This spicy green will be ready to eat in a month or so.
Heres everything you oughta know to grow this tasty vegetable at home.
Where to Plant Arugula
Grow arugula in an area that receives full sun or partial sun.
Credit:Marty Baldwin
you’ve got the option to grow it in containers,raised beds, or the ground.
Arugula is part of the Brassica family, which includes kale,broccoli,and cauliflower.
How and When to Plant Arugula
Sow arugula seeds in the spring and again in the fall.
Summer isnt an ideal season to grow because heat causes the plants to bolt instead of produce leaves.
Sow seeds around 14 deep and space them an inch apart.
If youre sowing rows of arugula, each row should be about a foot apart.
Sow additional seeds every two to three weeks in spring and fall to extend the leafy harvest.
Arugula Care Tips
Arugula is an easy leafy green to grow when you meet its basic needs.
Light
Arugula does best infull sunand needs about six hours daily.
If youre growing in a warm or hot climate, it benefits from somepartial shade.
This leafy green can tolerate different soil conditions.
Water regularly to ensure the plant grows well.
Check the soil to see if it feels dry, indicating its time to water.
Keep the soil moist but never soggy.
Arugula has shallow roots.
Temperature and Humidity
Arugula thrives in cool temperatures between 40F and 70F.
The ideal humidity for arugula is 3040%, but it grows in a wider range.
Fertilizer
When arugula is planted in nutrient-rich soil, it typically doesnt need to be fertilized.
However, pale leaves indicate a plant lacking nutrients.
In this case, apply abalanced 10-10-10 fertilizerat half strength, following the instructions on the product’s packaging.
Potting and Repotting Arugula
Arugula is easy to grow in a container.
Fill a 12-inch terra-cotta pot with good-quality organic potting soil.
Moisten the planting medium and sprinkle seeds over the surface.
Sift or lightly sprinkle more soil over the seeds and press down lightly.
Put the container in a shady spot outdoors for a few days while the seeds germinate.
Because arugula is an annual, repotting isnt necessary.
Aphids, flea beetles,slugs, and cabbage worms are attracted to arugula.
How to Propagate Arugula
The easiest way to grow arugula is by sowing seeds.
Arugula can germinate even when the soil temperature is as cold as 40F.
Sow seeds on a prepared bed and lightly cover them with soil.
Water regularly to ensure the soil stays consistently moist but never waterlogged.
Arugula typically germinates within a week.
Harvesting Arugula
When arugula is about 3 inches long, its time to harvest.
Snip the outer leaves with scissors or pick with your hands, being careful to leave the crown.
Arugula matures in 30 to 50 days, depending on the variety.
you’re able to harvest baby or smaller leaves even earlier.
For the most delicious leaves, eat them as soon as you pick them.
The plant is vigorous, and the flavor is mild.
The leaves have a mild but spicy flavor.
Sylvetta
Eruca sativaSylvettais a tender and crunchy arugula variety.
Its flavor starts out as nutty and sweet, but it has a mild peppery kick.
Its leaves are long and narrow.
Baby leaves are ready to harvest in 35 days, and full-size leaves mature in 50 days.
Wasabi
If you love a hot, spicy green, youll want to growEruca sativaWasabi.
As the name implies, this one is extra spicy.
It goes particularly well with Asian recipes, but it adds a bite to any dish.
When the beet plants get big, the leaves provide shade for arugula.
Beet varieties range from those with deep crimson roots to ones with golden yellow and candy-stripe red-and-white roots.
Celery
Arugula andceleryare both cool-weather plants that enjoy full sun andwell-draining soil.
The fronds of celery provide shade for the arugula plants.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, arugula is an easy leafy green to grow.
Pinch or snip the outer leaves.
It will grow back if you don’t pull the entire stem or damage the plants crown.
Never harvest more than a third of the plant at any one time.
