Garden Care Guide

Arugula Care

Eruca vesicaria subsp. sativa

A leafy vegetable with a sharp flavor that is ready to harvest in 3-4 weeks. It also grows in pots; in heat it turns bitter and bolts.

Half-hardy · -5 °C / 23 °F

Monthly care calendar

Timings are for a temperate Northern Hemisphere climate. In warmer areas tasks start earlier, in colder areas later; in the Southern Hemisphere shift them by six months.

March
  • Watering: In the cool season, rainfall is often enough; during a long dry spell, water every 10-15 days just enough to keep the soil moist.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Sow the seeds directly 0.5-1 cm deep, broadcast or in rows 20 cm apart; for a continuous harvest, sow again every 2-3 weeks.
  • Pests & diseases: Check the young leaves for numerous pinhead-sized holes (flea beetle); seedlings are most vulnerable at this stage, and a fine fleece cover protects them.
April
  • Watering: If there is no rain, water 1-2 times a week; the soil should not stay constantly wet.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Sow the seeds directly 0.5-1 cm deep, broadcast or in rows 20 cm apart; for a continuous harvest, sow again every 2-3 weeks.
  • General care: Harvest: Pick the leaves from the outside when they are 10-15 cm long, or cut 3-4 cm above the soil; the plant will regrow.
  • Pests & diseases: Check the young leaves for numerous pinhead-sized holes (flea beetle); seedlings are most vulnerable at this stage, and a fine fleece cover protects them.
May
  • Watering: If there is no rain, water 1-2 times a week; the soil should not stay constantly wet.
  • General care: Harvest: Pick the leaves from the outside when they are 10-15 cm long, or cut 3-4 cm above the soil; the plant will regrow.
  • General care: If the flower stalk elongates with the heat, the leaves turn bitter; harvest the plant and sow again. Choose a partially shaded spot in summer.
September
  • Watering: If there is no rain, water 1-2 times a week; the soil should not stay constantly wet.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Sow the seeds directly 0.5-1 cm deep, broadcast or in rows 20 cm apart; for a continuous harvest, sow again every 2-3 weeks.
  • Pests & diseases: Check the young leaves for numerous pinhead-sized holes (flea beetle); seedlings are most vulnerable at this stage, and a fine fleece cover protects them.
October
  • Watering: If there is no rain, water 1-2 times a week; the soil should not stay constantly wet.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Sow the seeds directly 0.5-1 cm deep, broadcast or in rows 20 cm apart; for a continuous harvest, sow again every 2-3 weeks.
  • General care: Harvest: Pick the leaves from the outside when they are 10-15 cm long, or cut 3-4 cm above the soil; the plant will regrow.
  • Pests & diseases: Check the young leaves for numerous pinhead-sized holes (flea beetle); seedlings are most vulnerable at this stage, and a fine fleece cover protects them.
  • Pests & diseases: After rain and in the evening hours, check the young leaves for irregular holes and shiny slime trails (snails, slugs); picking them off by hand is the most effective method.
November
  • Watering: In the cool season, rainfall is often enough; during a long dry spell, water every 10-15 days just enough to keep the soil moist.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Harvest: Pick the leaves from the outside when they are 10-15 cm long, or cut 3-4 cm above the soil; the plant will regrow.
  • Pests & diseases: After rain and in the evening hours, check the young leaves for irregular holes and shiny slime trails (snails, slugs); picking them off by hand is the most effective method.

The care advice on this page is general and for information only; it is not professional advice. Plant age, soil and your garden’s microclimate can change the outcome. Plant protection products are mentioned only as general information; they are regulated, and the choice, dose and timing must be decided by a qualified professional under local rules. Consult a landscape architect or agronomist before applying.

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