Crop guide · Eruca vesicaria
Arugula
Dates below are counted from the average last spring frost or the average first fall frost. Enter a ZIP in the calendar for NOAA 1991–2020 station averages, or pick a zone and use the zone table.
When to plant
Direct sow4 weeks before the average last spring frost.
SuccessionRepeat every 2 weeks, 2 more times.
Start indoors12 weeks before the average first fall frost.
Transplant8 weeks before the average first fall frost.
Soil and site
Average soil with steady moisture. Heat and drought turn the flavor from peppery to harsh.
Seedlings
Grows fast — transplant at 3 weeks or direct sow; either works.
In the garden
A true cut-and-come-again crop. Fall plantings hold quality far longer than spring ones.
Picking
Cut leaves at 3–4 in, an inch above the crown, and it regrows for 2–3 more cuttings.
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Dates by zone
These pages turn the same frost offsets into calendar dates for each zone the calendar covers.