Sylvetta Arugula (Wild Rocket, Roquette Sauvage)

Arugula will thrive in pretty much any well-drained, fairly fertile location. It is best-suited to early spring, fall, and winter planting. Summer plantings of arugula have a very strong flavor and bolt more quickly.

Sow seeds outdoors as soon as soil can be worked.  Plant seeds 1/4" deep, 1" apart in rows 18" apart.  Germination will occur in 7-14 days.  For continual harvests, successive sowings can be made every 2-3 weeks throughout spring and fall.

Not recommended

Insect Pests

Flea beetles can be controlled using floating row covers.  Although they are rarely a serious enough problem to warrant treatment, insecticidal soap may be effective in managing particularly damaging infestations of flea beetles.

Diseases & Other Problems

Bacterial leaf spot and downy mildew are diseases that can affect arugula, but are rarely an issue.  Providing ample space between plants to maximize airflow will help prevent disease.

For baby arugula, clip individual leaves from the plants or cut entire plants as you thin out the stand.  To harvest mature arugula, clip whole plants just above the soil line.  Flowers are also edible.

CONSIDERATIONS:

Isolating arugula is not necessary unless more than one variety is being grown at a time. Multiple varieties can be isolated by delaying the planting of one variety by at least six weeks, so as to prevent the two varieties from flowering at the same time.

HARVESTING SEED:

Allow flowers to mature and produce siliques.  Harvest flower stalk once a majority of the siliques have become dry and papery.  Shake into a paper bag or pillow case and winnow to remove chaff. 

SEED LONGETIVITY:

Arugula seeds will maintain 50% germination for up to 5 years if stored under ideal conditions.