Let's grow your White Mustard shoots
Start today: no soaking needed. Your shoots are typically ready in 7 to 12 days.
- SoakNo soaking needed
- RinseMist 2 times a day
- Typically ready7 to 12 days
Please read the food safety box before you eat your first batch. Always cook white mustard shoots until steaming hot before eating.
Show me the 3 steps3 steps
Everything you need is on your pack. Here it is again, step by step.
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Prepare
Line a clean tray with a growing mat or kitchen paper dampened with drinking water. No soaking needed: these seeds turn sticky when wet, so a jar is not suitable.
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Mist
Scatter the seeds thinly and evenly. Mist 2 times a day to keep damp, not wet.
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Harvest
Typically ready in 7 to 12 days. Cut with clean scissors, rinse and refrigerate.
- Cover the tray loosely at first, then give it bright, indirect light.
- Store harvested shoots covered in the fridge and use within a few days.
Food safety
Raw sprouts and shoots can carry harmful bacteria and rinsing does not remove all risk. Always cook them until steaming hot before eating. This applies to everyone, including pregnant people, young children, older people and anyone unwell. Use clean equipment and drinking water, refrigerate harvested sprouts and shoots promptly and discard any that smell off or show mould.
- Wash your hands before handling seeds and shoots.
- Wash trays and spray bottles in hot soapy water before and after every batch.
About these seeds (from your pack)
- Ingredients: Organic white mustard seed.
- Allergy advice: for allergens, see ingredients in bold.
- May contain cereals containing gluten, soya and celery.
- Storage: Store seeds sealed in a cool, dry, dark place.
- Country of origin: Italy.
- Organic: Certified organic by the Soil Association, control body GB-ORG-05.
Day by day
White mustard grows on a tray, not in a jar, so here are the stages rather than a day-by-day diary. Day 0 is the day you scatter the seeds. Your pack says the shoots are typically ready in 7 to 12 days.
Stage 1 (day 0): Prepare and scatter
- You will see
- Small, round, pale yellow seeds.
- What to do
- Wash your hands, and wash a shallow tray in hot soapy water. Line it with a growing mat or kitchen paper dampened with drinking water. Scatter the seeds thinly and evenly, so they are close together but not piled up. No soaking needed: these seeds turn sticky when wet, so a jar is not suitable. Mist, then cover the tray loosely.
Stage 2 (first couple of days): Roots
- You will see
- The seeds feel sticky and stay put on the mat, as your pack says they will. Small white roots then start to show.
- What to do
- Mist 2 times a day to keep damp, not wet. Keep the tray covered loosely for the first couple of days.
Stage 3 (middle days): Green seed leaves
- You will see
- Shoots standing up, with small seed leaves opening.
- What to do
- Uncover the tray and give it bright, indirect light, so the leaves turn green. Keep misting 2 times a day.
Stage 4 (day 7 to day 12): Typically ready
- You will see
- Green shoots a few centimetres tall with open seed leaves.
- What to do
- Cut them just above the seeds with clean scissors. Rinse, drain well and refrigerate in a covered container. Store harvested shoots covered in the fridge and use within a few days. Cook them until steaming hot before eating.
Rinse tracker
| Day | Morning | Evening | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 0 | Scatter seeds, mist, cover loosely | ||
| Day 1 | Mist 2 times a day | ||
| Day 2 | Mist 2 times a day | ||
| Day 3 | Uncover, bright indirect light |
Is it mould or root hairs?
This is the question new growers ask most. Here's how to tell. Sticky seeds are normal: white mustard seeds turn sticky when wet and can look glossy or jelly-like for the first day or two. That coating stays on the seeds and smells clean. Slime on the roots or shoots, or any slime that smells sour, rotten or musty, is not normal: throw the tray away.
Root hairs: fine
- Fine, fuzzy and white, just above the tip of each root.
- Usually appear once the first roots show.
- Mist them: root hairs flatten and almost disappear when wet, then come back as they dry.
- Smell: clean and fresh.
- What to do: nothing. Carry on misting.
Mould: bin it
- Often grey, green, black or blue, or white and cottony or slimy.
- Spreads over the seeds and mat rather than the roots.
- Does not disappear when you mist it.
- Usually smells musty.
- What to do: throw the whole tray of shoots away, with the mat or kitchen paper. Do not try to cut around it. Wash the tray in hot soapy water before starting again.
- you see mould;
- the shoots smell sour, rotten or musty;
- the roots or shoots feel slimy, or any slime smells off;
- you're not sure. If in doubt, throw it out.
Keep the tray damp, not wet, scatter the seeds thinly so air can move between them, and uncover the tray once the seeds have rooted.
Not sprouting?
- No soaking needed: these seeds turn sticky when wet, so a jar is not suitable.
- Line a clean tray with a growing mat or kitchen paper dampened with drinking water.
- Scatter the seeds thinly and evenly.
- Mist 2 times a day to keep damp, not wet.
- Cover the tray loosely at first, then give it bright, indirect light.
- Typically ready in 7 to 12 days.
- Store seeds sealed in a cool, dry, dark place.
Didn't sprout? Tell us about your batch
Recipes
White mustard shoots have a hot, mustardy kick that suits stir-fries, eggs and potatoes. Every idea below cooks the shoots until they are steaming hot.
Mustard shoot and potato hash
Serves 2
You need
- 1 good handful (about 50 g) white mustard shoots
- 400 g potatoes, cut into small cubes and boiled until just tender
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 onion, sliced
- Salt and pepper
Method
- Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the potatoes and onion for 10 minutes, turning now and then, until golden.
- Add the mustard shoots and cook for 2 minutes until wilted and everything is steaming hot. Season and serve.
Mustard shoot and cheese omelette
Serves 1
You need
- 1 small handful (about 25 g) white mustard shoots
- 1 tsp butter
- 2 to 3 eggs, beaten
- 1 small handful of grated cheese
Method
- Melt the butter in a frying pan, add the mustard shoots and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until wilted and steaming hot.
- Pour in the eggs and cook gently until set.
- Add the cheese, fold and serve.
Mustard shoot noodle stir-fry
Serves 2
You need
- 1 good handful (about 50 g) white mustard shoots
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 garlic clove, sliced
- 1 red pepper, sliced
- 2 nests of noodles, cooked
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
Method
- Heat the oil in a wok and stir-fry the garlic and pepper for 2 minutes.
- Add the mustard shoots and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the noodles and soy sauce and stir-fry for 2 minutes more, until everything is steaming hot.
Quick idea: stir a handful of mustard shoots into a soup for the last 2 minutes and simmer until steaming hot.
White mustard shoots contain <strong>mustard</strong>. Check the labels of your other ingredients, such as butter, eggs, cheese, noodles and soy sauce, for allergens.
Like your sprouts cold? Cook them first, then cool them.
Sprouts blanched until steaming hot, then cooled, in a sandwich. Image for illustration.
Blanched mustard shoot sandwich with cheddar and tomato
Serves 1
You need
- 2 slices of seeded wholemeal bread
- A little butter or spread
- A few slices of cheddar cheese
- 1 tomato, sliced
- A good handful of white mustard shoots (about 50 g), blanched as below (the method calls them sprouts)
- Salt and pepper
Method
- Bring a large pan of water to a rolling boil.
- Add a good handful of sprouts (about 50 g) and stir to separate them. When the water is back at a rolling boil, boil for 2 minutes, until the sprouts are soft and steaming hot all the way through.
- Wash your hands. Drain the sprouts in a clean sieve that has not touched raw sprouts, then cool them quickly under cold running drinking water. Shake off the water and pat dry with clean kitchen paper.
- Use straight away in your sandwich, or keep covered in the fridge, away from raw sprouts, and eat the same day.
- Spread the bread with a little butter or spread. Layer the cheddar, tomato and cooled shoots, season with salt and pepper, and top with the second slice.
This recipe contains mustard (the mustard shoots) and milk (in the cheese, and in butter if you use it), which are allergens. Check the labels of your other ingredients, such as bread and spread, for allergens. Seeded breads often contain sesame.
About White Mustard seeds
White mustard (Sinapis alba) is the seed used to make mild yellow mustards. Grown on a tray, it gives pale green shoots with a hot, mustardy kick. The shoots contain mustard, one of the 14 major allergens.
Questions
Do I need to soak White Mustard seeds?
No. Your pack says no soaking needed: these seeds turn sticky when wet, so a jar is not suitable. Scatter them straight onto the damp mat or kitchen paper.
Can I grow them in a jar?
No. These seeds turn sticky when wet, so a jar is not suitable. Grow them on a tray lined with a growing mat or kitchen paper.
How much seed should I use?
Scatter the seeds in a thin, even layer so they are close together but not piled up.
How often do I mist them?
Your pack says mist 2 times a day to keep them damp, not wet. Mist gently and don't leave water sitting in the tray.
My seeds aren't sprouting. What's wrong?
Too cold: most seeds sprout well at a comfortable room temperature, around 20 to 25°C. In a cold kitchen they can take a day or two longer. Too wet: leaving water sitting in the tray can stop seeds sprouting. Drying out: if seeds dry out they can stall, so mist 2 times a day to keep damp, not wet. Seed storage: seeds kept warm, damp or open to the air sprout less well. Store them sealed in a cool, dry, dark place.
Some seeds are slow or never come up. Is that normal?
Timings are typical ranges. Your shoots may be a little faster or slower depending on how warm your kitchen is. In a cold kitchen they can take a day or two longer. A few hard seeds are normal: a small number of seeds may not sprout.
They smell bad or feel slimy. What went wrong?
These seeds turn sticky when wet, so a glossy, jelly-like coat on the seeds in the first day or two is normal. Fresh shoots smell clean and fresh. A sour, rotten or musty smell, or slimy roots or shoots, means something has gone wrong, so throw the whole tray of shoots away and wash the tray in hot soapy water. If in doubt, throw it out.
Which directions should I follow?
Always follow any directions on your pack.
How do I harvest them?
When the shoots are a few centimetres tall, cut them just above the seeds with clean scissors. Rinse, then refrigerate. Cook them until steaming hot before eating.
How do I store the shoots, and for how long?
Store harvested shoots covered in the fridge and use within a few days. Store the unused seeds sealed in a cool, dry, dark place and use them by the best before date on the pack.
Can I eat the shoots without cooking them?
No. Microgreens and shoots grown on a tray must also be cooked thoroughly until steaming hot before eating. Please read the food safety box above.
Is there anything to know about allergies?
Yes. White mustard seeds contain mustard, which is a food allergen. The pack also says: May contain cereals containing gluten, soya and celery. Always check the allergy information on your pack.
What do I need?
A clean shallow tray, a growing mat or a few layers of kitchen paper, clean drinking water and a spray bottle for misting.