When to Plant Arugula
Sow arugula outside 1 to 5 weeks before your last frost, and again 5 to 9 weeks before your first fall frost for a fall crop.
Arugula at a glance
- Sow outside
- 1 to 5 weeks before your last frost
- Fall sowing
- 5 to 9 weeks before your first fall frost
- Time to harvest
- 30 to 40 days from sowing
- Harvest lasts
- about 4 weeks
- Spacing
- 16 per square foot
- Frost
- Takes hard frosts
Growing arugula
Arugula is one of the fastest greens: sow it thinly and shallow in cool weather and cut baby leaves in about a month. It takes light frost in stride, and once the plants bolt, the small white flowers are edible too.
Dates by hardiness zone
Typical dates for each zone; your ZIP code gives your own.
| Zone | Sow | Sow for fall | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3a | Apr 23 – May 21 | Jul 13 – Aug 10 | May 23 – Jun 30 · Aug 12 – Sep 19 |
| Zone 3b | Apr 12 – May 10 | Jul 24 – Aug 21 | May 12 – Jun 19 · Aug 23 – Sep 30 |
| Zone 4a | Apr 7 – May 5 | Jul 27 – Aug 24 | May 7 – Jun 14 · Aug 26 – Oct 3 |
| Zone 4b | Apr 3 – May 1 | Jul 30 – Aug 27 | May 3 – Jun 10 · Aug 29 – Oct 6 |
| Zone 5a | Mar 29 – Apr 26 | Aug 3–31 | Apr 28 – Jun 5 · Sep 2 – Oct 10 |
| Zone 5b | Mar 27 – Apr 24 | Aug 8 – Sep 5 | Apr 26 – Jun 3 · Sep 7 – Oct 15 |
| Zone 6a | Mar 25 – Apr 22 | Aug 14 – Sep 11 | Apr 24 – Jun 1 · Sep 13 – Oct 21 |
| Zone 6b | Mar 19 – Apr 16 | Aug 20 – Sep 17 | Apr 18 – May 26 · Sep 19 – Oct 27 |
| Zone 7a | Mar 12 – Apr 9 | Aug 23 – Sep 20 | Apr 11 – May 19 · Sep 22 – Oct 30 |
| Zone 7b | Mar 1–29 | Aug 30 – Sep 27 | Mar 31 – May 8 · Sep 29 – Nov 6 |
| Zone 8a | Feb 22 – Mar 22 | Sep 5 – Oct 3 | Mar 24 – May 1 · Oct 5 – Nov 12 |
| Zone 8b | Feb 10 – Mar 10 | Sep 11 – Oct 9 | Mar 12 – Apr 19 · Oct 11 – Nov 18 |
| Zone 9a | Jan 26 – Feb 23 | Sep 24 – Oct 22 | Feb 25 – Apr 4 · Oct 24 – Dec 1 |
| Zone 9b | Dec 28 – Jan 25 | Oct 13 – Nov 10 | Jan 27 – Mar 6 · Nov 12 – Dec 20 |
| Zone 10a | Dec 20 – Jan 17 | Oct 25 – Nov 22 | Jan 19 – Feb 26 · Nov 24 – Jan 1 |
| Zones 10b–11b | Frost is rare here, so grow arugula in the cooler months, from fall to early spring. | ||
Questions about arugula
How often should I sow arugula?
A little every two or three weeks gives a steady supply, because each sowing is at its best for only a few weeks before it turns hot and flowers.
Can I grow arugula in shade?
Partial shade is fine, and in warm weather it helps: arugula stays leafy longer out of the hot afternoon sun.
