Winter field mustard (Brassica campestris) belongs to the cabbage family and is often confused with winter rape. It is characterized by better hardiness, as it survives harsh snowless winters way better. It also develops quicker and ripens up to two weeks earlier, even though the volume of the crops does not much that of rape. Winter field mustard is currently grown as winter catch crop or for fodder. This tall plant grows up to 1.3 metres tall and develops side shoots that tend to lean onto the main stalk. Winter field mustard produces substantial amount of green mass and is therefore considered an efficient early grazing plant. It constitutes a great fore crop for root vegetables, because it reduces the population of nematodes in the soil.

Winter field mustard should be grown after the cereals and as a forecrop for root vegetables. This plant thrives in fertile, deeply cultivated soils that are rich in humus and calcium. Sandy-loam, permeable, and moderately moist soil proves to be the best for winter field mustard cultures. This species can be grown as winter after crop, spring main crop, or stubble crop. Winter field mustard seeds should be sown at the beginning of September in order to obtain green fodder in spring already. The second cut will be possible after circa three weeks. It can be sown virtually anytime as catch crop. The seeding rate for the main crop amounts to 8 to 10 kg per hectare and 15 to 20 kg per hectare when sown for after crop.

One package contains 5 kg seeds of the winter field mustard. The sow-by date has been printed on the package.

• Use: catch crop; fodder
• Site: sandy-loam, permeable, and moderately moist soil
• Weight: 5 kg