Light requirements: Full sun to part shade.
Planting: Space 12 to 18 inches apart.
Soil requirements: Ideally provide rich, well-drained soil, but arugula tolerates a range of soil conditions, including poor, rocky and evenly moist (but not water-logged).
Water requirements: Keep soil evenly moist for lush, tender leaves.
Frost-fighting plan: Arugula tolerates light frost (28-32ºF). Cover with a frost blanket to extend harvest season as harder frosts arrive.
Common issues: Watch out for flea beetles and slugs.
Harvesting: Start picking leaves as soon as they’re large enough for desired use. Pick outer leaves first, and plants will continue to yield more leaves for future harvest.
Storage: Store leaves (washed or unwashed) between clean paper towels, rolled up gently and slipped into a loosely closed plastic bag. Stash the bag in the fridge. Leaf quality starts fading after three days.
For more information, visit the Arugula page in our How to Grow section.
Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 4
- Carbohydrates: 1g
- Dietary fiber: .5g
- Protein: .6g
- Vitamin A: 10% DV
- Vitamin C: 4%
- Vitamin K: 28%
- Folate: 4%
- Calcium: 4%
- Manganese: 4%
- Iron: 2%
Nutritional Information
Many researchers have labeled this peppery-tasting green a superfood for your bones. The leaves are “nutrient dense” and low in calories. They are especially high in vitamins A, C, and K. Arugula is lower than some greens, such as spinach, in oxalates, which can inhibit mineral absorption, thus making the calcium in the leaves more available. And arugula also has significant amounts of phytonutrients that promote eye health and help the body’s detoxification systems.
