Overview
Arugula is a fast-growing, cool-season salad green that adds a tangy, mustard-like flavor to salads. This spicy salad and braising green has been cultivated for more than a century for its cold-hardiness and versatility. Arugula’s savory, nutty flavor spices up fresh salads and stir-fries. Combine it with almonds and olive oil for a gourmet pesto spread. Arugula is an excellent source of Vitamins C and A, as well as calcium and folate.
Conditions
For soil, use a fertile well-draining potting mix that’s tailored for vegetables. For the best quality leaves, provide sun to part shade (3-6 hours of direct sunlight daily) and consistent moisture (don’t let the topsoil become dry to the touch). Arugula prefers cool conditions, so plan to grow in early spring or fall/winter.
Planting
Use our grow calendar tool to find specific dates for your region! Seeds germinate quickly in 5-7 days.
Plant seeds directly outdoors in early spring or fall, spacing 6” apart for full-sized mature greens. For a continual supply, plant every 2-3 weeks throughout the growing season.
Care
Keep soil moist throughout the growth cycle.
Pests and Disease
Flea beetles can be controlled by covering the crop with floating row covers from the day of sowing. Prevent diseases with crop rotation and sanitation.
Harvest
Arugula can be grown for baby leaves or for mature greens. For baby leaves, clip starting 3-4 weeks after planting. Leaves will continue to grow back (cut-and-come-again).
For mature greens, harvest leaves when they are about 2-3 inches long. Pull up whole plants or cut individual leaves.
