Organic Roquette Arugula Seeds

Zones 9-10

• Arugula is a cool season plant that does best in cool temperatures. For Zones 9 and 10, arugula is happiest in the the winter and early spring with seasonal rains but can be grown year round in mild areas. Row cover and shade cloth can extend the growing season for arugula. Arugula can be easily direct seeded or transplanted out. Arugula will not germinate well in high temperatures.

Zones 2-8

• Seeds germinate at low temperatures of 40°F but do not germinate well in temperatures over 75 degrees. Start seeds indoors 3-4 weeks before the last frost. In areas with mild winters, arugula can overwinter with some crop protection.

Planting Arugula

• Arugula is easy to plant directly in the soil or into starter pots to be transplanted out.
• If you are direct sowing seeds, plant in well-worked soil that has been deeply watered and is debris free. You can freely broadcast seed over the planting area. Cover with 1/4″ of finely sifted soil.
• If you are planting seeds in starter pots, plant seeds into throughly moist high quality seed starting soil. Place seeds on the top of the soil and then cover with 1/4″ of finely sifted soil.
• Once your arugula has germinated, and the first set of true leaves show, fertilize with an organic liquid fertilizer. When the plants are 3-4″ tall you can plant them out into the garden. If you are planting arugula plants out during a warm spell or during the warm season, crop protection like shade cloth may be necessary.
• Thin arugula plants to give each plant about 3″ of space. The thinned plants can be transplanted to another area of the garden.

Growing Arugula

• Grow arugula in full sun during the cooler part of the year. In warmer months, arugula can take some shade. If the weather is particularly hot, you can use shade cloth to protect the crop. Arugula requires good soil moisture. For Zones 9 and 10 this may mean hand watering daily or irrigating regularly.
• Arugula is an easy to grow crop and does not suffer from many pest or disease issues. Plant your arugula with adequate spacing to ensure good airflow around the plants. This will help with aphids and whiteflies. If you do experience issues with arugula pests, see the UC IPM link below.

Harvesting Arugula

• Arugula is a great crop to use with the cut and come again method. When the arugula has reached a good harvest size of 4-6″ you can simple cut it down to 2″ and let it regrow. This method will also slow the flowering of arugula since you are harvesting the main stalk, and reducing its ability to go to flower. Harvest often for the healthiest plants.

Growing Arugula in Containers

• Arugula is a great container crop. Make sure your container is at least 10″ deep. Keep in mind containers will dry out faster because they have more surface area and less soil to hold onto moisture. Mulch heavily on the top layer of soil in the pot to keep the soil from drying out or heating up too much.

Southern California Pro-tips

• In areas of Zones 9 and 10, arugula can grow year round but will be less productive and tasty during the hot months.
• Mulch heavily around your arugula plants to ensure the soil does not dry out or heat up too much.
• Protect arugula during heat spells with shade cloth or row cover.

Companion Flowers/Crops

• Arugula looks beautiful planted with gaillardia, nasturtium, borage, and alyssum.
• Try Roquette Arugula with its spicery partner Rocky Arugula.

Additional Learning Resources

• New to starting crops from seeds? Please watch our Seed Starting Presentation to learn the basics!
• Learn about growing all our crops on our YouTube page!
• Having pest issues? Check out in depth information for pests that can be an issue to arugula at the UC Integrated Pest Management site.