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Medically helpful Arugula plants growing indoors and outdoors in USA

Generally, people consume arugula leaves raw in salad and several other ways. These leaves are antioxidants and medically helpful if one consumes them in the right amount. Although, these leaves are a bit spicy and very healthy for daily consumption in a certain amount. 

Growing them indoors is not a very big task in cool climates. These are very quick harvesting plants and even a beginner can grow them easily indoors or outdoors. 

So let's understand how one can grow arugula plants in cool and warm climates(even that is difficult). 

Growing arugula plants indoors in containers

Growing in containers is quite easy to manage arugula plants indoors or outdoors. With the minor difficult level of growth, still you must have proper knowledge of gardening such plants with their nature of growing. But don't worry gardeners, I'm here to help you to grow arugula plants at home. 

Growing arugula in containers

Let's start with the growing season of arugula and its growing conditions. 

Season of growing arugula

Arugula plants can grow in both spring and fall seasons in cool climates but growing them indoors in warm climates is not a bad idea if you can keep the temperature cool and provide enough light. 

Growing them outdoors is slightly different than indoors because conditions are different and not in hands of the gardener. So growing arugula in spring is a better option outdoors in cool climates. 

Growing conditions for arugula

  • Soil type

Rich soil with a high percentage of organic components that has proper drainage is good for Arugula plants. It shouldn't be easily compacted soil. Using a soil mixture with organic compost, sand, coco-peat, and garden soil is very good for arugula plants.

  • Climate conditions

Arugula prefers to grow in cool climates outdoors. They don't need intense sunlight and too much heat to grow. Though, if you want to grow them indoors, then maybe a warm climate is not too bad for that if you can manage the light and temperature indoors. 

Growing it in cool climates indoors or outdoors is more comfortable for arugula plants. 

  • Temperature

Arugula growing temperature should range between 50F to 65F at the time of sowing seeds. For later growth, it can vary according to further seasons. But too cold (below 40F) and too hot(above 75F) is not good for arugula plants either indoors or outdoors. 

  • Humidity

Moderate humidity is good to grow Arugula either indoors or outdoors. It may vary in the range of 20% to 40%. 

  • Sunlight and shade

Bright sunlight if sunlight is too intense otherwise daily 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight in cool regions with a regular checkup of soil moisture. If conditions are overcast then you can use manual lights indoors to grow them. 

These plants can't tolerate longer shade while growing. If the light is too low then try to avoid dark and shift them at least in partial shade or if sunlight is too intense then you can do this. 

Other requirements

Tools required

  • Small cultivator tool 
  • Nursery cups 
  • Planters tools
  • Spraying bottles

Materials required

  • Garden soil
  • Vermicompost/organic compost
  • Coco-peat
  • Sand

Containers size

The container size depends on the number of plants you are going to grow in your garden. Roughly, a single arugula plant can expand 1-foot tall max so you only need a 6 to 8 inches deep and 6 to 8 inches wide container. 

Considering this 6 to 8 inches depth, you can increase the size of the container accordingly. These containers can be of plastic material or thin solid material so you can keep using them further for a long time. 

Method of growing arugula indoors

  • Soil preparation

Firstly, prepare a soil mixture for arugula seeds so that you can germinate them with a very less mortality rate. For that, you need to mix soil, compost, sand, and coco-peat in a ratio of 2:2:1:1 the mixture. Mix them well with your hands(wear gloves first). Use some water to make this soil mixture moist and fill in the containers. 

  • Sowing seeds and germination

Sow seeds two or three in one dig each so the mortality rate can be less. Cover them with the same soil mixture but not more than 1 cm. Spray some water and keep them in the light for a couple of days. Soon you'll see the seeds started germinating. But still, don't transplant them suddenly. Wait till they develop their leaves and become young plants. 

  • Transplantation arugula plants

Finally, transplant them into bigger containers as I suggest above. Fill a new soil mixture in the containers and transplant all the arugula plants carefully in the new containers without damaging them. Cover them 2 to 3 inches deep in the soil. Spray some water and keep them in light. 

  • Irrigation required

Irrigation is required when arugula plants' soil starts becoming dry at the top. Before that, you shouldn't wet or irrigate the soil unnecessarily. It is not complicated, just check the moisture and spray some water easily. 

  • First harvesting

After 25 to 30 days, your arugula plant leaves become enough large to pick up. These plants can take up to 45 days for the first harvesting in the worst conditions, but still, their common variety becomes ready early. 

To harvest the leaves, use scissors and cut the leaves one inch above the ground at the stem so that new leaves can grow up next. Harvest only older leaves and leave the newer ones for maximum growth. Wash your arugula leaves, clean them, and enjoy arugula leaves. 

  • Further harvesting

From here, you'll have a couple of more harvesting before the plant become finally mature. So you can harvest further after the first harvesting till leaves remain smooth and soft. They become ready every 20 to 25 days gap. 

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