with numerous elongated, finely cut, light green leaves. This cabbage can evoke both curly chicory and a tuft of dandelion. The foliage of the mizuna is crunchy and has a slightly peppery flavor. This certainly explains the nickname "Japanese mustard" which sometimes designates this cabbage.
Culinary uses of mizuna Mizuna is of course used in salads or, finely chopped, it can be quickly returned to a wok or slipped into soups and stews.
For example, sliced leaves can be quickly pan-fried and served with shrimp and pasta. To test: sprinkle the dish with coconut milk, sprinkle it with roasted peanuts.
Mizuna can also be cooked in poultry or beef broth. Or be prepared as a pesto as you do with arugula.
Mizuna is the basis of a popular Kyoto culinary specialty: Japanese duck and mizuna fondue.
Another “Kyo Yasai” vegetable, komatsuna is widely consumed in Japanese restaurants and in Korean cuisine. It is traditionally prepared there in namuru: a sauce made from sesame oil and kochujan (a slightly sweet and fermented chili paste).
Mizuna sowing
Mizuna is undemanding: if it prefers soils that remain cool but well-drained, it can grow in any good garden soil. Choose a sunny location.
Hardy (it resists temperatures down to -12 ° C), it is however sensitive to heat which can cause its rise to seeds prematurely. Also, although it can be sown in place as early as May, prefer to grow it in late summer (late August) for a winter harvest.
Mizuna is sown in open ground nurseries or in place. The plants are thinned and transplanted when they have 4 leaves, spacing them 20 cm.
Rustic, healthy, and vigorous, this vegetable requires almost no maintenance: neither fertilization nor treatment. Grown in autumn and winter, it also does not require watering. You just have to take care to protect your rosettes under a wintering sail if the outside temperatures become very low and persist for several days.
Mizuna can be harvested 6 weeks after sowing.
Common name: Mizuna Latin name: Brassica rapa var japonica Family: Brassicaceae Vegetation: Biennial Mature height: 0.15 to 0.30 m Soil type: Clayey soil Limestone soil Sandy soil Humus
<h2 class=""><strong>Velvet raisin, wild currant, seeds (Grewia flava)</strong></h2>
<h2><span style="color: #ff0000;"><strong>Price is for a package of 10 seeds.</strong></span></h2>
<div>Grewia flava is a hardy shrub or small tree, 2–4 m tall. The grey bark on the young branches, which is usually covered with thick-growing but quite short hairs, tends to turn dark grey and becomes smooth the older the tree gets; this is also noticeable on the stems. The greyish-green leaves are alternately arranged and are covered in fine hairs and it appears to be a lighter shade of green on the underside of the leaves. The apex (tip of the leaves) is rounded, whereas the margin is serrated. Three conspicuous veins from the leaf base are characteristic of this tree; a 2 mm long leaf stalk is also very noticeable.</div>
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<div>The flowers appear in branched heads from early summer until mid-autumn (October to March) and are about 10–15 mm in diameter.</div>
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<div>The 2-lobed fruit is ± 8 mm in diameter, green, turning reddish-brown when ripe. The sapwood appears to be light and the hardwood is brown, with a fine texture.</div>
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<div>The leaves and fruits are enjoyed by domestic stock, as well as wild animals such as Kudu and Giraffe and a large variety of birds.</div>
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<h3><strong>Uses</strong></h3>
<div>The bark of the brandybush was often used to manufacture rope. The fruits are still used to enhance a kind of brandy or ‘mampoer’. The sweet vitamin C-enriched fruit can be enjoyed on its own as well. Traditionally porridge was prepared from the dried fruit after processing it into flour. The wood is hard and fine-grained and is used for sticks. Earlier hunters, like the San community, used to make their bows and arrows from the branches of this plant.</div>
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<h3><strong>Growing Grewia flava</strong></h3>
<div>This plant will grow best in well-drained soil and in a full sun position. It is quite safe to be planted near paved areas in the domestic garden, seeing that it does not have an aggressive root system. Because of the abundance of flowers, it can be successfully used as a focal point in the garden.</div>
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<div>The plant is quite hardy and can withstand frost. Over-watering should be avoided when the plant is established.</div>
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<div>The best propagation method is by seeds. Select fresh seeds, clean them and dry them in a well-ventilated shady area. Soak the seeds in water for at least 24 hours, the initial water must be hot water. Sow the seeds in seedling trays and cover it about 5 mm deep; use only river sand as the growth medium. Place the trays in a warm sheltered area. Do not let the growing medium dry out. A constant moisture level needs to be maintained for successful germination. The germination of the seeds is usually inconsistent, a success rate of about 50–70 % has been observed. Seedlings can be planted out into containers when they reach the 2-leaf stage.</div>