I had decided to grow some mustard greens this winter. A friend shared that she had done that last year, and it was great to harvest greens and then the seeds once the plants bolted and flowered.
However, I forgot to sow the seeds in January, and it was only in the first week of March that I finally got down to doing it. The seeds sprout quickly, and if you soak them for 3-4 hours prior to sowing, it speeds up the process.
The seedlings were fast to adapt and grow. The leaves had a pretty scalloped edge and were growing quickly.
March was a lot warmer this year than it usually is, and the plant bolted almost as soon as it was a foot high. I didn't get a chance to harvest the greens at all.
Maybe I should have picked a few leaves to check out the flavor. I remember reading that they lose flavor once they flower.
The yellow flowers added great color to that corner of the yard.
Older flowers quickly turn into pods with seeds growing inside.
A visiting bug found the flowers inviting, and helped with pollination.
The pods will dry in a few days, and I can harvest a few seeds. I hope to start the process earlier in January next year.
Adding an update- When the pods were dry, I harvested the seeds. It was a therapeutic exercise.
