November 8, 2012

Landreth Seed Company, the oldest seed house in America had a Facebook post on growing arugula in a pot. Even if you only have a sunny porch or patio, you can grow arugula. If a frost threatens, just move the arugula in the house or to a protected area.

My arugula was quite robust last year and perhaps I should have confined it to a container. Friends, family and I can only eat so much arugula.

Here’s the text of the Landreth Seed Company post:

Arugula is one of the best plants to start from seed during the late summer or early fall. It is extremely cold tolerant so it will withstand all but the most vigorous of frosts. Arugula is also an excellent container plant. It flourishes in an 8 inch or larger container and with some modest protection may even last throughout the winter months. It does not like the summer heat so it is best planted in August for Hardiness Zones 3-4, Late August or early September for Hardiness Zones 5-7 and October-December for Hardiness Zones 8-10.

Landreth offers two heirloom varieties of arugula: Arugula Roquette and Wild Italian. The Wild Italian variety is much more peppery. Be careful not to plant your seeds too early, because with intense summer heat they will not germinate. There are few things more refreshing in the fall and early winter than a salad made of newly harvested, peppery arugula, crowned with crumbled goat cheese and drizzled with a raspberry vinaigrette.

Photo credit: Landreth Seed Company