Crop guide
Growing arugula
Growing arugula means matching type, timing, and spacing on the cited sheets. There is no single national planting date.
Growing guidance is general information. Timing, spacing, and care depend on cultivar, weather, soil, and local conditions. Check the sources and adjust the plan for your garden.
Steps (range, not a promise)
- 01Know the type on the cited sheet. Cool-season notes stay source-specific.
- 02Plant on the cited sheet’s timing. Regional dates stay on their own cards.
- 03Use in-row depth and spacing from one cited source.
- 04Log the bed so next season is not a guess.
Illustrative photograph — types, timing, and spacing stay on the cited sheets.
The season, on your ground
Save this bed — freeWhen to plantCareWhen to harvestGarden pests
What the sources say — at a glance
One source per card. Facts are not averaged.
Clemson HGIC 1329 (South Carolina)
Eruca sativa. Rosette of deeply lobed leaves. Cooler spring or fall. Thin 9 in. Seed ¼–½ in. Warm temperatures cause bolt (flowering stem).
Details and limits (5)
Types
Clemson HGIC 1329 (South Carolina): arugula (Eruca sativa) forms a rosette of deeply lobed leaves. Type notes — not a cultivar mill.
Timing
Clemson HGIC 1329 (South Carolina): as a group they are generally grown in the cooler weather of spring or fall. Timing on their sheet — not a national plant date.
Spacing
Clemson HGIC 1329 (South Carolina): thin arugula plants to 9 inches apart. Direct seed about ¼ to ½ inch deep.
Timing
Clemson HGIC 1329 (South Carolina): warm temperatures cause plants to bolt (produce a flowering stem). Phenology on their sheet — not a quality promise.
Limit
South Carolina HGIC 1329. 9 in thin stays Clemson. Not fertilizer.
Maryland Extension (Maryland)
Spring mid-March through May, direct seed. Fall August through September, direct seed. Maryland calendar — not a ZIP tool.
Details and limits (2)
Timing
Maryland Extension (Maryland): spring crop — mid-March through May, plant seeds directly. Fall crop — August through September, plant seeds directly. Maryland timing — not a national plant date.
Limit
Maryland vegetable planting calendar. Direct-seed windows stay Maryland. Not a ZIP calendar.
Illinois Extension (Illinois)
Cool-season annual. Direct sow early spring to early fall. Most types can survive 22 °F (attributed).
Details and limits (4)
Types
Illinois Extension (Illinois): arugula is a cool-season annual. Type notes — not a mill.
Timing
Illinois Extension (Illinois): germinates readily from seed sown directly in the ground in early spring to early fall. Illinois timing — not a national plant date.
Types
Illinois Extension (Illinois): most types of arugula can survive 22 °F. Attributed hardiness — not a planting-safety promise.
Limit
Illinois Good Growing arugula page. 22 °F wording stays Illinois. Not fertilizer.
Make it yours
Save the bed in the Field Book so next season is not a guess.
Sources differ
When do you plant arugula?
Compare timing on the cited sheets. Clemson HGIC 1329 (South Carolina): cooler weather of spring or fall. Maryland: mid-March through May and August through September, direct seed. Illinois: direct sow early spring to early fall. Not a national plant date.
How far apart do you plant arugula?
Clemson HGIC 1329 (South Carolina): thin to 9 inches. Direct seed about ¼ to ½ inch deep. Maryland and Illinois list no spacing note on this page.
What to record in the Field Book
Save the bed with the crop and the date. You may add a photo and notes. Compare entries you have recorded with each other — not with a diagnosis from this page. If you want an identification, bring the record to local Extension.
Verified suppliers only
No supplier on this page
When a partner is listed, it will be outbound and disclosed. Nothing to buy here. Fertilizer, soils, and pesticides stay off this slot.
How we know — methodology. Ranges and assertions are cited per source, not blended.