Depending on whether you grow it in containers, rows, raised beds, or a square foot garden, the spacing for your arugula plants varies. We explain the differences.
Normally, arugula plant spacing varies depending on the growing method. For baby leaves, space plants 1” (2.5cm) apart, 2-4” (5-10 cm) apart for medium sized plants, 4” (10 cm) between plants in garden rows or containers, and 4-9 plants in a square foot garden.
Arugula (Eruca vesicaria) plants can be grown in the garden during the normal growing season but for a year-round harvest, it can also be grown indoors in containers. The tenderness and flavor of the leaves mainly depends on the size and moment of harvest, however, the distance between plants is also important to avoid overcrowding and maximize your growing space. We will explain all the different ways to produce arugula greens, and the right spacing for each one.
Table of Contents
- Choosing The Best Growing Method
- Plant Spacing For Baby Arugula Leaves
- Arugula Plant Spacing In Containers or Indoors
- Arugula Plant Spacing In The Garden
- Arugula Plant Spacing In Raised Beds
- Arugula Plant Spacing In a Square Foot Garden
- Conclusions
- Related Questions
Choosing The Best Growing Method
Despite the confusions, rocket leaves and arugula leaves are the same thing. This green-leafy vegetable has a Mediterranean origin, and is also known as rucola, roquette, rugula and colewort.
This is a hardy plant that can grow in spring and early summer in cold winter regions and in fall and winter in milder winter regions. It can be planted as soon as daytime temperatures are above 40°F (4°C). Arugula plants grow best in full sun, but can tolerate partial shading (4-6 hours of sunlight).
Arugula is among the fastest growing green-leafy vegetables. It will take 4-5 weeks from seed to the first harvest. It will usually reach a height of 1-2 feet (30-61cm) if you don’t harvest it much, while harvesting continuously will prevent it from bolting faster.
An annual plant with a short growing cycle, each of its seeds will produce one thin stem, which will develop all the leaves. When the plant has enough leaves it will start bolting, so it is better to cut it back 2-3 times to prevent bolting, and becoming too spicy or woody.
To plant arugula seeds it is best not to sow them deep into the soil, as the seeds are very small and will struggle to come through if they are buried. For ideal germination, a depth of ¼” (0.6 cm) is best.
Since this is a vigorous and fast growing plant, sowing a determined amount of plants every 4-6 weeks will provide you with a steady harvest, and produce all the arugula leaves you will need throughout the growing season.
The most common methods of growing arugula plants are in containers, in rows for baby leaves, in the garden, in raised beds, or on a square foot garden. We will explain each method and the specific plant distancing strategies depending on the type of leaves you want to harvest.
| Growing Method | Plant Spacing |
| Rows for baby leaves | Sow 2-4 seeds ¼” (0.6 cm) deep and 1” (2.5 cm) apart. |
| Pots and containers (depth of container: 4-6” (10-15 cm)) | For Baby Leaves: 2-4 seeds each 1” (2.5 cm). For Medium Sized Plants: 2-4 seeds each 2-4” (5-10 cm). In bigger containers you can leave 4” (10 cm) between plants. |
| Garden beds | For Baby Leaves: 1” (2.5 cm) between each plant, 4” (10cm) between each row. For Medium Sized Plants: 2” (5 cm) between plants, 6” (15 cm) between rows. For Bigger Plants: 4” (10 cm) between plants, 12” (30 cm) between rows. |
| Raised beds | For Baby Leaves: 1” (2.5 cm) between plants, 4” (10cm) between rows. For Medium Sized Plants: 4” (10 cm) between plants, 6” (15 cm) between rows. For Bigger Plants: 6” (15 cm) between plants, 12” (30 cm) between rows. |
| Square foot gardening | For Baby Leaves: 1 plant per 1 in² (6.5 cm²) (144 plants / square ft). For Medium Plants: 1 plant per 4 in² (25.8 cm²) (9 plants / square ft). For Bigger Plants: 1 plant per 36 in² (232 cm²) (4 plants / square ft). |
Throughout summer we recommend growing arugula plants underneath or besides taller plants for shading, and to protect them from the heat. Another option is to forecast seeds or transplant seedlings under slow growing plants like eggplants or cabbage. That way you will be able to maximize your space and harvest the arugula before the other crops start expanding.
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Plant Spacing For Baby Arugula Leaves
Arugula seeds have a high germination rate with an average of around 75%. The seeds will germinate within 5-10 days if temperatures are around 40-50°F (4-10°C). Producing arugula baby leaves is the fastest way to enjoy this leafy vegetable.
You can easily make rows of arugula plants indoors or outdoors by sowing 2-4 seeds, ¼” (0.6 cm) deep, and 1” (2.5 cm) apart. Your baby plants can be harvested within 2 weeks or when the leaves are 2” (5 cm) long, and they will regrow 2-3 more times after that before they finally start becoming too weak.
Another method is to make a mat of cut-and-come-again arugula baby leafs. Sprinkle the equivalent of 0.3 gr of arugula seeds in 1 square foot (929 cm²), and gently rake them in at a depth of ¼” (0.6 cm) to create a mat of greens that will regrow several times. It is better to constantly plant new rows, ensuring a continuous supply of fresh tender leaves.
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Arugula Plant Spacing In Containers or Indoors
If you are short on space, you can use a windowsill planter or almost any kind of pot to produce your arugula plants. You can also enjoy your arugula leaves in winter by growing it indoors in containers or using grow lights.
Arugula plants have a relatively shallow rooting system, so the containers don’t need to be too big. Keep in mind, however, that smaller containers need more frequent watering. A self-watering container, capillary irrigation mat, or a DIY wick watering system can be helpful to reduce irrigation time.
The container can be 4-6” (10-15 cm) deep for baby leaves and medium sized arugula plants 6” (15 cm) tall. Into your container, direct sow 2-4 seeds at a depth of ¼” (0.6 cm) and 1” (2.5 cm) apart for baby leaves, and sow or transplant seedlings 2-4” (5-10 cm) apart for medium sized plants.
You can also sprinkle the equivalent of 0.3 gr of arugula seeds in 1 square foot (929 cm²), and gently rake them in at a depth of ¼” (0.6 cm) to create a mat of arugula greens. In a bigger container you can use the spacing mentioned previously, and also sow seeds or transplant seedlings leaving 4” (10 cm) of space between plants for bigger and more mature plants.
One last option to increase your yield is to sow arugula seeds directly into other containers you already have, the shallow roots won’t compete for water or nutrients with your trees or ornamental plants, and will produce an extra amount of greens.
Place your container on a south-facing window sill in winter in a sunny and warm spot. In spring and summer you can also place the containers in a north-facing area, the cooler temperatures will prevent the plant from early bolting.
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Arugula Plant Spacing In The Garden
Growing arugula in the garden is a rewarding project, you can see the seedlings emerge from the ground before the first week, and harvest a medium plant in less than a month.
Arugula plants have a shallow rooting system, this means they won’t compete for nutrients with other plants, but also that they need constant moisture and a well drained soil. Adding compost to your soil before planting is a good option for improving water retention.
On average, you can grow your arugula plants in the garden at 1” (2.5 cm) between plants in rows 4” (10cm) apart for baby leaves, 2” (5 cm) between plants in rows 6” (15 cm) apart for medium sized plants, or 4” (10 cm) between plants in rows 12” (30 cm) apart for bigger plants.
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Arugula Plant Spacing In Raised Beds
Raised beds are different from in-ground garden beds because they allow the soil to warm up more quickly in spring. They also have better drainage properties, the soil becomes less compacted, there is less weed intrusion, and they are easier to access for maintenance and harvest.
In raised beds, grow your baby leaves with 1” (2.5 cm) between plants, and 4” (10cm) between rows. Medium sized plants do best with 4” (10 cm) of space in between plants and 6” (15 cm) between rows, while about 6” (15 cm) are needed between plants and 12” (30 cm) between rows for big plants.
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Arugula Plant Spacing In a Square Foot Garden
Arugula plants can be grown using the square foot gardening method. This technique is based on the concept of dividing the garden space into a grid of 1 foot (30.5 cm) squares, instead of traditional rows. This is ideal for those with space limitations.
The original method consists of creating a raised bed with a rich substrate, but the idea of managing your plants in square foot plots can also be applied to a normal garden soil or a raised bed enriched with compost.
The richer the soil is, the more you need to separate your plants to avoid overcrowding. One advantage of square foot gardening is that you rotate crops in each square so there are less problems with pests and diseases.
To grow arugula plants in a square foot garden you can have 1 plant per 1 in² (6.5 cm²) to create a mat of baby leaves (144 plants / sq.ft), or 1 plant per 4 in² (25.8 cm²) for medium plants (9 plants / sq ft), or 1 plant per 36 in² (232 cm²) for large plants (4 plants / sq ft).
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Conclusions
Arugula plants are fast and easy to grow in the garden, and you can have a constant supply of greens in the garden or indoors in almost any kind of container. You can adapt the spacing to your soil and weather conditions after a couple of experiments.
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Related Questions
How do you keep arugula from bolting?
The best way to keep arugula plants from bolting is cutting it back regularly so that it stays in a vegetative state, and shading it in warm weather conditions to avoid it from experiencing heat stress.
How do you cut back arugula?
One of the best ways to cut back arugula plants when they have overgrown or started bolting is to cut down the main stem and branches down to 4” (10cm) from the ground. Use clean pruning shears and remove any flower and damaged leaves from the plant.
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