Mustard Types:
There are two types of mustard being used in the Columbia Basin: white mustard (Sinapis alba, also called Brassica hirta or yellow mustard), and oriental mustard (Brassica juncea, also called Indian or brown mustard). Commercial varieties are used to produce table mustard, oil, and spices.
The mustards being used for green manures should not be confused with weedy “mustards.” Seed testing has shown that the mustard varieties being used for green manures do not have hard or dormant seed. When planted in August, they have not been seen to set viable seed. The table below shows the different types of mustards.
The weedy mustards are not all mustards but are all from the Brassica family. Black mustard has been cultivated but has weedy characteristics.
Cultivated Mustards
- White Mustard
- Yellow Mustard
- Oriental Mustard
- Indian Mustard
- Chinese Mustard
- Chinese Mustard
- Brown Mustard
- Black Mustard
Weedy “Mustards”
- Jim Hill Mustard
- Tumble Mustard
- Wild Mustard
- Birdsrape Mustard
- Blue Mustard
- Shepherdspurse
- Hoary cress
- Pepperweed
- Wild radish
- Black Mustard
Seed Sources:
High Performance Seed, 210 E. Third Ave. Suite C PMB 101, Moses Lake, WA 98837-1707, 509-750-4850
McKay Seed, 2945 Rd N NE, Moses Lake, WA 98837, 509-766-9894.
Spectrum Seed Development, 57 N Marcellus Rd, Ritzville, WA 99169, 509-659-1757
Davidson Commodities, Inc. 4407 N. Division St. #811, Spokane, WA 99207, 509-487-0755
Washington Mustard Green Manure Acreage:
Each year local seed companies share their total sales data for Washington to enable us to estimate the mustard green manure acreage. It is a running three year average and is calculated using an average seeding rate of 10 lbs. per acre.
- 1999: 1,800 acres
- 2000: 3,600 acres
- 2001: 5,003 acres
- 2002: 11,103 acres
- 2003: 17,777 acres
- 2004: 21,767 acres
- 2005: 20,733 acres
- 2006: 20,993 acres
- 2007: 21,467 acres
- 2008: 23,967 acres
- 2009: 28,167 acres
- 2010: 30,400 acres
- 2011: 30,733 acres
- 2012: 29,038 acres
- 2017: 25,000 acres