» Vegetable garden
The diet of any person should include at least 70% vegetables. Fresh herbs are a good addition. chemical composition which is rich in valuable vitamins and minerals. Arugula is considered one of the popular salad ingredients, but when grown on summer cottages It’s rare to get a product with an exquisite, spicy, nutty taste. The whole secret lies in agricultural technology, planting and care rules, which will be discussed in this article.
The plant is a kind of salad, belongs to the genus Indau of the cabbage family. Initially, greens were considered weed grass, but later added to the lists vegetable crops, grown in our country. Demand for the product began to grow after the popularization of Mediterranean cuisine.
The crop has a short growing season, which allows it to be grown in open ground throughout the warm period. When cultivated in a greenhouse or on a windowsill, the crop grows year-round, in spring and winter.
Arugula contains rich vitamin composition, which includes:
- ascorbic acid;
- vitamins B, E, PP, K;
- essential oils;
- flavonoids;
- plant acids (erucic, oleic, linoleic, etc.);
- steroids and other substances.
Regular consumption of greens has the following effects on the body:
- strengthens protective function body;
- normalizes metabolic processes;
- calms down nervous system;
- reduces blood cholesterol levels;
- increases hemoglobin.
And this is an incomplete list of the merits of arugula, which is why it is often included in dietary and therapeutic nutrition.
Timing for sowing arugula in open ground
You can sow arugula several times a season, starting from April to August. It is important that the earth has time to warm up to 9-14 degrees. If planted in cold soil, the process of germination and seedling development is inhibited.
In the south and in the middle zone, you can sow from April 15. In northern regions it is recommended to use greenhouse or seedling method cultivation.
Seedlings need to be planted from late March to early April. Preliminary preparation It is not required for seeds; they already have good germination. Seedlings are grown in pots, boxes or cups.
Shoots appear 4-6 days after sowing. When the sprouts have 2 true leaves, you need plant seedlings in separate containers (plastic cups or peat pots). The grown shoots are transferred to open garden bed together with a lump of earth so as not to damage the root system.
After germination of the seedlings, you need to thin out the planting, first leaving 5 cm between the shoots, and then increasing the distance to 10 cm. Thickening has an effect Negative influence on the taste of the salad.
The most suitable varieties for growing in the country house or garden
The range of varieties makes it difficult to choose when choosing a variety to grow on your site. When purchasing, you should read brief description plants and the characteristics of their agricultural technology.
Cupid's arrows
plant with average ripening period, the growing season lasts 36-38 days. The bush reaches a height of 20-30 cm, forming a raised rosette of narrow long leaves. During flowering, small, light yellow inflorescences appear.
Features of the variety: consistently produces high yields, external similarity of the crop to dandelion.
curiosity
The variety ripens in about a month (growing season 28-30 days). The height of the bush reaches 20 cm, the stem is erect with a small edge. The plant blooms in small cream-colored inflorescences.
The taste of the leaves is distinguished by a sweetish taste and lack of bitterness.
Poker
Plant early 21-25 days. Richly green leaves large sizes, there are about 20-26 pieces in one outlet. The height of the bush is about 20 cm.
The taste of arugula is sweetish with a mustard note. The seed remains viable for 4 years.
Olivetta
Plant early ripening period, the growing season lasts only 20-25 days. The height of the bush does not exceed 16-20 cm. The leaves are lyre-shaped, slightly rounded. The variety is perennial.
Benefits of the plant: high yield, good transportability, high taste qualities, which are distinguished by a pronounced nutty note and a slight bitterness.
Rules for planting vegetables in the garden
To give the arugula its richness green and has acquired a pleasant nutty flavor, it is necessary to strictly follow the rules of agricultural technology, in particular planting in open ground.
Preparing seeds before sowing
Arugula seeds should be purchased in specialized stores. When purchasing in person, you will need to disinfection seed material . To do this, the grains are immersed for 15 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. After the procedure, you need to rinse them thoroughly under running water and dry them on a towel.
Other treatments to stimulate growth are not carried out, since the arugula seed germinates quite well.
Preparing the soil for arugula
When choosing a place for a bed for arugula, you should take into account that the plant doesn't like shadows or straight lines sun rays . Therefore, it is worth choosing an area that is in the shade for one half of the day and in the sun for the second. It is ideal if the plants are in partial shade during the midday hours.
The soil is suitable for salad fertile, loose with a neutral or slightly acidic environment. The following predecessors are welcome: carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, pumpkin. It is not recommended to sow arugula after: cabbage, turnips, daikon, radishes and other cruciferous crops.
Before planting, the soil can be enriched with calcium by adding dolomite flour, chalk or other means.
Which scheme to choose for planting in open ground
Sowing is carried out in prepared holes 2 cm deep. The interval between rows during transplantation is maintained at 30-40 cm, between holes – 5 cm. 2-3 seeds are planted in each hole. After a week, it is necessary to thin out the beds, increasing the interval between plants to 10-15 cm.
Care after disembarkation
Temperature
The air temperature is considered optimal for the growing season. 14-18 degrees. When the rate is low, the development of the plant is inhibited.
The crop will survive a sharp drop in temperature to minus 7 degrees, but only on condition that the cold does not last long. If frost occurs after sowing, then it is necessary to build a shelter from plastic film.
Watering the plant
The soil in the beds with arugula should always be moist, so irrigation is carried out regularly. Watering mode: 3-4 times a week.
In persistent heat, you need to moisten the soil daily. Due to lack of moisture, the leaves acquire a bitter taste, and the plant itself produces color.
Arugula loves moisture, but watering must be regulated. Do not allow water to stagnate in upper layers soil.
Weeding and loosening
For normal growing season the plant requires loose soil , therefore, after each watering or every other time, you should fluff the ground with a hoe or horn.
Weeding is performed simultaneously with this procedure. Weeds thicken the planting, which provokes the development of fungal diseases and attracts pests. In addition, proximity to weeds can negatively affect the taste of arugula.
Top dressing
The soil for sowing lettuce should be well fertilized. Then for the entire growing season you will need only 1-2 feedings.
Introduce complex mineral compounds do not do it, because in a short time the toxins accumulated in the leaves will not have time to decompose. It's better to use a solution chicken droppings or rotted manure along with irrigation water. Nitrogen fertilizers are also suitable.
Pests and prevention
Arugula leaves contain a large number of essential oils, their aroma repels many pests. However this does not protect against fungal infections, which develop well in a moist environment - soil.
When the root system is damaged, the stem begins to gradually wither. When a fungal disease occurs, small, brown bubbles form on the roots. When the first signs of the disease are detected, it is necessary to remove the bush from the garden bed and treat the soil with antifungal drugs.
The only things that can damage arugula leaves are: cruciferous flea beetles, radish lovers and different types salad If you cover the seedlings with lutrasil, the pest will go to look for food elsewhere.
Harvesting greens
Those who have already had experience growing arugula know that when the plant is left in the garden, the leaves become hard and taste bitter. Therefore, the harvest must be harvested on time, should not be postponed.
One of the signs of ripeness is the length of the leaf; it should reach not less than 10 cm. After the peduncle is released, the taste of the salad deteriorates.
Large rosettes are cut off completely, other bushes are partially cut off. It is better to use the leaves for cooking fresh. The harvest, wrapped in cling film, can only last a few days in the refrigerator.
To summarize, it is worth noting that growing arugula is fun and easy. Sticking to general rules By caring for the plant, you can enrich the body with useful microelements, strengthen the immune system and even rejuvenate the skin.
You can plant and grow arugula not only in the country house or garden, but also at home - on the windowsill or balcony. The main thing is to familiarize yourself with compatibility with other plants, plant seeds according to the rules and maintain the desired temperature at home.
In the spring, when there is a lack of vitamins to one degree or another, you want a delicious salad of fresh herbs. As I joke at this time: “let’s switch to pasture.” Perennial onions have been growing on the site for a long time, in addition to them - lettuce, spinach, mustard, and arugula, not to mention parsley and dill. Arugula is both a salad and a spice. It has a very pleasant nutty aroma. By the way, people have both versions of the name of this plant: with one and two letters “k”: arugula and arugula. And both of them are true.
Arugula is also called indau, mustard lettuce, eruka, rocket lettuce, caterpillar lettuce, and arugula. It comes from the cabbage family. It can grow in height from 20 cm to 60 cm. Middle lane arugula is grown as annual crop, more often in open ground. It is very useful, healing, and not demanding - there won’t be much trouble with it if you follow very simple rules. rules of cultivation and care.
Arugula in open ground - from seeds
The technology for growing arugula from seeds is not at all complicated. I didn't have any problems with her. The place for early vitamin greens has long been determined.
Favorite places (where to plant)
Arugula loves neutral, slightly acidic or alkaline soil. Therefore, if the acidity of the soil is high, it needs to be deoxidized; it is better to do this in the fall - add lime or chalk for digging.
You also need to choose a light mode that is favorable for it. Light partial shade or a place where the summer sun will only be early in the morning and late in the evening is best. This is desirable because the sun leaves arugula leaves become hard and some are lost. useful substances and taste. But the shadow doesn't suit her either.
Before planting, you need to figure out where it will be more convenient to provide it with regular watering in case of a dry period. Like all brassicas, arugula likes the soil to be moderately moist at all times. With insufficient moisture, the tender leaves of arugula become tough and rough.
Temperature regime: arugula exhibits its best qualities at a temperature of 16°C, although in early spring and in late autumn it can withstand temperatures down to -7°C.
Advice! It protects very well from the effects of short-term frosts tender plants late evening abundant watering. With a sharp drop in temperature at night from 0°C to minus, a soft thick fog appears between the highly moist soil, warmed up during the day, and the cold air, which prevents the frost from hitting the sissies.
When to sow?
Because the best quality, the consistency and taste of its most delicate leaves, which are 25-45 days old, have the consistency and taste; I sow it several times every three weeks. I sow it for the first time in mid-April (depending on the weather). Then after two to two and a half weeks sunny places. And in the summer - where there is light partial shade and relatively cooler than at open places, because in the heat arugula quickly disappears. From mid-August - again where there is more sun. I do this because in extreme heat, arugula quickly goes to waste, and the leaves become tasteless and tough.
I always leave a few bushes to collect seeds. But I plant cabbage, radish and others from this family away from it: so that common pests (cabbage moths and cabbage flea beetles) do not multiply and infect them all.
Clue! I always plant beds with cabbages, arugula, snakehead radish, dill, low-growing marigolds, calendula, and nasturtium. Over the years, I have never saved cabbage plants from pests, which run away from dill, snakehead or marigolds like fire.
Who we love, who we don’t
Every plant has its likes and dislikes. Therefore, when determining the landing site, this should be taken into account.
- predecessors: tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, squash, pumpkin, melons, legumes, potatoes;
- neighbors: spinach, spinach, chard, cucumbers, celery, carrots;
- enemies: tomatoes, beans, garlic, onions, parsley, watercress
Sowing in the garden
Rolls on long winter evenings toilet paper I cut it into ribbons 1-1.5 cm wide. I brew starch (thin). In a slightly warm one I add humate, heteroauxin or any other fertilizer. I drop the resulting jelly onto the resulting tape at a distance of approximately 4-5 cm. I place three seeds into drops using tweezers (or a wooden toothpick, whatever is handy) (this is how I prepare all the small seeds for spring different cultures). On the newspaper, pieces of ribbon with seeds dry out. Then I roll the ribbons, sign them, and put them in a box until spring.
In the prepared bed, I mark rows (30x30 cm) and with a five in these rows I press the torn pieces with seeds into the loose, moderately moist soil to a depth of about 1.5 cm, carefully level them and wait for the shoots to appear. Arugula sprouts quickly - in five to seven days. The sprouts turn out strong and stocky. They grow quickly and confidently.
A little about care
To save your time and effort, and to provide the arugula with the conditions it needs, I mulch the soil between the plants with mowed grass or straw. You can’t water it often, and you can’t weed it either, because weeds germinate very poorly through mulch. If you need to water, water between rows - infrequently, but generously, so as to wet the soil to the depth of a spade bayonet.
Why plant arugula?
I would like to say about the usefulness of this wonderful plant. Arugula contains a lot of vitamins that are beneficial minerals. It is incredibly useful for proper digestion. Arugula kills all kinds of viruses, bacteria, strengthens the immune system. It is useful for hypertensive patients and diabetics; it is recommended as a dietary product in various diets.
Good harvests, good weather!
Shared her experience of growing arugula in open ground: Lyudmila Melnikova, Belgorod
What are yellow-green vegetables
IN last years In many countries of the world, a group of so-called yellow-green vegetables has come to occupy a place of honor in cooking, with leafy vegetables enjoying particular success - dill, Chinese, Chinese and Japanese cabbage, mustard, watercress.Despite the fact that the listed plants belong to different families, they have much in common. They are cold-resistant, early ripening, grow equally well on various types soils, all are beautiful and extremely useful in their own way.
Well, arugula is gradually occupying higher positions in this list due to its exquisite unusual taste and plasticity, which makes it possible to grow it in a variety of climatic conditions in Russia. In addition, it attracts not only its food, but also its nutritional, technical, and medicinal qualities.
Types of arugula, varieties for growing
In Russia for a long time arugula was considered a weed plant known as different names- eruka sativum, caterpillar, rocket, arugula, rocket lettuce, taramira. Then they began to grow it in gardens. Now cultural arugula is included in the State Register as indau. Exists several varieties: Gourmet, Curiosity, Corsica, Rococo, Little Mermaid, Sicily.Most tested - Poker.
When this annual is grown in protected soil, the rosette usually has no more than 12 leaves, but in open soil there are 20-28 leaves by the time stemming begins. Stem at Poker branched -40-80 cm in height.
The fruit is an indehiscent pod containing about 30 seeds that remain viable for 4 years. Arugula develops in 75-90 days.
There is a lot in its leaves ascorbic acid, more than in other cabbages leafy plants. They also contain substances that protect against ultraviolet radiation, viral infections and mold. The seeds are rich in oil, which is mainly used for technical purposes.
The benefits of arugula, wild arugula, breeding varieties
From the rank of restaurant greens the plant moved into the group of everyday use. Arugula normalizes metabolism, improves tone and overall immunity, calming the nervous system. It is useful for diabetes, obesity, increases hemoglobin and reduces cholesterol levels in the blood.But there is also wild arugula (two-row thin-leaved), which is called wild rocket. It is also widespread as a weed throughout Europe, in the western United States, and in other countries. Based on the “savages”, breeders bred varieties Roket, Taganskaya Semko, Euphoria. The most fragrant Solitaire.
Solitaire mustard-nut flavor, sharper than Poker. And unlike the latter, this is a biennial. Its roots overwinter, produce new leaves in the spring, then open pods, as in the first year of life. Then the plant dies. Solitaire contains a lot of mustard oil, nitrogen and sulfur. This plant is tasty for humans, and it repels harmful insects - mosquitoes and fleas. In addition, it improves the condition of the soil.
Features of growing arugula
You can grow both of these types of arugula easily, literally effortlessly. They grow on the windowsill in the apartment all year round, they are sown in open ground from April to mid-August. The seedling method is also very good, allowing you to use seeds sparingly and get a more abundant and early harvest.Arugula has small seeds, first they are sown in a cup to a depth of 0.5-1 cm. Mass shoots appear on the fifth day. The seedlings take root, and they take root well and grow immediately without thickening. The distance between the bushes in the box should be 20-40 cm, and between the rows 10-15. Largely thanks to the sufficient interval between plants, an unforgettable sharp-nutty taste is obtained. In any case, that’s what vegetable growers who love this herb say.
Rucola prefers light soils with a slightly acidic reaction, so acidic ones must be limed. If you bring soil from your own plot for a winter vegetable garden on the window, the one taken from the bed where potatoes, pumpkins, and legumes grew is suitable for arugula. To get more greenery, you need fertile and well-supplied soil.
Arugula blooms with long days and elevated temperatures. Withstands frosts down to minus 5-7°C. The optimal temperature for growth and development is 16-18°C.
Rucola doesn't like shadows, although he certainly tolerates them. If you feed it with nitrogen fertilizers in insufficient lighting, Nitrate accumulation will occur, the chemical composition will change. Although at the same time general form plants will noticeably improve: growth will increase, the leaves will become more juicy green, but what we sow arugula for is its the taste will disappear.
If the plants do not have enough moisture, the leaves become coarser and become bitter, so regular watering is necessary. The sooner you start picking off the leaves, the faster the bush will grow. Adulthood - when it is already possible to partially pluck it - begins at about 10 cm.
It usually takes 20-35 days from full germination to the first cutting. The weight of a rosette of leaves can be 20-60 g depending on conditions. Greens can be stored in the refrigerator for about 7 days; before that, they must be sprinkled with water.
What to cook from arugula
Arugula greens should not be subjected to prolonged heat treatment, otherwise it will lose its taste and aroma. Its leaves are an excellent aphrodisiac - food that stimulates intimate desires and helps increase male strength.Italian chefs To excite passion, they recommend this ancient potion: you need to crush 100 g of arugula and, adding 10 g of black pepper and honey, mix everything. Take a teaspoon every morning.
100 g of arugula contains: 15 mg of ascorbic acid, 1.8 mg of vitamin A, 48 mg of vitamin B9. The plant is rich in microelements - potassium (220 mg), calcium (77 mg), magnesium (40 mg), iodine (up to 8 mcg), iron (up to 0.6 mg).
Salad with arugula it becomes much tastier if you put it in the refrigerator for 5-6 hours. You need to slightly chop (tear with your hands) 150 g of arugula, divide 9 cherry tomatoes in half, cut 5 pieces of lightly salted salmon into long slices, add a handful of washed and dried cranberries.
Then mix a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar with the same amount olive oil, beat with a fork until smooth, add a little salt. Pour the sauce into the salad, mix everything, arrange on plates and sprinkle with pine nuts on top.
Thanks to biologically active substances arugula has a beneficial effect on digestion, has an expectorant and antibacterial effect.
If you eat it regularly, immunity and hemoglobin are increased, metabolism is normalized, and blood sugar levels are reduced. It is believed that it is also useful for the prevention of cancer.
Anatoly Tsiunel
Rucola is a herbal aphrodisiac and green doctor that will protect against thyroid and prostate gland, normalizes hemoglobin levels and removes swelling. Leaves with a spicy nutty-mustard aroma transform ordinary salads and soups into works of culinary art. It is better to grow the spice on a windowsill, because in the garden it is attacked by the cruciferous flea beetle, which can destroy the entire crop in a matter of hours.
Selection of planting material
Arugula is sold in stores for summer residents. The seeds are processed before packaging into bags, so they do not require disinfection or dressing. The harvest will ripen in 25–30 days if you choose early varieties. Mid-season varieties are ready for consumption after 35 days. It is recommended to plant arugula in boxes or pots at intervals so that there is always fresh greenery in the house.
Condiment lovers can cull the empty shells by immersing the seeds for planting in a saline solution. The sediment is used to grow the plant, and the material floating on the surface is poured into the sink along with the water.
Soil preparation
Some experienced summer residents It is recommended to buy land in specialized stores. The soil should be intended for growing seedlings, and not indoor flowers. This variety is enriched with phosphorus and nitrogenous components, so the arugula will be strong and the harvest will be rich.
Ordinary black soil from a bed where pumpkin or legume crops grew is also suitable. The plant loves slightly alkaline, or preferably neutral, soil. It dies if the base contains peat impurities.
Will do home option, prepared from turf soil, humus and sand. The first and second components are in equal proportions, less of the third will be needed. The main thing is that the soil is crumbly and loose.
Arugula needs to be protected from fungus and pests by calcining the soil in the oven. Half an hour at maximum high temperature. An alternative is boiling water or a solution of potassium permanganate, which is poured into the ground. After disinfection, the base is infused for 1–2 weeks so that beneficial microorganisms appear in it.
Which boxes to use
Arugula is unpretentious and takes root in almost any container. Will fit wooden boxes, plastic containers or flower pots, you can turn milk cartons into a mini-garden. The height of the sides must be at least 12 cm. There must be holes at the bottom through which the excess moisture, and supply air to the roots.
Boxes are placed on stands or trays so as not to dirty the window sill. The width of the container depends on the size of the window on which the seasoning will grow. The pots are moved towards the glass so that the plant receives a lot of sun.
Important: You cannot plant arugula in peat pots or tablets, because in acidic soil she dies.
Preparation and disembarkation
You can't do without a drainage layer. Crushed brick will come in handy, you can collect small pebbles or rub a piece of foam plastic. Place broken pieces in the pot pottery or coarse sand. What should be the thickness of the drainage layer? Approximately 1.5–2 cm plus 6–8 cm of soil, which is lightly compacted.
Seeds that have been in saline solution are washed and dried. The soil is moistened with a spray bottle; shallow holes or rows can be made, but this is not necessary. Leave 3 cm from each seed so that the arugula has room to grow.
Use a wet match to pick up planting material, put in the ground. When all the seeds are in the box, sprinkle warm water from a spray bottle. A watering can for flowers is not suitable, because it washes out the soil. Sprinkle a centimeter layer of soil on top, lightly press it down with a spatula, and close each box or pot. in a plastic bag. Garbage bags will come in handy; glass can be used instead of a lid.
Caring for arugula before the first shoots
Seeds that are in the ground do not require sun. Containers with arugula should be placed in a warm room without drafts, in which the temperature does not drop below +18 degrees, otherwise the shoots will be weak.
The soil should remain moist. If it dries out, lightly moisten it with a spray bottle. Waterlogged soil - perfect option for the development of fungi, so the plant is watered moderately, preferably no more than once every two days.
Light and warmth
After 5–7 days, the first tender shoots that need the sun hatch. Remove the bags, leave the glass for another week, and move the boxes and pots to the south windowsill. It is in this part of the house that there is most light. If the weather is gloomy, you should install a regular one next to the arugula. table lamp. There should be 60 cm between the plant and the lighting fixture so that artificial rays do not dry out the soil. You can increase the amount of watering if the soil inside becomes dry. Determining humidity is simple: stick your finger into the soil and try.
In winter, the lamp is left on for at least 4 hours after sunset to prevent the sprouts from stretching. In spring, daylight hours are 9–11 hours, so lighting fixture must work from 7 a.m. to 5–6 p.m.
Sprouts are protected from drafts. They are dangerous for any plant, but arugula is very delicate and sensitive. You cannot open the windows on the windows where the miniature vegetable garden is located. You should maintain a stable temperature in the room so that the thermometer does not show less than +17.
Additional care
It is recommended to thin out seedlings that are 8–10 days old, removing weak and stunted plants. They can be added to salads or soups by cutting off the roots and thoroughly washing the leaves. The remaining specimens are regularly watered with a syringe, teaspoon or spray bottle. Grown bushes can easily tolerate both +10 degrees and +25.
The nutrients contained in the soil are sufficient for the normal growth of arugula. The plant does not need to be fertilized additionally. If the seasoning doesn't seem to be developing well, you can use an iron chelate. You should avoid nitrates and organic fertilizers, because the plant quickly absorbs everything that is in the soil, and it ends up on the gardener’s plate.
Arugula ripens after a month, sometimes earlier. It is recommended to cut leaves 10 centimeters or more in height. Not all at once, but as needed, because greens cannot be stored for a long time even in the refrigerator. You need to have time to harvest before 45–50 days, when the plant begins to bloom. You can leave a few bushes and try to stock up on seeds yourself.
Tip: There will always be fresh arugula in the house if you plant it in small batches, after 1–1.5 weeks.
There is nothing difficult about growing a popular plant. No need to fertilize, soak seeds or follow special temperature regime. Arugula is enough ordinary land and a lot of sun so that its leaves are juicy and tasty. Even novice gardeners can grow a real vegetable garden on their windowsill with healthy seasonings that are used to prepare dishes in elite restaurants.
Video: beneficial properties of arugula
Arugula is a fairly popular crop in Europe and India. Not only vegetarians tend to eat the leaves of this plant, because the culture is rich in vitamins and microelements. Substances contained in the leaves have a positive effect on the urinary, digestive and respiratory system, help increase hemoglobin, lower blood sugar levels. Therefore, it is recommended by nutritionists as a means of preventing cancer.
Arugula leaves are much more expensive than tops of other crops. However, this fact does not upset gardeners, because growing arugula from seeds is a simple task that even a novice farmer can do. You can grow the plant in open ground and even on a windowsill in an apartment. All the subtleties and secrets of growing this plant are described in the article.
Growing arugula on a sunny windowsill is very simple and the culture does not need special care
How to grow arugula on a windowsill?
Many people want to plant healthy and tasty arugula in their apartment in flower pots or plastic flowerpots. It is very easy to cope with the task. To do this, vegetable growers and adherents of healthy food should adhere to the following recommendations, namely:
- The container for the plant must be more than 10 cm deep.
- Any soil will do, and at home it is recommended to fertilize it first. To do this, the soil is mixed with humus in equal parts. To improve drainage properties, add a little sand. The composition is mixed. Before pouring the soil into the pot, you need to put foam or pebbles on the bottom for drainage.
- Seeds are purchased at a specialty store and planted by gardeners in March or later at a distance of about 1 cm from each other. Surface sowing is sufficient and the seeds are sprinkled with a small layer of soil, after which the soil is lightly compacted. The seeds do not need to be soaked, since the germination rate of arugula is excellent and the first shoots appear within a few days.
- The soil is regularly moistened with a spray bottle. The plant grows well in a humid environment and dies in drought conditions, but do not overwater it.
Growing arugula on a sunny windowsill is very simple and the crop does not require special care. It is enough to spray the garden bed with warm water every day and a month after germination it can be eaten.
Video on how to grow arugula on a windowsill:
Arugula: growing from seeds in open ground
You can start growing arugula outdoors in your garden in early April. The plant is unpretentious and is not afraid of frost; it tolerates temperatures down to -5 degrees without consequences. It grows well in neutral soil, but acidic soil is unsuitable for planting crops. According to observations experienced gardeners, it is better to plant arugula in open ground after legumes, tomatoes, potatoes and pumpkin crops.
Plants can be grown from seeds or by seedlings. However, it is worth remembering that it is quite difficult to transfer arugula seedlings into open ground and this method should be used only as a last resort. If you still choose the seedling method, then in March the seeds are sown into peas, and the seedlings can be transferred to the garden in late April-early May.
In order for the seedlings to be strong, they need to be thinned out when 2 grow on one plant. full sheets. During thinning, leave a distance of about 5 cm between seedlings.
You can start growing arugula outdoors in your garden in early April.
You can sow seeds in open ground in April, May, June. However, it is worth considering one feature - when landing in hot weather, arugula goes to waste and becomes unfit for consumption. Therefore, it is recommended to choose areas in the shade when sowing late.
When growing arugula from seeds, you should adhere to the following tips:
- the depth of the bookmark should be about 1-1.5 cm;
- the distance between the beds in the garden is at least 30-40 cm, and between plants in a row – 5 cm;
- with dense shoots, begin thinning;
- the beds need to be watered regularly so that the soil is always moist;
- Only organic substances are suitable as fertilizers.
Arugula grows well with regular watering and does not require care. However, given that the soil is always kept moist, the crop may be affected fungal diseases. Symptoms of damage will become obvious immediately:
Small holes in arugula leaves are caused by flea beetles.
- growth almost stops;
- the plant withers;
- Brown swellings appear on the roots.
In this case, antifungal drugs will help to cope with the problem; they need to be used to treat the beds and dig up the soil.
Plants from the cruciferous family are often attacked by flea beetles, and arugula is no exception. Pests begin to eat the leaves and the summer resident will notice small holes on them. To combat it, it is usually enough to regularly water the bed and place phacelia tops between the rows. Sprinkling the garden beds with tobacco dust leads to positive results.
Arugula varieties with photos
Arugula varieties are classified into early and mid-season, as well as one- and two-year-olds. There are quite a lot of them, and each type of culture has certain differences. The early varieties of arugula include the following:
The photo shows arugula seeds
- Rocket.
- Oliveta.
- Poker.
- Witch Doctor.
- Rococo.
- Victoria.
- Spartacus.
- Koltivata.
Early varieties of arugula have a growing season of about 25 days and grow up to 20 cm in height.
Mid-season varieties of arugula are:
- Cupid's arrows.
- A curiosity.
- Solitaire.
- Sicily.
- Corsica.
Growing season mid-season varieties is about 35 days and the plant reaches a height of 40-60 cm.
In the photo, the arugula variety Indau Gurman
A special place among vegetables is occupied by the perennial arugula Indau Gourmand; the description of the variety, photos, reviews and planting subtleties are of interest to many farmers. This early ripening variety is characterized by excellent taste and has a piquant, spicy taste. Often grown in the Caucasus and Crimea.
Video on how to grow arugula:
Arugula, growing from seeds in an apartment or open ground is the No. 1 topic among connoisseurs of healthy greens and owners. Knowing the peculiarities of agricultural technology and some secrets of planting and care, it will be quite easy to get an abundance of succulent leaves on the windowsill or your own garden bed.