What can you eat from the mustard plant? Mustard is a plant for green manure: beneficial properties, whether it is necessary to care for it, methods of use. Benefits for the body

Leaf mustard is an annual vegetable. Young leaves used for food have a pleasant bitterness and are also a storehouse of macro and microelements, as well as a number of essential vitamins. Since these leaves grow in garden beds in the spring, adding them to green salads helps the body cope with vitamin deficiency. All the beneficial properties of this plant and the use of mustard leaves will be discussed below.

Origin

The homeland of mustard is Asia

Name

Mustard, or Sinapis, is a genus of plants in the Brassicaceae family.

The genus name Sinapis comes from the Greek. σίνος (sinos) - “harm” and ὄψις (opsis) - “sight”, since when the seeds are rubbed with water, essential mustard oil is released, which causes lacrimation.

Description

Leaf (or salad) mustard is a spicy annual leafy plant belonging to the Cruciferous family. This annual can be immediately noticed in the garden thanks to its large soft green leaves, the shape of which can be different. All foliage is covered with fine pile, and the edges of a number of varieties are wavy. The height of mustard is 0.3 m, and for Japanese species it is 0.5 - 0.6 m. A photo of the plant (leaf mustard) can be seen below.

The country where this plant appeared is China. And from this state, over time, mustard began to spread throughout the world. In the national cuisines of Asian countries such as Japan, India and China, salad mustard is used very widely as a separate dish, as well as as an additive to salads and many national dishes.

In our country, unfortunately, mustard foliage is not yet used as widely as it should be.

How to grow this annual

Leaf mustard is also successfully grown in our country. It should be planted in loose soil; it is in such soil that it grows well. It is unpretentious to different types of soil. The best predecessors for this plant:

1. peas and other legumes;
2. potato;
3. tomatoes;
4. cucumbers

This annual plant is planted with seeds, which are planted both in greenhouses and in beds in open ground. Seed material is sown immediately after massive snow melting; this annual can also be planted before winter. The seeding depth is 1.2 - 1.5 cm. In the spring, before the first seedlings appear, it is better to cover the beds with transparent polyethylene.

The best varieties for planting in the middle zone and central regions of our country are Salatnaya-54, Volnushka.

The first seedlings appear within 2.5 - 3 weeks after planting, and the seeds germinate even at air temperatures below +5⸰С.

Caring for this garden plant is very simple - you need to water it in a timely manner, loosen and weed the beds, and also feed it with fertilizers. Although mustard can easily tolerate short periods of drought, it is still better to water it as the soil dries out in order to get a large harvest of juicy, fleshy leaves.

Harvesting should be done after the seed material has ripened. Seeds should be collected by carefully beating the testes. The foliage is thoroughly washed, placed in plastic bags and stored in the refrigerator. The collected seeds should be dried in the shade in a well-ventilated place and stored in a tightly sealed glass container.

At home, such a plant is grown extremely rarely. Although you can grow salad mustard at home, and its beautiful wavy leaves will be a wonderful addition to the overall interior of the room. And besides, the opportunity to pick and eat leaves, which contain a lot of vitamins, without leaving your apartment, is a good incentive for growing mustard leaves at home.

Useful properties of mustard leaves

Thanks to the active substances contained in the mustard leaves, it is rightfully considered a natural cardioprotector. The following substances were found in the leaves:

• protein;
• folic acid;
• vitamins A, C, K, E;
• antioxidants;
• quercetin;
• kaempeferol;
• unsaturated omega-3 acid;
• glucosinolate;
• mustard oil;
• vegetable fiber.

Doctors have found that such a number of different substances have a positive effect on the cardiovascular system as a whole, strengthening the walls of blood vessels, increasing their elasticity, and removing “bad” cholesterol. By regularly eating the foliage of this plant, you can protect yourself from the development of heart disease.

Due to the sufficiently large amount of antioxidants in the foliage that suppress the development of cancer cells, it is an excellent preventative against the formation of cancer cells and malignant tumors in the body.

The mustard oil contained in this annual gives the leaves a pleasant bitter taste and corresponding aroma. This oil stimulates improved appetite and has a positive effect on the digestion process. Mustard leaves stimulate the production of gastric juice.

This product is distinguished by its low calorie content: 100 g contains only 26 kcal. Therefore, mustard leaves are recommended to be included in the diet for weight loss. It also improves intestinal motility and adds piquancy to salads.

The oil, which is obtained from the seeds of this annual, has bactericidal properties, strengthens the immune system, and prevents free radicals from penetrating cells. It also helps improve a person’s condition with hepatitis and other liver diseases.

Using salad mustard in cooking

Chefs use mustard leaves in the preparation of green salads, various appetizers, and as an addition to meat dishes. The beautiful appearance of the leaves allows them to be used to decorate various dishes before serving (in particular, salads or sandwiches). These leaves are sometimes used as a substitute for hot mustard.

Often, salad mustard leaves are doused with boiling water and added when preparing fish and meat dishes. These leaves are prepared for the winter - canning, pickling, or simply freezing.

The succulent leaves are used to make sauce or mayonnaise and are an excellent sandwich ingredient.

Possible contraindications

Eating this annual is not recommended for people with gallbladder or kidney diseases. Oxalants contained in the foliage negatively affect the well-being of patients with such diseases. These same substances interfere with the absorption of calcium, but this is not catastrophic for a person who does not have health problems.

Watch also the video

White mustard (Sinapis alba) - otherwise pepper or white pepper, an annual herbaceous plant 50-180 cm high. This is one of the few plants that earned the praise of the ancients, in particular Pythagoras and Avicenna. Its name is translated from ancient times as “luminous and joyful grass”, or as “dew of light”. It is a magical plant of Mars.
The mustard seed was believed to symbolize omniscience, and the herb contained “great and stimulating
lust power." Four types of mustard are used in the culture: white, gray, black and Abyssinian. The genus unites one and
perennial herbs from the cabbage family, i.e. cruciferous The name white mustard comes from its color
its flowers and its seeds are yellow. Therefore, as a synonym by name it is found as yellow mustard,
as well as English mustard (in the last century it was widely cultivated in European countries). Other types
mustards are less common - for example, black mustard has an extremely pungent taste,
reminiscent of horseradish.

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION

Young mustard leaves are rich in vitamins, calcium and iron salts, vitamin C, carotene,
vitamins of groups B and P, flavonoids, growth substances. The seeds contain steroids, including
cholesterol, saponins (6.5%), essential (0.4-1.5%) and fatty oil (28-35%), thioglycoside sinalbin, etc. The oil gives mustard a specific smell and pungent taste. It contains a lot of unsaturated fatty acids
and therefore it is very useful. The taste of mustard is determined by a special substance - the glycoside sinigrin. During processing
Add mustard powder to warm water and sinigrin, under the influence of the special enzymes in it (myrosine), breaks down into glucose, allyl mustard oil and potassium sulfate.
The flowers of a plant, and especially the pollen, as well as the seeds, contain a class of substances called
brassinosteroids (brassinolides). These are substances with extremely high biological activity
(up to 15 zeros after the decimal point!), identical in chemical structure to ecdysteroids. Both classes are new
substances in plants were first discovered by Japanese scientists: at the beginning, in 1966, ecdysteroids, and then brassinosteroids.

AREAS OF USE

White mustard is a spicy-flavoring plant, also used as an oilseed, medicinal, honey crop, and as green manure (green manure). Unlike other spices, it is known in every home. After extracting the oil from the seeds, the remaining cake
grind and the resulting powder is used to prepare table mustard, various seasonings and sauces,
it is added to mayonnaise. As a spicy seasoning for meat and fish dishes, it stimulates the appetite and enhances
secretion of gastric juice, increases the digestibility of food and thereby contributes to the normalization
digestion. Rosette leaves are eaten raw in salads, fresh and boiled - as a side dish.
for fish and meat dishes. The seeds of all cultivated types of mustard are used whole as a spice in the food industry:
when canning vegetables, mushrooms, fish, as well as in preparing cabbage dishes, meat soups,
minced meat. Ground they are used in bakery, confectionery, soap, textile and
pharmaceutical industry. Possessing antibacterial properties, they are a good remedy
for preserving perishable products.
In medicine, mustard seeds are used as a medicinal substance (for making mustard plasters and themselves
on its own) mustard juice is squeezed from the tender stems. Mustard powder is used as a remedy
protection against garden pests. It was previously used in households as a detergent.
dishes, especially those stained with grease.
The physiological activity of the active substances - brassinosteroids - manifests itself primarily in
in relation to other plants, which allows them to be used as phytohormones. Depending on the dose, the effect can be inhibitory (allelopathic effect), or stimulating the growth and development of other species growing together (stubble).
The use of ecdysteroids and brassinosteroids today is associated with the real implementation of the most fantastic
projects of humanity - to learn to manage the activities of various living beings, including transgenic
organisms (plants, animals, insects). The point here is the possibility of targeted
switching of certain genes responsible for one or another area of ​​activity of the body, or for the biochemical processes occurring in it, according to the on-off principle. In practical terms this
will allow a person to get rid of many incurable diseases, as well as switch from chemical
to natural, environmentally friendly biological synthesis of many important substances.

MEDICINAL USE

Mustard is one of the most health-improving spices. The areas of medical use of mustard are varied, they can be divided into the following categories:

ethnoscience
scientific medicine
mustard plasters
homeopathy
veterinary medicine and animal husbandry
contraindications

Ethnoscience. Avicenna recommended making medicinal dressings for asthma from mustard, applying the leaves along with sulfur
on inflamed tumors, use externally in the treatment of trachoma, joint pain, inflammation
sciatic nerve. He also advised applying mustard bandages to the heads of patients who are
in lethargy, and use the juice of the grass for pain in the ears, drip on sore teeth. The ancients said that if you drink mustard on an empty stomach, it sharpens your intelligence.
In folk medicine, white mustard is used as an internal antidote for diseases.
gastrointestinal tract, stomach cancer, and respiratory diseases. She's wearing cosmetics
used to cleanse the skin of the face, it reduced bruises and bruises. In Rus' mustard was used
for scurvy, dropsy, shortness of breath, to excite “lust”, i.e. sexual activity.
Ancient herbalists recommended mixing 3 teaspoons of mustard powder for headaches.
with water into a thick mass, leave for 5 minutes, apply to a small piece of cloth and apply to the back at the base
heads for 5 minutes. For toothache, chew mustard seeds. Gargling was used for asthma,
sore throat, tongue paralysis. Seed oil was used for joint stiffness, tumors, urolithiasis
diseases. The seeds were considered a remedy against incipient consumption and were used by swallowing a pinch
3 times a day.
Powder and decoction of mustard seeds are taken orally for various types of malignant neoplasms.
localization. The decoction is prepared as follows: pour 1 teaspoon of seeds with 1 glass of boiling water, leave to boil
water bath for 30 minutes, cool at room temperature for 10 minutes, strain. Take 1 tablespoon
spoon 3-4 times a day before meals. Mustard powder in its pure form is taken no more than on the tip of a knife.
(0.3-0.5 g) 3-4 times a day.

Scientific medicine. Mustard seeds are official in Turkey and Venezuela. In China they prescribe
in powder form
irritating and distracting remedy for colds, neuralgia for resorption
infiltrates in chronic skin diseases, hypertension, bone tuberculosis.
Below is a list of groups
and specific names of diseases for which the use of white mustard in scientific medicine is allowed:

Diseases of the respiratory system - chronic bronchitis, acute respiratory diseases,
pneumonia.
Collagenosis - rheumatism.
Joint diseases - gouty arthritis (polyarthritis).
Diseases of the digestive system - constipation.
Infectious diseases - fever.
Diseases of the ear, nose and throat - runny nose.
Neuropsychiatric diseases - nervous excitement, sciatic nerve neuritis, hysteria.
Skin - freckles.
The most common properties in herbal medicine are emetic, improves appetite, improves digestion, and tonic.

Mustard plasters. To prepare mustard plasters at home, mustard powder is diluted with warm water.
to the consistency of a thick ointment. After 20-30 minutes, apply the mass in a thin layer onto a clean sheet of paper or cloth,
cover with a piece of gauze and apply to the body for 10-15 minutes. Dough applied to the surface of the body
mustard seeds or mustard plasters cause irritation of sensitive nerve endings, as a result of which
redness of the skin occurs, which is associated with a rush of blood to this area. Redistribution occurs
blood, helping to attenuate and reduce inflammatory processes in organs.
Previously, mustard plasters were applied to the calves or soles of the feet as a means of distraction during high
temperature, headache, rheumatism, gout. Some doctors added crushed garlic and horseradish to it.
Mustard plasters are used for bronchitis, pneumonia, pleurisy, myositis, neuritis, radiculitis,
rheumatism. Usually they are set for 15-20 minutes for adults and 5-7 minutes for children. To soften the irritant
actions are sometimes mixed with flour. To get rid of a runny nose, mustard plasters are applied to the heels,
They bandage it and put woolen socks on top. Hold for 1-2 hours, then give to the patient quickly
walk around Instead of mustard plasters, you can use a paste of ground seeds. After removing mustard plasters
The skin should be thoroughly cleaned with cotton wool moistened with warm water, then it is useful to lubricate it with Vaseline.
To distract severe headaches, patients with hypertension put mustard plasters on the neck,
angina pectoris - on the chest. Mustard powder is good to use to prevent colds.
diseases. After severe hypothermia, it is very useful to immerse your feet in a bucket or basin of warm water,
while adding 1-2 tablespoons of mustard powder. Foot baths are used for joint pain, severe
increased blood pressure.

Homeopathy. In homeopathy, the seeds are taken against hay fever, colds,
catarrh of the upper respiratory tract, hoarseness, and also against heartburn. They are recommended for gastritis
Take on an empty stomach with water. Start with 1 seed and increase the dose one at a time daily,
until they reach 20 then bring them back to 0 in the same sequence. Another recipe: to make your voice clear, take
mustard and pepper, crush finely, mix with unleavened honey and eat in the morning for a skinny heart.

Veterinary and animal husbandry. In veterinary medicine, the seeds are given orally to improve digestion in doses: horses
20-50 g for cattle 50-100 g for small cattle 5-10 g for pigs 2-5 g for dogs 1-2 g.
In livestock farming it is used as a supplement for all types of animals and birds. Energy value
dry matter at grain level. Unlike the latter, green mass contains 30-35% crude protein,
14-22% fiber, many vitamins and nutrients.

Contraindications: The use of mustard is contraindicated for pulmonary tuberculosis and inflammation
kidneys, pregnant women (have an abortifacient effect).

FOOD CONSUMPTION

Fresh mustard leaves have a delicate taste, they can be eaten as is, or mixed with vegetable salads,
serve with main courses. The leaves of the rosette of young plants are eaten. Greens are boiled, stewed and
Served as a side dish for fish and meat dishes. Mustard stimulates appetite and enhances secretion
gastric juice, effectively promotes digestion. Under its influence fatty and protein foods
processed faster in the stomach and digested well in the intestines. Mustard in older people
significantly improves metabolism and relieves constipation. Mustard seeds, having a delicate and piquant
taste, are used both whole and ground in cooking and canning preparations.

Table mustard is prepared as follows: mustard powder is thoroughly ground,
pour boiling water (2-3 tablespoons), stir well. Pour 1 cup of hot water into the resulting thick mass.
water and, without stirring, leave for a day. Then the excess water is carefully drained, salt, sugar,
vegetable oil, add vinegar, add cloves, cinnamon, pepper, mix thoroughly and give
stand for about 3 hours until the characteristic pungent taste and smell appear. Ingredients: mustard
powder - 50 g, sugar - 1 tbsp. spoon, vegetable oil - 2 tbsp. spoons, salt - on the tip of a knife,
3% vinegar - 2 tbsp. spoons.

Mustard dressing for salads is prepared as follows: mustard, salt, sugar, pepper and egg yolks
grind, dilute with vinegar and season with vegetable oil. Ingredients for 0.5 l of dressing: vegetable
butter - 2/3 cup, egg yolks - 2 pcs, table mustard - 2 tbsp. spoons, 3% vinegar - 300 g,
sugar - 2 teaspoons, salt - 1 teaspoon, ground pepper - 2-3 pinches.

INSECT PROTECTION

White mustard is an environmentally friendly insecticide against leaf-eating and sucking garden pests.
It is especially effective against aphids. To process 70-80 g of powder, stir with a little
amount of water, add up to 10 liters and spray. The solution must be used immediately, as
it loses toxicity over time. Mustard can be used in mixture with other plants - pine
and spruce needles, fern leaves, buttercup grass, etc.

CULTIVATION

Mustard is not picky about soil and climate. Propagated by seeds, does not require much heat for germination,
resistant to frost and drought. The reproduction rate is on average 1:200. It's precocious
and cold-resistant plant is suitable for cultivation in the northwestern regions of the country as one of the most
fast growing crops. To be used for food purposes, it is necessary to sow at several times,
at intervals of approximately 2-3 weeks. It is used to deoxidize and improve the soil in the form of green fertilizer (biomass is crushed and buried),
and also as a honey crop. Suppresses the growth and development of weeds, cleanses the soil of pathogens of agricultural crops.
Its sowing provides honey collection on days even with cold nights. Honey crystallizes and if left in the hives, it is not available for the bees to feed on during the winter.

Mustard is undemanding regarding soil type, but is responsive to fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizers.
Seeding rates are: 20-30 g/100 m2 in order to obtain
seeds and 50-80 g/m2 - for other purposes. Sowing time is the entire growing season. Seed placement depth
- from 2-3 to 4-5 cm, depending on the type of soil and the nature of moisture. The optimal density of seedlings is: 10-20 x 20 cm - for obtaining a green crop; 30 x 50 - for
obtaining seeds. In the latter case, the plants after reaching the stage of waxy ripeness of the seeds
are pulled out, dried on hangers and threshed.

Additional Information:

The use of mustard as green manure is given on the “Green fertilizer” page.
Additional beneficial properties of this and many other crops are described on the page “New Crops in Livestock.”

Top of page

Areas of application of white mustard and recipes

The use of white mustard in medicine has a long history. The grass seeds are rich in saponins, essential and fatty oils, steroids, etc. The use of mustard leaves became possible due to the fact that they contain calcium salts, vitamins, especially vitamin C, iron, carotene, and flavonoids.

White mustard is one of the most accessible medicines, so it is important to consider:

how to brew mustard at home, how to steam your feet, is it possible to steam your child’s feet, is it possible to use the medicine during pregnancy or while breastfeeding, is there an allergy to mustard.

The grains of the plant are used to extract oil, and the remaining cake is used to obtain powder. Mustard is used at home to treat various diseases, and also as a cosmetic remedy for age spots. Mustard leaves are eaten raw or boiled as a vitamin-containing product.

Mustard is one of the most accessible medicines

Indications Mustard Powder Bath

Many gourmets love the spicy taste of mustard sauce.

The plant, the photo of which is posted below, is not familiar to everyone.

But the powder from which table mustard is made is a product of processing the seeds of this particular plant.

Description and features

Sinapis or mustard is a genus of plants from the Brassica family. Sometimes plants that have this word in their names are considered mustard. For example, black mustard, also known as French or real mustard, belongs to the Cabbage genus.

The most famous and common types are:

• g. field or wild;
• g. white or English.

The life form of this crop is an annual herbaceous plant with rigid, straight shoots.

It is important to know: the height of the stems can be from 0.2 m to 1.0 m.

The lower leaves are pinnate, the upper leaves are lobed. The flowers are small yellow, collected in inflorescences - brushes. Blooms in June, blooms until August. Sinapis forms a fruit - a pod, about 3-4 cm long, covered with hard hairs on top. There are round seeds inside it.

How to grow mustard on the plot

Among all plants, mustard is extremely unpretentious. It can be sown in open ground immediately after the snow has melted and the soil has thawed to a shallow depth. Its seeds germinate if the soil warms up to + 1 degree. The seedlings can easily tolerate a drop in temperature to -5 - 7 degrees.

When sown in early spring, the plant uses all the moisture accumulated in the soil. During this time, the root system develops well and, during summer drought, receives moisture for the plant from a great depth. In addition, by the time the cabbage flea beetle appears, the shoots become rough and unattractive to this pest. For early germination, you can sow mustard before winter.

It is permissible to sow this crop after harvesting the main crops. The sowing time depends on the purposes for which the crop will be grown. Sinapis grows well on loamy and sandy soils, to which a sufficient amount of organic matter was added during the cultivation of the previous crop.

Note: if the site has sandy or swampy clay soils with high acidity, then it is better not to grow mustard in such areas.

The best precursors for this crop are legumes or rye. Before sowing, the soil must be cleared of plant debris and dug up to the depth of a shovel. Complex mineral fertilizers can be applied during digging. The top layer of the dug area needs to be loosened by walking along the bed with a rake. After this, you can start sowing.

Rules for planting and care

Sowing

If mustard is grown to produce tender salad greens, you need to sow it as follows:

• make grooves about 15 mm deep in the loosened soil;
• leave a distance of 15 cm between the grooves;
• place the seeds evenly in the grooves;
• cover them with soil with a layer of 0.5 - 1.0 cm.

In the case when the crop is sown as green manure, it can be sown randomly on the surface of the prepared soil, and then walked over the area with a rake.

Advice: if the seed consumption when sowing in rows is 100 - 120 g per hundred square meters, then with the second method the seeding rate is doubled.

Care

When the crop is sown for food use, the plantings are thinned out at the stage of two true leaves. Between neighboring plants you need to leave 5-8 cm. If this is not done on time, the mustard will form flowering shoots early and the leaves will become rough.

Further care consists of timely weeding, loosening and watering in the absence of precipitation.

The greens are harvested 25 - 35 days after germination. If the crop is grown as green manure, the greens are mowed before flowering and seed formation. This will prevent self-seeding and the crop turning into a weed.

How to grow on a windowsill

Currently, many varieties of salad mustard have been bred; they grow well not only in open beds, but also in pots. To grow fresh, healthy greens on the windowsill, you can choose the following varieties:

• freckle;
• prima;
• wave;
• ditty;
• Red hill.

You can use flower pots 20-30 cm deep or other suitable containers of the same size for growing. A universal soil is suitable for growing. You can take 0.5 kg of sand and peat per kg of soil and mix everything well.

A day before sowing, water the soil well. Seed the seeds to a depth of no more than 0.5 cm. Place the container on the window, cover with film, and on the seventh day shoots will begin to appear.

The seedlings need to be watered after 1-2 days, avoiding drying out and excessive waterlogging of the soil. You can harvest greenery as soon as the bushes reach the age of 25 days. The younger the leaves, the softer and more pleasant their taste.

Benefits and harms

Mustard is a spicy-flavoring plant. Its seeds contain not only healthy fatty acids, but also a set of essential amino acids, dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals.

In addition, they contain glycosides and enzymes. The benefit of seeds is that they are able to cleanse blood vessels, stimulate appetite and inhibit the growth of pathogenic microorganisms.

The green leaves of this plant are a rich source of vitamins A, C, and rutin. These substances maintain the elasticity of blood vessels and are an excellent remedy against vitamin deficiencies.

Mustard can have a positive effect on metabolism and “burn” fats.

Keep in mind: Mustard in any form should not be abused, as it contains glycosides, a large amount of which can negatively affect the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and heart rate.

People with kidney disease and pulmonary tuberculosis should avoid consuming mustard.

About application

In the food industry, oil is obtained from mustard seeds. After this, the pressed seeds are processed into mustard powder. A hot sauce is made from it, which is familiar to many as table mustard.

The seeds and leaves are used in cooking. The leaves are added to salads, green soups, the seeds are used in marinades, and they are added to meat and fish dishes, including minced meat.

Mustard powder is used for various colds. It is added to hot baths and mustard wraps are made.

Take note: If you do not follow the precautions when applying mustard plasters, you can severely burn your skin.

In agriculture, mustard is sown as a green manure crop; it enriches, loosens, and disinfects the soil. The cake left over from oil production is added in small quantities to feed for farm animals. White mustard is cut for green fodder. All types of this crop are excellent honey plants.

Reproduction

Mustard propagates by seeds. If you need to collect seed yourself, you should wait until the end of flowering. It takes about another five weeks for the seeds to ripen in the pods.

If you lightly shake a bush with ripening seeds, you can hear a light knock. It means that the seeds are ripe. The lack of characteristic tapping requires additional time for ripening.

When the seeds ripen, the plant itself also begins to turn yellow and dry out. Seed collection should be carried out in dry weather. If you leave the pods on the plant, then in the spring this crop will self-sow.

Gently mash the collected pods with a rolling pin, then put everything in a colander and sift out the seeds through it. After this, the seeds can be sown in the garden in the fall or stored in a dry place until spring.

It is important to know: one bush produces several hundred seeds, and from one square. meter you can collect 100 - 120 grams.

By sowing mustard on a plot, a vegetable grower can solve several problems at once, not only obtain healthy greens and seeds for food, but also improve the soil.

How to grow a mustard plant for salad greens, see the following video:

Typically, the plant is cultivated to obtain a food seasoning or a folk remedy against a variety of diseases. But mustard can also be used for the vegetable garden. Green manure is used to protect against infections and pests, and increases soil fertility. At the same time, planting and care in open ground differ from growing for food purposes.

Mustard as a fertilizer for the garden

The crop is used to increase fertility, improve soil structure, control weeds and attract bees to the site. Its composition has a beneficial effect on the beneficial microflora of the soil. White mustard is often used as green manure, but it is permissible to sow other varieties:

• sheet;
• black;
• nautical;
• Sarepta;
• field.

The choice of white is justified by the high frost resistance and unpretentiousness of the plant. The green mass enriches the soil with nitrogen and organic matter, the root system makes phosphates available to other crops, which is used in gardening and horticulture to improve the soil. Green manure clears the beds of late blight, scab, pathogens of putrefactive and fungal diseases, and allows you to quickly restore the fertility of the land.

Mustard, along with yeast, salt, and soda, is a natural fertilizer in the garden. The plant can be used not only in the form of greens, but also in finished powder. In this case, the crop acts as a protective agent against pests, and not as a fertilizer. Yellow mustard has white seeds, black mustard has brown seeds, but regardless of color, they can be used as green manure.

You need to dig up green spaces 2-3 weeks before planting the next crops. To speed up the process, the bed needs to be watered so that the plant mass rots faster.

What is green manure in agricultural technology?

This is the name for burying the above-ground parts of plants to enrich the soil at the dacha with nitrogen and organic components. In an area depleted from long-term cultivation of garden crops, inhabited by wireworms or slugs, green manure is sown. When growing enough green mass, the plants need to be mowed, plowed into the ground or moved to another place, and added to compost.

The use of such varieties in the garden can improve soil characteristics, get rid of weeds, and attract bees. The technique increases the buffering capacity, moisture capacity, and absorption volume of the soil. When growing green manure from mustard, a developed root system is formed, capable of extracting insoluble nutrients from deep layers, draining the soil structure.

Dense sowing of the crop and its ability to quickly germinate helps to kill weeds, which greatly simplifies the work of weeding and preserves nutrients in the soil. Mustard is a good honey plant, which has a beneficial effect on the fruiting of other vegetable and garden crops.

Benefits for plants

Improving the soil helps create favorable growing conditions for subsequent plantings. The number of pests and weeds is reduced, and the risk of contracting diseases is reduced. Mustard as a fertilizer enriches the soil with phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium, which are necessary for the growth and development of the above-ground parts and root systems of all kinds of plants. The accumulated organic matter is equal in value to applying manure to the beds.

The beneficial properties of this green manure appear only with timely incorporation into the ground. After flowering begins and the seed material ripens, the plants send all the nutrients to the inflorescences. In addition to its benefits, mustard will also cause harm in the garden if you do not follow the rules of crop rotation. It cannot be planted on the site before or after representatives of the Cruciferous family, since they have the same diseases and pests. After this green manure, cabbage (the cruciferous flea beetle affects both crops) and root vegetables cannot be planted, since in addition to beneficial nutrients, phytoncides accumulate in the soil, suppressing the growth and development of vegetables.

Timing for sowing crops as green manure

The plant can be planted from March to November, but as a fertilizer - in early spring or autumn. Growing white mustard as green manure allows you to prepare the soil for planting other crops in a short time. The seeds sprout quickly, greenery grows in sufficient quantities in 1-1.5 months.

Winter sowing is common to obtain spring feeding. It is more difficult to guess the timing here, since the sprouts appear very quickly.

In case of late planting, 2 weeks will be enough for the above-ground part to develop sufficiently to protect the soil from infections and pests. As a fertilizer, such shoots are of little value because they have accumulated an insufficient amount of nutrients.

in spring

Mustard can germinate at a temperature of +2 °C and survive short-term frosts at -5 °C. Despite this, it is recommended to start spring sowing after +10 °C has reached, and not after waiting for the snow to melt. The sun will warm the earth a little, return frosts are rare, and the nights are getting warmer.

When using the white variety as a fertilizer, spring planting should be done in March or April. Depending on the region, the dates may shift slightly. At the age of 20-35 days, mustard is like grass, soft and pliable, easily dug up without mowing.

in autumn

The benefits to the garden when planted at this time of year are due to the nutritional value, improved soil structure and the use of above-ground parts as mulch or as part of compost. In autumn, mustard is planted immediately after harvesting from previous crops. If there is no desire to mow the finished green manure and embed it in the ground, you should leave no more than 1-1.5 months until stable frosts. Over the winter, the shoots will begin to rot on the surface of the soil; in the spring, it will be enough to simply dig up the fertilized area. Mustard sown for the winter should not have time to germinate, so the seeds should be placed in prepared grooves when the soil freezes a little. Sprinkle 1.5 cm of loose soil on top and leave to winter.

How to sow mustard

To grow a crop to produce spices, you need to follow a certain planting pattern. When used as green manure, this is only required for the winter planting method, but the grooves for the seed material should be made close to each other. In other cases, you can simply scatter it on the ground and sprinkle it with a little earth.

How to properly sow mustard for fertilizer:

• clean the soil from plant residues of the previous crop, dig it up;
• water generously and wait until the water is completely absorbed;
• scatter the seeds over the soil surface, observing the sowing rate of white mustard per green manure – 2-3 g/m²;
• sprinkle with loose soil or dig with a rake to a depth of 0.5-2 cm.

It is not necessary to water if the soil is well moistened, but in dry soil the crop will take a long time to germinate, which will delay the next planting. When sowing mustard to fertilize the soil, you should not worry if some of the seed material remains on the surface. The plant is unpretentious, so special care is not required. In arid regions, it is advisable to water it occasionally.

When to mow mustard

The culture should develop in the prepared area for 1-1.5 months. At the beginning of flowering, it is easy to understand that it has grown and accumulated a sufficient amount of useful substances. While the plant is soft and grassy, ​​it can be plowed. If you are a little late with the work, the stems will harden and become stiff. Then you will have to mow the mustard plantings, chop them and only then dig them up.

In late autumn, it is permissible to leave branches no older than 1 month directly on the beds. If the plants are already large, you can mulch the ground with mowed mustard.

When sowing in winter, seedlings will appear on their own after the snow melts. You also need to leave them in the beds for 1-1.5 months. The following crops are allowed to be planted no earlier than 2-3 weeks after digging.

Mustard is widely used as a fertilizer due to its frost resistance, ability to create an optimal nutrient medium for the following plants, and unpretentiousness. Digging up plant residues enriches the soil with nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. Growing crops on the site replaces applying manure to the ground.

In the era of the famous scientist, physician and philosopher Avicenna, mustard was widely used to treat mumps, asthma, various tumors, as well as joint diseases.

The beneficial properties of mustard are still appreciated. It can be used as a seasoning, as well as a medicinal and cosmetic product.

All that remains is to find out whether mustard is actually good for health.

Classmates

The mustard plant has several varieties that you should get to know better.

White

White mustard Sinapis alba is an annual plant of the cruciferous family. Probably many have seen what this mustard looks like. The plant reaches seventy centimeters. It also has a lush mass of leaves that look like feathers.

It blooms from June to August, and profusely, while forming pods in which yellow seeds one and a half millimeters in size appear. There are ten to fifteen pieces in one pod.

Seeds usually ripen from July to September. They taste a little spicy. The seeds are suitable for preparing unique sauces and seasonings for marinades. In Mediterranean countries, young leaves of the plant are also collected. They are quite suitable for fresh consumption, as well as for salads.

White mustard

Dry powder

Dry mustard is obtained in this way: the oil is squeezed out of the seeds of the plant, and the final product is made from it. It has significant benefits and is used for cooking. Usually as spices. You can use it to make sauces, hot and mild mustard.

The powder is added to tomato and cucumber preparations. It is used to salt or smoke mackerel and prepare dried meat.

If the seeds are not processed, then the powder that was obtained from them is suitable for preparing various aromatic seasonings. It could be curry. The main thing is to add this product with caution. One tablespoon should contain 17 g of powder.

The powder is also used as a medicinal and cosmetic product. In gardening, this product is used to spray plants to get rid of pests and is used as a soil fertilizer. The product is sold in any pharmacy, as well as in the market where spices are sold.

Black

Black mustard or French mustard (Brássica nígra) is an annual plant from the Brassica family. It is grown in Europe, Africa, India, China and Asia. In Russia it is not so popular and grows like a weed. The plant can be seen near rivers, near trash cans.

Blooms from June to September. The seeds appear in August. Their size, when compared with white mustard, is slightly smaller, and their color is brown. Very often, this type of mustard is sown as a honey plant. More honey is obtained from it than from Sarep and English.

The oil obtained from this plant can be used for cooking. They also make soap from it. As for medicine, but in this case mustard plasters are made.

Black mustard

Cereal

Grain mustard is a seasoning that is obtained from the seeds of whole grains of the plant. They are brown. This seasoning has a rich aroma and pungent taste. The most popular in this form is French Dijon mustard.

If you choose grains, it is better not just brown, but colored ones, with small black dots. A brown tint indicates the presence of artificial flavors. Natural spices (cloves, bay leaves, cardamom, nutmeg, etc.) are absent. Among other things, the product must not contain essential oil.

In most cases, grainy mustard is used to prepare marinades (usually for twisting vegetables), sauces and dressings. Such sauces are suitable for vegetable salads. This product is also suitable for cooking chicken or pork.

They also make delicious sandwiches with grain mustard. To do this you need:

1. Grease the surface of the bread with the product.
2. Then place a piece of herring on top.
3. The sandwich is ready.

Mustard beans can be used to make mashed potatoes and soufflés.

Lettuce or leaf (green)

Leaf mustard has large leaves that are covered with hairs. Usually the plant reaches a height of about thirty centimeters; as for Japanese varieties, it can be sixty. Salad mustard originally appeared in China. Today it is popular in Japan, as well as India.

The plant is used for preparing salads, meat and various snacks. In Italy, mustard is added to pasta; Americans like to put the leaves in steaks. This product tastes a little like horseradish.

The leaves can be eaten fresh or added to salads. They are also suitable for preparing meat and fish dishes. You can also pickle green mustard or preserve it.

Salad mustard

This salad is prepared from green mustard:

1. Fresh leaves of the plant (two hundred grams) are scalded with boiling water.
2. Then they are cut.
3. Dressed with mayonnaise.
4. To season, add the following ingredients to a small amount of water: black pepper, vinegar, onion, spoon and bay leaf.
5. All this is boiling.
6. The dressing is then added to the salad.

You can make delicious sandwiches:

1. Thinly slice the bread.
2. Fry it a little.
3. Brush the surface of the bread with butter.
4. Add mustard leaves, tomato and cucumber slices, a boiled egg, a little parsley, .
5. Meat lovers add slices of sausage or bacon.

What is table mustard made from?

It will be important to find out what mustard is made from. The product is obtained by processing the grains of this plant. Special components are also added: water, salt, sugar, vegetable oil, apple or lemon juice, as well as various food additives. The end result is a sauce-like consistency.

The grains can be whole, but in this case they have the sharpest taste. This seasoning is suitable for roasting meat. Thanks to mustard, the meat is covered with a thick crust and becomes soft and juicy.

The seeds are also crushed. Powdered mustard is best suited as a sauce. Usually Russians like to make it spicy, but as for Europeans, they prefer the product to have a weaker taste.

Benefits for the body

The benefits of mustard for the human body are quite understandable. The plant has the following properties:

• antifungal;
• anti-inflammatory;
• antimicrobial;
• antioxidant;
• laxatives.

When a cold begins, it is very useful to consume mustard, which will actively fight the infection. It is also indispensable for laryngitis and simple coughs. Thanks to this remedy, blood circulation throughout the body increases.

Another benefit of mustard for the human body is that it has a beneficial effect on the nervous system. Those people who consume this product have a good appetite. However, this does not interfere with the stable normalization of metabolism.

Possible harm from consumption

However, mustard brings not only benefits, but also harm to health. There are also colossal harms of mustard. This product should not be used by people who suffer from:

• inflammatory kidney diseases;
• tuberculosis.

Excessive consumption of this product leads to a burning sensation in the mouth and excessive drooling. Another plant, as well as the powder and seeds themselves, often cause anaphylactic shock. Knowing the benefits of mustard for the body, as well as the harm, you can avoid many unpleasant consequences.

What are the benefits of wraps with and without honey?

Wraps with honey and mustard are an effective way to combat cellulite. Mustard breaks down fats, and honey helps improve the metabolic process. Together, these components work even better. The orange peel disappears over time. This procedure also helps:

• remove stretch marks;
• strengthen the immune system;
• rid the tissues of the liquid that has stagnated there;
• remove the coarsened layer of the epidermis.

After the wraps, the skin becomes surprisingly smooth and fresh. However, it is worth considering that this can only happen if the so-called crust has just formed and has not had time to grow properly. When there is a lot of cellulite, not all the bumps will be smoothed out, and most of them will remain.

Mustard wrap can be done without using honey. Since mustard as an independent component can benefit the skin, there will also be results. During the course, it is best to drink plenty of liquid. The main thing is that it is not alcohol or carbonated drinks.

Wraps are recommended for people who want to get rid of extra pounds. Thus, unnecessary water and fat deposits leave the body. Do not forget that in this case you will need to adhere to a diet and do gymnastics, otherwise there is no point in talking about any results. For prevention, a course of wraps is done once every three or four months.

Wraps must be carried out regularly and strictly according to the recipe. We must remember that mustard is spicy and does not spare the skin, so if the procedure is not followed, you can get a burn. As for weight correction, in this case you can lose no more than five kilograms during the entire course.

Soaring feet

It is also useful to do water treatments for your feet using mustard.

What helps and why?

Those people who have at least once done such procedures felt a slight burning sensation. It remains to find out why you should steam your feet with mustard and what it helps with. This procedure is recommended to be carried out at the first cold symptoms:

• cough;
• runny nose;
• sore throat;
• temperature (low);
• lethargy.

Thanks to the fact that the legs warm up, the body heals. It works like this: mustard dissolves in hot water, and the essential oils contained in it penetrate through the epidermis into the body. As a result, blood vessels dilate. With increased blood circulation, the body's protective functions manifest themselves to a greater extent.

It is also worth steaming your feet with mustard in the cold season for the sake of prevention. In this case, colds will bother you much less often than usual.

How to properly perform the procedure for a child who has a cough?

As soon as the child starts coughing, his legs float. This will help him heal faster. For this you need mustard powder, which dissolves in water. Here's how to properly soak your feet with mustard when coughing:

1. Choose a container. A shallow basin is suitable for the feet. If a child is tormented by a cough, then it is better to take a bucket so that part of the legs can also warm up.
2. Pour water (approximately 50 degrees C).
3. The baby must stand in this container of water.
4. After five minutes, add two large spoons of powder.
5. Stir.
6. Wait three minutes.
7. Add water at the appropriate temperature.
8. After five minutes the procedure can be completed.

Usually legs soar for ten to twenty minutes. Many parents think the longer the better. However, in reality there is no point in keeping the baby’s feet in mustard solution for a long time. The effect will definitely not be stronger.

With a runny nose

If a child suffers from a runny nose, then several rules should be followed to ensure that the mustard bath is beneficial. Here's how to soak your feet in mustard when you have a runny nose:

1. The basin is rinsed with water in which soda is diluted (about two to three spoons).
2. A linen towel is placed at the bottom. In this case, the feet warm up better.
3. 2 or 3 tablespoons of mustard powder are poured into hot water at the appropriate temperature.
4. The powder is stirred.
5. After two or three minutes, water is added.
6. The procedure is carried out for another five or ten minutes.

For weight loss

Many people are interested in how to take mustard for weight loss.

Beneficial features

Since mustard has beneficial properties to break down fats, it is used to solve problems with excess weight. Regular use of this product speeds up metabolism. As a result, the body actively fights fat deposits.

How to use?

It is not enough to know how mustard is useful; you also need to have an idea that for better results it is used not only internally, but also externally.

Drink

1. Mustard seeds are dissolved in water (a couple of seeds are enough).
2. Drink this drink before meals.
3. If the grains don't taste too good, you can roast them or even soak them.

The drink can be made using mustard powder

Mixture

1. You need to take 250 ml of water.
2. Add 150 ml lemon juice and 250 g mustard.
3. After twelve hours, grind the mixture in a blender.
4. Add honey.
5. The mixture should be stored in the refrigerator.

Wraps with honey

1. Honey is heated in a steam bath.
2. Mustard powder is added with a small amount of water (a couple of drops).
3. The mixture is applied to the thighs, abdomen and other parts of the body that require weight correction.
4. The body is wrapped in polyethylene.
5. You need to keep it for about twenty to twenty-five minutes.
6. The mixture is washed off with water.

You can make mustard at home from powder. For maximum spiciness, take mustard seeds and make the powder yourself. Classic option:

1. A small jar is filled with three spoons of powder.
2. Add salt and sugar. The second ingredient should be taken half a spoon.
3. Mix.
4. Boil half a glass of water.
5. When it has cooled slightly, add water one spoon at a time to the dry mixture.
6. Stir until sour cream forms.
7. Place the jar in a warm place.
8. After a few hours, add half a spoon of vegetable oil.
9. The mixture is infused in the refrigerator for a week.
10. When opening, you should not inhale the aroma too much because the mixture is so spicy that you may tear up.

Most ladies are interested in whether mustard is good for hair. A mustard mask can be a very effective way to maintain beautiful hair. The benefits of mustard are such that thanks to it, the strands become silky, fall out less, and grow better.

It is very useful to perform such procedures for ladies who have oily hair. Mustard can eliminate this greasy shine.

Here is an example of how you can make a nourishing mask at home that promotes hair growth:

1. One dessert spoon of mustard powder dissolves in water. It should be a paste.
2. Add an egg and two large spoons of kefir.
3. Stirs.
4. Apply to scalp and hair, which should be clean.
5. The head is wrapped in transparent film.
6. A towel is tied.
7. After thirty minutes, the mask is washed off.

Squeezing mustard also brings no less benefits to the body. It has a good effect on the gastrointestinal tract and liver function. Thanks to it, bile is released better. The oil is also beneficial for the heart and blood vessels.

The oil contains phytoestrogens, which prevent the risk of prostate adenoma in men. This product also has a beneficial effect on the female reproductive system: it helps regulate hormonal balance.

Mustard oil

The oil is used for cooking, as well as for medicinal and cosmetic purposes. Ladies use it to make various face and hair masks. It rejuvenates, nourishes and moisturizes the skin, and gives shine and silkiness to the hair. They also begin to grow better and stop falling out.

Useful video

Indeed, mustard can be used for many useful things, and the video will tell you how to use it to maintain health and clean the house:

Conclusion

1. Mustard is known not only as a seasoning for dishes. It is actively used to treat colds.
2. The simplest and most effective way is to steam your feet with mustard powder. Healing substances penetrate the body and activate its protective functions.
3. Mustard wraps, which speed up metabolism, are widely used to combat excess weight. Combined with honey, the effect will be more significant.