How to grow arugula
Family Brassicaceae. Hardy to USDA hardiness zone 3a+ (U.S. Department of Agriculture). Full sun to part shade. Ready in 25-40 days.
Sun
Full sun to part shade
Spacing
4-6 in
Days to harvest
25-40 days
Hardiness
Zone 3a+
What growers actually recorded
Loading zone 7b results…
When to plant arugula
- Direct sow: ~-4 weeks after last frost.
Companion plants for arugula
Plant with: Lettuce, Onion, Beet, Carrot.
Avoid near: Other brassicas in the same bed.
Common pests & problems
Flea beetle (the main one), aphid, slug.
Feeding & fertilizer
N-P-K ratio: High N (10-5-5): heavy feeders
Organic options: Aged manure or compost worked in deep · Blood meal or feather meal side-dress at 3 wks · Fish emulsion every 2 wks
When to feed: Feed heavily every 2-3 weeks. Brassicas want steady nitrogen for tight heads.
Watch for: Pale/yellow leaves = needs N. Loose heads = feed harder next round.
N = nitrogen (leaves), P = phosphorus (roots and flowers), K = potassium (fruit and disease resistance). How to read a fertilizer label →
Grower's tip
The fastest crop in the garden: sow a short row every two weeks. Cut leaves at 3-4 in for a mild peppery bite; heat and age make it sharp and bitter.
When to plant arugula in your zone
Free month-by-month sowing and transplanting lists, built from frost dates for your USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) hardiness zone.
Soil & water for arugula
Soil & pH
6.5-7.5: near neutral (raises club-root resistance)
Fertile loam with strong drainage. Firm soil beats fluffy for heading brassicas.
Compost 2 in + 1 cup of alfalfa or feather meal per 10 sq ft. Lime if pH is under 6.5. It also blocks club-root.
Watering
1-1.5 in / week, consistent
Ground-level drip. Uneven water during heading = split heads or bolting.
Lift an edge of the row and check soil at 3 inches. If it clings in a damp ball, hold off. If it crumbles, water until the top 6 inches are evenly moist.
Knowing when to harvest
- Leaves 2-4 in long for the mildest peppery flavor; larger leaves grow noticeably hotter and coarser.
- Cut-and-come-again: shear leaves 1 in above the crown and it regrows within 1-2 weeks.
- Harvest before flower stalks appear; buds and flowers are edible but signal leaves will toughen.
Storing & keeping
Refrigerate washed and dried in a bag with a paper towel at 32-40°F for 4-7 days. Wilts quickly; not suited to freezing or canning.
What to expect
Per plant: Several cuttings, a few ounces each
Per sq ft: 0.5 lb per sq ft per cutting
Troubleshooting arugula
Small holes riddled through leaves
Likely cause: Flea beetles
What to do: Row cover immediately after sowing; arugula is one of the most flea-beetle-prone greens.
Bolts within a few weeks of sowing
Likely cause: Heat above 75°F or long summer daylight
What to do: Grow in spring and fall; provide afternoon shade in summer sowings.
Varieties worth growing
Astro
Fast, mild-flavored, slower to bolt than wild types.
Rocket (wild arugula, Diplotaxis)
More deeply lobed leaf, sharper peppery bite, more heat-tolerant.
Sylvetta
Perennial-leaning wild arugula with intense flavor for cooking.
Growing arugula in containers
6 in deep pot or window box; well suited to containers with succession sowing every 2-3 weeks.
Nutrition
Sulforaphane, glucosinolates, vitamin K, calcium. Brassicas are the vegetable powerhouse.
Common questions
Why does my arugula taste so hot?
Heat, drought, and maturity all intensify the mustard-oil pungency. Harvest young and keep soil consistently moist for milder leaves.
Is arugula in the same family as cabbage?
Yes, it is a Brassicaceae, and follows the family's club-root and flea-beetle risks despite its very different form.
Where these numbers come from
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023 revision). Zone assignment and the 30-year normals behind every cold-hardiness figure.
- NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 Climate Normals. Frost dates, growing-season length, and the probability bands on both.
- Cornell, UMN, and UC Davis Cooperative Extension crop guides. Spacing, days to maturity, soil pH targets, and per-plant yield ranges.
- USDA FSIS / FDA Produce Safety guidance. Wash, cure, and cold-storage handling numbers.
Ranges are regional guidance, not a promise for your yard. Your own logged results always override the published range.