During this phase, the plant is building its solar array. Mustard leaves are actually edible and delicious—peppery, like arugula. If you are growing for seeds, you can thin the crop by harvesting baby leaves for salad, leaving the strongest plants to mature.

We often hear the phrase "faith as small as a mustard seed." But what does that actually mean for the seed itself? If you have ever held a mustard seed, you know it is practically a speck of dust—about 1 to 2 millimeters in diameter. And yet, buried in that dust is the genetic code for a plant that can grow taller than a human being.

It is the punch in your pretzel, the warmth in your potato salad, and the gold on your hot dog. But long before the mustard seed becomes the condiment we know and love, it embarks on one of nature’s most humble yet miraculous journeys.