Asparagus Growing Guide

Arugula is a fast-growing cool-season salad green - often ready to harvest as early as 4 weeks after seeding - adds a tangy, peppery or mustard-like flavor to salads and mesclan mixes.

Site Characteristics

Sunlight:
„ full sun
„ part shade
Soil conditions:
„ tolerates low fertility
Prefers rich humus soil with pH of 6 to 6.8, but will tolerate wide variety of conditions. Evenly moist soil will help slow bolting.
Special locations:
„ outdoor containers

Plant Traits

Lifecycle: annual
Ease-of-care: easy
Height: 1 to 2 feet
Growth is low and compact until heat causes plant to bolt. Spread: 0.5 to 1 feet
Bloom time:
„ late spring
„ early summer
„ mid-summer
„ late summer
Flower color: white
Foliage color: medium green
Foliage texture: medium


Shape:
 „ cushion, mound or clump
„ upright
Forms a rosette of deeply lobed leaves. Plants become erect when heat induces bolting.
Shape in flower: flower stalks with sprays of flowers Flowers are edible. Tolerates:
„ Frost

Growing Information

How to plant:
Propagate by seed
Germination temperature: 40 F to 55 F
Days to emergence: 5 to 7
Seed can be saved 5 years.

Maintenance and care:

Seeds germinate quickly even in cold soil. Plant as soon as soil can be worked in spring. Avoid planting after other cabbage family crops.

Plant ¼ inch deep and 1 inch apart in rows, or broadcast alone or mixed with other greens. Gradually thin to 6-inch spacings using thinning's for salads.

Make new plantings every 2 to 3 weeks for a continuous supply until about a month before your average first frost date.

Slow bolting by reducing heat and moisture stress. Provide some shade for warm-season plantings.

Fast-growing plants are good for intercropping and relay cropping.

Often self-seeds. Is self-sterile and requires insects for pollination. Will not cross with other members of the mustard family.

Pests:
Flea beetles
Diseases:
Rarely a problem.


Varieties
‘Sylvetta’ is actually a different species, Diplotaxis tenuifolia. It is slower growing, half as tall, and slower to bolt, and has smaller, more deeply lobed leaves, yellow flowers and more pungent taste.

Check out the extensive list of arugula Varieties here. You may find many you will love to grow and become your families new favorite or re-discover an old one.