How to grow arugula at home in winter?

When it comes to growing vegetables at home, many gardeners argue the advisability of such an activity with the usefulness of the vegetable, the presence of vitamins, minerals and similar usefulness in it. And why is everyone embarrassed to say that vegetable plants on the balcony are beautiful, but on the table, it is so simply elementary delicious, without different scientific justifications.
 

Take arugula, for example. It looks like a green bush with no special claims to beauty. But when there are many such bushes on the same territory, and even on the window, behind the glass of which a blizzard is raging, the opinion about the plant can radically change. And what a seasoning it is! Delicious, piquant, according to the taste of everything in it in moderation. And why persuade your body to eat "green vitamin", if this vitamin already enters the stomach automatically. Let's talk about the pleasant things - about the seasoning itself and how to grow arugula on the windowsill of your room. What is needed for a full-fledged harvest, taking into account the winter period? Although why exactly winter, if the greens, with proper care, are capable of producing crops on the windowsill in summer, spring, and autumn. Therefore, without going into the enumeration of all the advantages of the seasoning, we will consider in more detail the whole process of obtaining a decent and full-fledged harvest.

Choosing a seed variety  

For reference!
All the varieties listed below are not ideal when choosing planting material. The list is more informational, for those who for the first time decided to try to grow arugula at home.

Let's start with early arugula. Greens of the indicated varieties can be consumed in food 20 - 25 days after planting the planting material. These are: Rococo, Koltivata, Poker, Solitaire.

Varieties with an average ripening period (about a month): Sicily, Corsica, Rocket, Euphoria.

Preparing the soil You don't have to cook if you want to grow greens on the window with minimal effort. We go to the store, buy the ready-made mixture, put it in boxes or pots - that's all. Some experts do it differently. They have no idea how to grow arugula on the windowsill if you don't prepare everything yourself. It is for such people who want to get the harvest not "what will happen", but the maximum, it is proposed to "conjure" over the substrate of their own preparation. The recipe is as follows: earth, better turf - 2 parts, humus - 2 parts, sand - 1 part. Experienced gardeners are advised to take land from places where legumes or pumpkin crops grew. There is something in it that contributes to the almost perfect development of the plant.

 

We remind you!
The land from the garden must unconditionally undergo heat treatment. Even the most perfectly cultivated garden contains pests. Therefore, before growing arugula on the windowsill, all unwanted bugs and worms must be eliminated.

Planting seeds

Arugula seasoning, growing from seeds on the windowsill of which is characterized by the simplicity of the process, compares favorably with the same cucumbers and tomatoes. Its seeds are not soaked, seedlings are not transplanted.True, some amateurs of practicing in agronomy advise to do the first planting in cups, and dive young shoots to their "permanent residence" in boxes. Maybe yes, but imagine tiny sprouts - and how to transplant them. And that's the point. Arugula is an unpretentious plant, does not require special "pirouettes".

Therefore: - we take the prepared soil;

- we pour it into containers (boxes, pots, plastic bottles - what is) with a layer of about 10 centimeters;
- moisturize;
- we spread the seeds at a distance of 3-4 centimeters;
- sprinkle with a centimeter layer of earth;
- moisturize again;
- cover with polyethylene or glass until the first shoots appear;
- we wait.

Don't forget about drainage. This is a layer of pebbles, crushed stone or expanded clay several centimeters high at the bottom of a box or other planting container. Plus holes in the walls.

Care for arugula ripening on the windowsill in winter 1. First, you need to determine the stocking density. The creation of a plantation of optimal density involves planting or thinning the shoots of young shoots so that there is a distance of about 15 centimeters between adjacent bushes. This distance will ensure the full development of the bushes.

2. Top dressing - by and large is not needed. All that arugula needs is obtained from the substrate. If desired, when the soil turned out to be somewhat out of order, the plant can be “fed”, but this is more an exception than a rule.

3. Lighting - constant is required, only without fanaticism. Arugula on a windowsill receives almost its full dose of lighting in winter. We compensate for the lack with fluorescent lamps. About fanaticism. An excess of light will yield a high and thin harvest. It will only be called arugula.

4. Watering. For a seasoning like arugula, growing from seed on a windowsill will only be effective if the soil is getting enough moisture. Therefore, we water it in a day or two. The frequency depends on the moisture content of the soil.

The process is complete. In days, depending on the variety, we will be able to see and taste the result of our experiment on growing arugula at home. As you can see, the whole procedure for obtaining a harvest is quite simple and accessible even to non-professionals. It does not take much time, the costs, if you do everything yourself, are almost zero. Plus, on the windowsill we will have a natural "greenhouse", and on the table there is a delicious and beautiful addition to the main meal.

published

Rucola is a herbal aphrodisiac and green doctor that protects against thyroid and prostate diseases, normalizes hemoglobin levels and removes edema. The leaves, with a spicy nut-mustard flavor, turn common salads and soups into culinary creations. It is better to grow the spice on the windowsill, because in the garden it is attacked by a cruciferous flea, which can destroy the entire crop in a matter of hours.

The choice of planting material

Arugula is sold in shops for summer residents. The seeds are processed before being packaged in bags, so they do not need disinfection and dressing. The harvest will ripen in 25-30 days if you choose early varieties. Mid-season varieties are ready to eat after 35 days. It is recommended to plant arugula in boxes or pots at intervals so that there is always fresh greens in the house.

Seasoning enthusiasts can reject empty casings by submerging the seeds for planting in a saline solution. The sediment is used to grow the plant, and the material floating on the surface is poured into the sink along with the water.

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Soil preparation

Some experienced summer residents recommend buying land in specialized stores. The soil should be designed for growing seedlings, not indoor flowers. This variety is enriched with phosphorus and nitrogenous components, so the arugula will turn out to be strong, and the harvest will be rich.

Ordinary black soil from the garden bed, on which pumpkin or legumes grew, is also suitable. The plant loves slightly alkaline, and preferably neutral soil. Dies if there are peat impurities in the base.

A homemade version made from sod land, humus and sand is suitable. The first and second components are in equal proportions, the third will be needed less. The main thing is that the soil is crumbly and loose.

Arugula must be protected from fungus and pests by calcining the ground in the oven. Half an hour at the highest possible temperature. An alternative is boiling water or a solution of potassium permanganate, which is poured over the earth. After disinfection, the base is insisted for 1-2 weeks so that beneficial microorganisms appear in it.

What boxes to use

Arugula is unpretentious, takes root in almost any container. Wooden boxes, plastic containers or flower pots are suitable, and milk bags can be turned into a mini-vegetable garden. The height of the sides should be at least 12 cm. Holes at the bottom are required, through which excess moisture will leave and air to the roots.

The boxes are placed on stands or trays so as not to stain the windowsill. The width of the container depends on the size of the window on which the seasoning will grow. The pots are moved closer to the glass so that the plant receives a lot of sun.

Important: Do not plant arugula in peat pots or tablets, because it dies in acidic soil.

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Preparation and disembarkation

It is recommended to start planting seeds in March, when there are more sunny days. In winter, without additional illumination, the plant grows slowly, stretches upward, weakens and withers quickly.

A drainage layer is indispensable. Crushed brick will come in handy, you can pick up small pebbles or rub a piece of styrofoam. Pour broken earthenware or coarse sand into the pot. How thick should the drainage layer be? Approximately 1.5–2 cm plus 6–8 cm of soil, which is tamped lightly.

Seeds that have been in a saline solution are washed and dried. The earth is moistened with a spray bottle, shallow holes or rows can be made, but this is not necessary. Step back 3 cm from each seed so that the arugula has room for growth.

Pick up the planting material with a damp match, put it in the ground. When all the seeds are in the box, sprinkle with warm water from a spray bottle. A watering can for flowers will not work, because it erodes the soil. Sprinkle on top with a centimeter layer of earth, lightly press it down with a spatula, and close each box or pot with a plastic bag. Garbage bags will come in handy; glass can be used instead of a lid.

Arugula care before the first shoots

Seeds that are in the ground do not need sun. Containers with arugula should be placed in a warm room without drafts, in which the temperature does not drop below +18 degrees, otherwise the seedlings will be weak.

The soil must remain moist. If it dries up, it is slightly moistened with a spray bottle. Waterlogged soil is ideal for the development of fungi, so the plant is watered sparingly, preferably no more than once every two days.

Light and warm

After 5-7 days, the first tender sprouts hatch, which need the sun. The packages can be removed, the glass can be left for another week, and the boxes and pots can be transferred to the southern windowsill. It is in this part of the house that there is the most light. If the weather is gloomy, you should install a regular table lamp next to the rukola. There should be 60 cm between the plant and the lighting fixture so that artificial rays do not dry out the ground. You can increase the amount of watering if the soil inside becomes dry. Determining the moisture content is simple: stick your finger in the ground and try it.

In winter, after sunset, the lamp is left on for at least 4 hours so that the sprouts do not stretch out. In spring, daylight hours are 9-11 hours, so the lighting device should work from 7 am to 5-6 pm.

Sprouts are protected from drafts. They are dangerous to any plant, but arugula is very delicate and sensitive. You can not open the vents on the windows where the miniature vegetable garden is located. You should maintain a stable temperature in the room so that the thermometer does not show less than +17.

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Additional care

Seedlings aged 8-10 days are recommended to thin out by removing weak and stunted plants. They can be added to salads or soups by cutting off the roots and rinsing the leaves thoroughly. The remaining specimens are regularly poured from a syringe, teaspoon or spray bottle. The grown bushes normally tolerate both +10 degrees and +25.

The soil contains enough nutrients for the normal growth of arugula. The plant does not need additional fertilization. If the seasoning seems to be developing poorly, an iron chelate can be used. You should refrain from nitrates and organic fertilizers, because the plant quickly absorbs everything that is in the soil, and this falls into the gardener's plate.

Arugula ripens after a month, sometimes earlier. It is advised to cut leaves with a height of 10 centimeters or more. Not all at once, but as needed, because greens are not stored for a long time even in the refrigerator. You need to have time to harvest before 45-50 days, when the plant begins to bloom. You can leave a few bushes and try to stock up on seeds yourself.

Tip: There will always be fresh arugula in the house, if planted in small batches, after 1-1.5 weeks.

There is nothing difficult in growing a popular plant. There is no need to apply fertilizers, soak seeds or observe a special temperature regime. Arugula has enough ordinary earth and a lot of sun to make its leaves juicy and tasty. Even novice gardeners are able to grow a real vegetable garden on their windowsill with a healthy seasoning, which is used to prepare dishes in elite restaurants.

Video: useful properties of arugula

How to grow arugula at home

The annual rucola plant (eruka salad, rocket salad, sowing caterpillar, arugula) belongs to the early ripening vegetables of the cabbage family. This type of leafy vegetable garden, which has become especially popular recently due to its exquisite unusual taste and super health benefits, came to us from the Mediterranean coast. Today, rucola is successfully used not only in the Mediterranean, but also in the cuisines of many continents and countries (America, Asia, Europe).

Benefits of arugula

Rucola leaves spice up any dish, be it a fresh vegetable salad, pasta sauce, meat dishes or risotto. The delicate nutty-mustard taste of the plant is due to the presence of flavonoids, alkaloids and essential oils. Eating arugula in food has a beneficial effect on metabolic processes, tones the body, stimulates digestion, enhances intestinal motility and the elimination of decay products. Thanks to its unique composition, the herb increases hemoglobin levels and activates the immune system.

Not everyone has garden plots, but many would like to regularly feast on this greenery, so in this article we will try to illuminate the question of how to grow arugula at home. A trendy salad is quite unpretentious and does not require special agronomic skills and knowledge. Just follow the advice of seasoned gardeners, and you will be assured of an excellent harvest of fragrant leaves at any time of the year.

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How to grow arugula on a windowsill

Arugula seeds are bought at any specialty store. Early ripening varieties Koltivata, Solitaire, Rococo give a harvest quickly enough (after about three weeks), and mid-ripening varieties - Corsica, Sicily ripen in 30-35 days.Different varieties differ not only in the emergence time, but also in the size, shape and color of the leaves, as well as the taste, which can be delicate nutty, with bitterness or spicy.

Preparing the pot and soil

To grow arugula on the windowsill, a pot, like any other container, must have a drainage layer (expanded clay, broken brick) and holes to remove excess moisture. The dimensions of the container for a mini-garden are selected based on the area of ​​the window sill. The height of the pot should not be less than 12 cm. The soil layer is covered with a height of at least 6-7 cm.

Arugula is unassuming and undemanding to the soil, the main thing is that the earth is sufficiently loose, moisture-permeable and always moist. The soil can be used universal, or it can be specially designed for seedlings. Such soil contains phosphorus and nitrogen in the right proportions, which has a beneficial effect on the growth and development of any plants, including arugula.

Sowing arugula

The seeds are laid out in rows on the surface of a well-moistened earth, observing a step of 3 cm. On top of them, they are covered with a layer of dry earth (1-1.5 cm), after which the soil is qualitatively treated with warm, settled water from a sprayer. This initial watering method helps to distribute moisture evenly over the entire soil surface.

The box (container) should be covered with any film or glass and placed in a warm place, for example, near a heating battery, or directly on the windowsill, especially if it is sunny days. Rucola feels great at a fairly wide temperature range (from + 10 ° C to + 25 ° C).

Illumination

In order to properly grow arugula on the windowsill, the windows should face the sunny side, since all leafy greens love the maximum amount of light. If you do not have the opportunity to set up a mini-garden on a south-facing window, then lighting can also be created artificially, which will not affect the yield in any way.

Above the surface of the plants at a distance of about half a meter, you can attach lighting devices, such as fluorescent lamps. In winter and in cloudy weather, supplementary lighting should be carried out all day. The rest of the time, for the normal development of greenery, it is enough to increase the daylight hours by several hours.

Arugula care

Do not forget to moisten the soil with a spray bottle every day, removing the film and airing the plantings. The first shoots appear very quickly (3-7 days), which is a signal to remove the protective coating and place the container in its permanent place.

Now the whole process of caring for your green pets comes down to regular watering. The plant very quickly absorbs all substances from the soil, so it is not recommended to feed with various chemical substrates.

Arugula harvest

When the leaves reach a height of 10 cm, you can begin to actively feast on the spicy grass. Do not wait until it blooms, as in the photo at the beginning of the article :) Harvested as needed, immediately before adding to culinary dishes (this is how all the nutrients are preserved to the maximum), tearing off the green leaves of the original corrugated shape. With even, gentle cutting off, rucola can delight you with its greens for up to 45 days!

As you can see, it will not be difficult to grow arugula on the windowsill. You just have to decide on this crucial step and in a month you will enjoy the magnificent appearance and taste of this exotic spice.

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Mila Nabogova "How to grow arugula at home" specially for the Eco-life website.

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The Mediterranean is considered the birthplace of arugula. This spice was used in ancient Rome, and later it was eagerly used by the culinary experts of French and English cuisines. Egyptians prefer to add herb to bean dishes and salads, while Italians use arugula leaves for pizza toppings, risottos and salads.

How to grow arugula on the windowsill, we will consider in detail below.Eruka, indau, caterpillar, walker - these are all names of the annual arugula plant.

Plant varieties also differ in appearance. Some of them have yellow flowers and oblong serrated leaves, others with white flowers and dissected leaves. The whole plant is used for food: seeds, flowers and leaves.

Beneficial features

The healing qualities are preserved if the eruku is torn into small particles, and not cut with a knife.

1. Arugula leaves contain a lot of dietary fiber, vitamins, essential oils, trace elements, citric and malic acids, tannins, pectin compounds, antioxidants.
2. Thanks to this chemical composition, it improves the functioning of the intestines, normalizes metabolism, strengthens the immune system, reduces inflammation, strengthens blood vessels, has a positive effect on male potency, and slows down the development of cancerous tumors.
3. Arugula salad is included in the menu for those who have decided to lose weight. The herb is low in calories, contains a lot of fiber and vitamins, the feeling of hunger disappears for a long time.
4. Arugula is a substitute for salt in many dishes.
5. The use of Indau on fasting days normalizes metabolism, removes toxins and toxins.
6. The herb leaf oil reduces brittle nails and softens the skin.
7. Provides assistance with problems with potency in men.
8. Hair masks with arugula decoction or oil reduce breakage and give hair strength and natural shine.

Healing properties

Due to its unique composition, Indau is also used as an additional remedy in the treatment of certain diseases. Properties:

• promotes wound healing;
• strengthens the walls of blood vessels;
• normalizes blood pressure;
• reduces cholesterol;
• improves metabolism;
• regulates water-salt balance;
• raises hemoglobin;
• has a sedative and calming effect;
• lowers blood sugar;
• helps the body fight infections.

Harmful properties

Unfortunately, in addition to benefits, arugula can also harm the body. Due to the content of phytoncides in the grass, severe allergic reactions are possible.

You should not use eruka for diseases:

• liver;
• gastritis;
• urolithiasis;
• gout;
• colitis.

Contraindicated in Indau and pregnant women.

How to grow arugula on the balcony?

All year round, lettuce leaves can be grown on a glazed balcony if the temperature is more than 10 degrees. She grows well in such conditions. For planting, you need to take a container, box or pot and sow seeds to a depth of 1.5 cm. To properly cultivate a plant on a balcony, you need to know how to grow arugula on a windowsill.

Indau has a high germination capacity of seeds, therefore, when planting, they should not be laid out often. Seedlings appear on the 5th day. The seedling method is used to save seeds. The plantings are made more thickened, so that later they can be thinned and made a salad. The harvest ripens in a month.

When growing grass on the balcony, it is important to remember:

• do not use fertilizers, nitrates are quickly absorbed into greens;
• growing arugula requires moderate watering; excess water makes the leaves bitter;
• make the distance between plants 8 cm, then the taste will improve;
• will grow well if the balcony faces the sunny side;
• the best temperature for growing is 18 degrees;
• the leaves are ready to eat when the bush reaches a height of 10 cm.

How to grow arugula at home on a windowsill

Any kind of grass is taken as a planting material. Early ripening varieties will delight you with a harvest in 20 days, and mid-ripening and late varieties - in 30–40 days, respectively.

In boxes or trays, make a drainage layer of pebbles, broken brick or expanded clay. Take the earth slightly alkaline or neutral. The soil calcined at a high temperature from under pumpkin or leguminous plants, taken from a summer cottage, is ideal. Alternatively, you can use boiling water or a solution of potassium permanganate.After disinfection, the soil should stand for 10-14 days. You can prepare the soil yourself, for this, in the proportions of 2: 1: 2, they take turfy soil, sand and humus.

On moistened and slightly compacted soil, make rows or small holes. Put seeds in them at a distance of three centimeters and sprinkle with a layer of earth one centimeter.

Leaving, harvesting

Water from a spray bottle so as not to wash out the soil. After sowing, the boxes are covered with polyethylene film and placed in the dark. The optimum temperature at which the cultivation of arugula is considered ideal is 18 degrees. When the first shoots appear, usually on the 5-6th day, the film coating is removed. Weak and diseased plants are thrown away. The trays are transferred to a well-lit windowsill and moved closer to the glass. The herb is a light-loving plant. If the windows face the north side, then they make illumination from fluorescent lamps, which are placed at a height of 60 cm. Water it once every two days. Top dressing is not required. The eruk plant is very delicate, so it should be protected from drafts and not open the vents on the windows where the boxes are located.

In about a month, juicy greens with an unusual taste will appear in your kitchen. Leaves from 10 cm high are cut off. The size of the leaves is important, since small leaves contain a large amount of bitterness.

"How to grow arugula on a windowsill in winter?" - ask the question of lovers of this greenery. The only difference between growing grass in winter is the extension of daylight hours by 4-6 hours.

It's so easy to grow eruka at home. Greens do not stay in the refrigerator for more than six days. For long-term storage, it is washed, dried and frozen in the freezer. There will always be fresh herbs on the table if you plant small amounts of Indau every two weeks.

Pests and diseases

How to grow arugula on a windowsill to use its health-promoting properties and protect yourself from disease? You must follow certain rules for caring for her.

Indau contains a large amount of essential oils. No pests affect her. The smell of essential oils will scare away harmful insects from other plants that are near it. But it is not protected from fungal diseases that affect the roots due to high soil moisture. The disease manifests itself with wilting of the stems, and white bubbles appear on the roots. Affected greens are destroyed, the disease is incurable.

Trying to experiment

Increasingly, one can see in houses how arugula grows on the windowsill; growing from seeds does not require special conditions to obtain a harvest. This amazing plant feels equally well not only on balconies and windowsills, but also outdoors.

After the flowering of the eruka, seeds are formed, which are sown into the soil and the next year they give new shoots, so there is no need to plant it annually in summer cottages. You can try to leave the seeds, wait until the arugula sprouts on the windowsill, growing from seeds in this case will not require any effort at all.

Indau cultivation is not difficult due to the unpretentiousness of the plant. Greens have an exquisite and piquant taste that reveals the possibilities and subtleties of well-known products in a different way. How to grow arugula on the windowsill so that the green garden is always at hand is described in this article.