Schwarzer Senf

created by steffen a. at 14.01.2022

Season Overview

Sowing

Harvest

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.

Non hybrid

Frostproof

Growing tips

The plant is very easy to care for and thrives in a wide variety of soils, but is particularly good in calcareous soils. Sow directly outdoors in spring in mild temperatures. Mustard grows very quickly and can reach a height of up to 150 cm, but the seeds can only be expected to be harvested in early fall. The seed is also characterized by an extremely long germination period of several decades - in some cases it is reported that it still germinates after 40 years of storage.