Growing Arugula
Arugula is a quick cool-season green with a peppery flavor and a forgiving harvest window. It can be cut young for salad, allowed to size up for cooking, or left to flower for pollinators and seed.
At a glance
| Question | Practical answer |
|---|---|
| Family | Brassica |
| Season | Cool season |
| Direct sow | Spring and late summer into fall |
| Spacing | 2-4 in for baby leaf; about 6 in for mature plants |
| Harvest | Roughly 3-7 weeks, depending on stage |
| Main risks | Heat, flea beetles, drought, and bolting |
Sow small successions
Direct sow shallowly in a prepared seedbed. A short row every two or three weeks produces a steadier harvest than one large sowing. Keep the surface moist until emergence; small seed in an August bed can dry quickly.
Arugula becomes sharper and bolts faster as heat and day length increase. Fall sowings often produce more tender leaves with less urgency.
Harvest
Cut individual outer leaves or shear a patch above the growing point for regrowth. Harvest before leaves become coarse if salad is the goal. Flower buds and flowers are also edible, though their flavor is strong.
Common problems
Tiny holes in young leaves usually point to flea beetles. Light row cover placed immediately after sowing can reduce damage; rotate the bed with the rest of the brassica family in mind.
Record sowing date, days to emergence, first flea-beetle damage, flavor, and the number of useful cuttings. Arugula is quick enough to compare several sowing windows in one season.