🥬 When to Plant Arugula

When should I plant arugula?

Plant arugula outdoors 6 weeks before last frost. Transplants can go out 4 weeks before last frost.

Is arugula frost sensitive?

Arugula can tolerate light frost, surviving temperatures as low as 28°F. This makes it a great candidate for early spring or fall planting when other crops can't go out yet.

What temperature does arugula need?

Arugula grows best between 40°F and 65°F. It can survive down to 28°F, but growth slows significantly below 40°F. It prefers cool weather and may bolt or stop producing if summer heat arrives early.

How long does arugula take to grow?

Arugula typically takes 20–40 days from transplant (or direct sow) to first harvest.

Is it too cold to plant arugula?

It is too cold to plant Arugula outdoors when nighttime temperatures are falling below 28°F. While Arugula can tolerate temperatures as low as 28°F, growth will be slow until nights consistently exceed 40°F. Use CanIPlant to check your local 7-day forecast and get a real-time answer for your ZIP code.

Is it too hot to plant arugula?

Arugula starts to struggle when temperatures climb above 65°F. As a cool-season crop, Arugula is especially heat-sensitive — high temperatures cause bolting, bitter flavor, or complete crop failure. Avoid planting in the peak of summer and opt for spring or fall instead. CanIPlant checks your local forecast highs to flag this automatically.

Any tips for growing arugula?

Fast-growing. Bolts quickly in heat — succession plant every 2 weeks.