I grow a lot of this stuff. At
first I didn't know much about it, but have come to like it.
It is extremely popular at my market and with my customers.
I eat it now with a dressing of balsamic vinegar, Olive oil
and a little tamari and Lemon...and tomatoes if I have them.
Very nice. Very popular in Italy where it is
abundantly grown and available everywhere for much less than you
would buy it here for...but also eaten more mature I think than
most of what I sell. Still, mine has a very good bite to it
because our weather is warm here.
In summer, it goes in each week...every week and I get one
cutting from it. I learned how to do this from Paul and Alison
Wiediger in Kentucky where the are a similar climate...I think
they are 6B. I'm 7A and it will get very bitter in summer
and go to seed quickly if you don't harvest and use quickly.
It grows for LESS than three weeks and is planted very
thickly like salad mix--I would use my earthway seeder, but it
just jams up with that type of seed, so I either hand sow it, or
use the little Johnnys handheld seeder...very tedious. Would
love a nice expensive seeder. Keep it moist until it
germinates. In summer that means watering it everyday
sometimes. I cover it with rowcover and with shadecloth when
it is really brutal here. I usually give it one good quick
weeding with the little colinear hoe and that is enough. It grows
very quickly and outcompetes many weeds, but of course it is
always nice to give it a good clean seedbed.
I sell every bit...Often 100 bags at a market.
(It is triple washed) And what I don't sell is coveted by
local restaurants--but at a wholesale price...still better than
throwing it out!
In fall and spring, I have a chance to plant it less often
and harvest it more than once and also sell some of it more
mature. If I cover it, it is fairly hardy and I can cut it
at least until Christmas here.
If I do not cover it with rowcover, the harlequin bugs ruin
it. Nevertheless, it is my best seller and the crop I probably
make the most money from. Quality is important and the
ability to taste it so you know if it is really too too bitter
when cutting it more mature. Fresh arugula can't be
beat.
Also, keep it COLD after harvest. Get the heat out of
it immediately, harvest in the morning and In the
refrigerator at 32 degrees. If I do that, it will stay good
for two weeks and people love that kind of shelf life.
Hattie's Garden Lewes, DE 19958
Zone 7A--about 8 miles from the ocean
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