How to Grow Arugula Plants

Select and prepare a planting bed for growing arugula in early spring, as soon as the soil softens enough to be cultivated.

Choose a site with partial shade, humus-rich soil and moderate drainage. Avoid boggy areas or places with full sun exposure during the summer months.

Till the soil to a depth of 6 inches using a rotary tiller. Spread a 3-inch-thick layer of compost and a 1-inch-thick layer of coarse sand over the bed. Work the amendments into the soil with the rotary tiller.

Rake the surface of the soil to even it out. Drag the tines of a garden rake across the soil to make 1/4-inch-deep furrows across the surface.

Broadcast arugula seed over the prepared bed. Sprinkle small pinches of the seeds evenly over the soil.

Run an oscillating sprinkler at the edge of the bed for 15 to 20 minutes to settle the seeds and moisten the soil to a depth of 3 inches. Water again using the oscillating sprinkler whenever the top 1/2 inch of soil dries out.

Watch for germination in five to seven days. Thin the arugula seedlings to one every six inches.

Hang 40 percent shade cloth over the bed as soon as daytime temperatures top 75 degrees Fahrenheit to keep the delicate leaves from scorching.

Harvest the arugula approximately four weeks after planting, or as soon as the leaves grow to 4 inches in length.