Arugula?

andrea745
andrea745 Posts: 89 ✭✭✭
edited October 2020 in Vegetables

I absolutely love arugula and am constantly frustrated that I have to buy it pre packaged in my health food stores and its refigerator life is so short. Do any of you grow arugula? What are the necessary growing conditions and why is it so rarely available through farmer's markets etc.? My son lives in Brazil and they have it quite abundantly. It is called rucala (pronounced Hukala) there and it looks a bit different (bigger leafs)

Comments

  • Torey
    Torey Posts: 5,679 admin

    @andrea745 I think that Arugula is less commonly found because there is less demand for bitter foods. We (people in general) have become so used to sweet in our diets that we no longer care for bitter tastes. I have grown Arugula with varying results. Depends on the weather. Arugula will bolt as soon as it gets hot. I think it needs a fairly rich soil but I could be mistaken on that. Could be one of the reasons I have varying results. None that I planted came up this year and it was new seed, so I don't know what went wrong. Too wet and cold this year at the time of seeding?

  • smik123
    smik123 Posts: 60 ✭✭✭
    edited July 2020

    I agree with @torey many people are not into bitter. Now seeing what she says about heat I will never attempt to grow it as in South Alabama we grow heat. LOL. I am not a lover of arugula for taste. Sometimes I do get it for health reasons and I have been able to find it at Aldi.

  • VickiP
    VickiP Posts: 586 ✭✭✭✭

    I am in zone 6b in USA. Arugula is a cool weather crop for us, I hate the stuff but my husband loves it so we would grow it in the summer if we could, but it bolts here also. By the way it's not the taste so much as the smell, even when someone else is eating it I get a whiff and ewww. I read it it a gene that cause that reaction, it happens with cilantro as well.

  • annbeck62
    annbeck62 Posts: 1,028 ✭✭✭✭

    I'm in zone 9b we grow it in the winter. It's available at our farmers market but only from the organic stands. Fresh from the farm (or garden) arugula seems to be a lot stronger too.

  • AngelaOston
    AngelaOston Posts: 249 ✭✭✭

    Mine is currently going to seed. But i still get a leaf or two. In a fee weeks Ill plant some fall sprouts. I also do sprouting trays in the winter. So i got a one pound bags of seed from true leaf. And I grow 10” by 10” trays of arugula sorouts. When i am sprouting, I throw a few of the sprouts into my containers outside. And enough of them take. That I get their spicy greens.

  • JodieDownUnder
    JodieDownUnder Posts: 1,483 admin

    @andrea745 like you, I love arugula. In Australia we call it rocket, very peppery. Usually sold as baby rocket leaves in stores. It grows best in cooler months, like lettuce. I buy rocket and lettuce seeds, mix them together and plant in my fertile raised beds. In no time it starts and is prolific. Likes a drink and occasionally I'll give it a organic liquid fertiliser. I've even made pesto with it. Great plant!

  • valizona
    valizona Posts: 48 ✭✭✭

    here in Central TExas, it grows like a weed, literally. Plant it once and it'll reseed on its own. I've seeded directly in ground in spring and harvest on it all season. I keep flower stalks trimed to keep from bolting until I'm ready. Saving seed is easy.

    BTW, here's a big tip for all you non-arugula fans. My kids werent too keen on it's bitterness either but once we steamed the leaves, I couldn't give them enough. It becomes much milder in flavor. Fresh is still my favorite in salad greens mix and on sandwiches. Try it with avocado and tomato in a sandwich. so yum.

  • andrea745
    andrea745 Posts: 89 ✭✭✭

    Thank you all for your great comments. I became an argula fan when I developed digestive issues. I now eat it with everything-- eggs in the morning, put it in my homemade soups and use it for salads and wraps. It is a developed taste but it has helped my gut. All the bitters create digestive juices which are needed to help digest food. Thanks for clarifying the growing conditions. I do not know what that term "bolt" means.

  • karen
    karen Posts: 80 ✭✭

    i lived in the PNW and now in subtropical mountain area. i have grown arugula many times and still do. In both places mentioned perennial arugula is a good bet. other than that I would just get some seeds and start them indoors, it is a very easy plant to grow just needing same conditions that you would need for mustards or kale.

  • karen
    karen Posts: 80 ✭✭

    andrea bolting means something that is rapidly going to seed and is usually a problem for many lettuces in warmer climates

  • Jannajo
    Jannajo Posts: 173 ✭✭✭

    @andrea745 U know arugula is so fine, bitter or not, I find it grows so very easily, just throw out some seeds, up it comes...eggs, however, with digestive issues, I myself wld stop all dairy-& use plant milks, soy or nut, maybe some oatmeal. I guess u r feeling better now, perhaps try eliminating dairy for awhile to c what happens.

  • Bryce Langebartels
    Bryce Langebartels Posts: 47 ✭✭✭

    Most lettuce types I have planted do much better in cooler weather and as has been said a couple of times bolt (go to seed) quickly when it gets warm. However, I have some Australain Yellow lettuce that has done pretty well thru this summer so far. I'm still picking leaves off for fresh salads!

  • marjstratton
    marjstratton Posts: 1,132 ✭✭✭✭

    I live in the maritime Northwest. I decided to grow arugula last year. It grew very well, and I loved just grabbing a leaf or two to throw on my salad. It was still growing well into the early winter.

  • andrea745
    andrea745 Posts: 89 ✭✭✭

    @Jannajo I spent my life figuring out my digestive issues. It has been a fascinating journey. I can eat bitters, but not ferments. I do fine with eggs, but avoid milk and yogurt. I do no grains at all, but use lots of almond flour and cassava root flour. I am a cook, so I spend lots of time in the kitchen experimenting with substituting foods to make healthy and delicious dishes.

  • Jannajo
    Jannajo Posts: 173 ✭✭✭

    @andrea745 ...This is the same adventure, I am on, just to discover what it is -healthy for me, possibly others, and we both spend kitchen-time each day...I use lots of plant milk, but have not settled on best for me yet -I know this coconut milk I use often is too fatty for me, tried making almond milk from scratch-dog ate my almonds, one bag -another, I soaked, put in oven, they got mildew! Never stop! Looking, planting, researching........

  • andrea745
    andrea745 Posts: 89 ✭✭✭

    Yes it is an adventure @Jannajo . That is the attitude I take which makes it seem less like a chore and more of an exploration. Taking a beginners mind and a scientist's attitude toward everything when it comes to health and healing. Namaste, Andrea