Garden How TO
THE BEST TIME TO PLANT ARUGULA
Arugula thrives best in cool weather, when the temps are above freezing but below 75°F or so. Arugula is actually pretty cold- and heat-tolerant. Mature plants can hang in there during a light freeze and even when temps are soaring over 95°F.
THE BEST PLACE TO GROW ARUGULA
Arugula has a pretty shallow root system, so it can easily be grown in containers, pots, and grow bags that are at least 6 inches deep. Grow in an area that gets at least 4hrs of sunlight.
HOW TO SOW ARUGULA SEEDS in 5 EASY STEPS
1
Add a 2″ thick layer of fresh compost to the top of the planting area. Smooth the soil surface with your hand or a trowel to remove any little hills and valleys. (These seeds are tiny, so you don’t want them slipping and sliding all over the place.)
2
Draw a shallow trench in the soil with your finger about 1/4" deep. Place all of your arugula seeds about 4" apart.
3
Arugula seeds are so tiny that they don’t really need to be buried. Press them down with your hand to ensure they have good soil contact, and then sprinkle a light layer of soil or compost over them.
4
Use a soft setting on your hose to water the seeds in well (a hard spray could displace them). You should begin to see little arugula sprouts emerge in 6 to 10 days.
5
For a steady supply of leaves at their best flavor, I recommend sowing more arugula seeds every couple of weeks until the weather is no longer ideal. This is called succession planting.
How Long Does it Take to Grow Arugula from Seed?
Young leaves (considered “baby” leaves at the grocery store) are ready 3 to 4 weeks after sowing seeds. The plant should reach maturity within 6 weeks.
How to Harvest Arugula
1. Cut the older, outer leaves of the plant and leave the younger leaves in the center to continue growing. 2. Harvest all of the leaves from the plant by grasping a handful of leaves and cutting horizontally, leaving about 1 to 2 inches of stem near the base of the plant. New leaves will regrow.
I’ve spent the last decade teaching my followers how to grow their own food. Growing veggies doesn't always mean you need a ton of space. Learn more about growing arugula by tapping the link below.