Where To Plant Arugula So It Thrives All Season

Arugula is an aromatic, leafy green in the mustard green familywith a peppery, nutty flavor. It's also very nutrient-rich, making it a healthy and flavorful addition to salads, pizza, pasta dishes, and sandwiches. Over the past few years, however, it's become harder to find, and prices have been increasing due to a supply shortage caused by changes in growing conditions. Growing arugula at home can give you access to a fresh supply of organic greens to use in mouthwatering recipes all season long.

You can grow arugula indoors or outdoors. To thrive, it needs six hours of full sun each day throughout the fall and winter, and partial shade as the weather gets warmer. To determine the best spot for your plant, assess the level of sun each area of your yard and home gets throughout the day. If you have a nice, sunny spot in your yard or on your porch or balcony, you can place a pot of arugula there during the cold season, and move it into the shade or even indoors from mid-spring to fall.

If planting in a garden bed, make sure the soil is loose and drains properly. Test the soil to make sure it has a pH of 6.0 to 7.0. The plant will also need consistent moisture, so you should choose a spot that allows for proper water runoff to prevent the roots from getting waterlogged. If you plant it in a pot, use one with drainage holes and choose well-draining soil. Arugula can be planted with companion plants like dill, onions, garlic, and celery. However, you should avoid planting it near cabbage, broccoli, or strawberries as those might compete for nutrients or share pests or diseases.

The easiest way to grow arugula indoors in the winter without deep pots or garden beds is to buy young, healthy plants from your local nursery. Place them at least one inch apart in a narrow, rectangular planter that is four to five inches deep and has drainage holes, and use nutrient-rich, well-draining soil. Arugula is a cool-season annual, so the best place to put the pot indoors in the winter is a south-facing window. This will ensure your plant gets the six hours of sun it needs each day, while also enjoying some shade or low light. Make sure the pot isn't near a heating vent, radiator, or space heater, however. Arugula prefers cool weather, so in-home temps between 60-75 degrees Fahrenheit are ideal.

If you live in a warm climate, you should move the pot to a north-facing window from mid- to late spring through the summer. If arugula is exposed to prolonged harsh sun, its leaves may turn bitter or go to seed too quickly. Keep its soil consistently moist, but don't let it get soggy or waterlogged. For improved growth, use an organic fertilizer every four weeks. When it's time to harvest your plants, cut the outer leaves to maintain consistent new growth. When you grow arugula indoors in a smaller pot, you'll get baby arugula, which is different from regular arugula in that it has a milder flavor and smaller leaves. Because it is an annual, it will die out at the end of its growing season, and you will need to start over with new plants each year.