Arugula Seeds (Heirloom)

This excellent salad green has been grown as a vegetable since Roman times and has a peppery, nutty flavor. This herb, also known as rocket, Italian Cress, and roquette, is linked to both radish and watercress, with which it shares a sharp, peppery flavor.

• Succession planting helps ensure a fresh supply of arugula all summer long
• Adaptable to full sun or partial shade
• Flavor gets stronger as the leaves are harvested
• Good for microgreens and container gardens

Arugula has been grown and loved since the ancient Roman times as a medicinal herb and even as an aphrodisiac. Arugula is now generally recognized as a tasty cruciferous vegetable with a spicy, acidic flavor that is good on its own or in a variety of recipes, particularly in Italian cuisine. Heirloom arugula comes from the same family as cabbage and mustard greens, which explains its peppery flavor. The leaves are a rich green color, and the notches that run up and down their sides help to identify them. Not only are these soft, bite-sized leaves delicious, but they're also packed in beneficial nitrates, polyphenols, calcium, and vitamin K, to mention a few. The list of heirloom arugula health advantages is practically infinite when you start looking into it. The taste alone, on the other hand, is enough to convert most people to arugula. Try sautéing it with some garlic and onions, or eating it as a raw salad with a lemony vinaigrette drizzled on top.

Wait until early spring, when soil temperatures are between 40 and 65°F to plant arugula in your garden. Our Heirloom Arugula can grow in a variety of soil types and in partial shade. Select a growing place with full sun and nutrient-rich soil for a better chance of success. If your soil is nitrogen-deficient, fertilizer or compost can help. Plant your seeds and softly cover them with soil before watering them.

In most cases, arugula germinates in around seven days. When the seedlings are about an inch tall, thin them out so that each young plant has just three or four inches between them. Arugula takes around 40 days to mature to the point where it can be harvested. Simply pinch off the outer leaves of the arugula when ready to harvest. By only picking the outside leaves, you'll be able to maintain the plant intact.

Arugula flavor will increase as you continue to harvest the leaves. Continue harvesting until the flavor becomes too strong for your taste.

For more information on planting, growing, and caring for heirloom arugula seeds, please see the Arugula Seeds Planting Guide.