Arugula

In Russia, it grows wild in the foothills of the Caucasus and Dagestan. In the rest of the territory it is grown in greenhouses, hotbeds, on window sills and in the open ground as a cultivated plant. Arugula is beneficial to humans, its delicate young leaves of a light green color of an elongated carved shape contain vitamins, various microelements, organic acids that stimulate the work of the endocrine organs.

The plant contains flavonoids that can strengthen the walls of blood vessels. For home, it is grown in early spring and in the second half of summer in the open field. In the greenhouse it can be grown from the end of February and used for sale, supplying to nearby restaurants and cafes.

Growing arugula is easy, it is an unpretentious plant that requires minimal costs with a large mass of the finished product.

Features of the cultivation of plants in the greenhouse

How to grow arugula, in order to get a large mass of green, not all plant growers know.

The plant grows quickly, and ready-to-eat products need to be quickly removed, until it has outgrown and lost its taste.

Arugula is not afraid of cold and can withstand frosts down to –6 ° C. She needs abundant watering so that there is not much bitterness in the leaves. With an average daily temperature above 22 ° C, its growth stops and a flower stalk begins to form. If the air temperature at sowing is too high, the leaves will grow slowly, and the plant will go to the arrow.

In order for the seeds to germinate well, and the sprouts begin active growth, they need specially prepared soil. Soil loosening is carried out up to 18 cm deep. The grass grows well in fatty lands containing large quantities of humus. Complex universal fertilizer is added to the soil, which contains nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

It is possible to sow culture in the closed soil every 15-20 days. This will ensure a great harvest. For personal needs, it is enough to sow the plant 2 times a year, in early spring and at the end of August. This makes it possible to extend the season of fresh greens, which should always be in the diet of modern man.

Seeds germinate well at about 18 ° C. They are sown in a moist ground 5 cm from each other to a depth of 1.5 cm, forming rows at a distance of up to 40 cm.

Friendly shoots appear a week after sowing. Young shoots grow well with regular loosening of the soil and additional watering. Harvesting of greenery is carried out when the socket has developed well, and there are many delicate long leaves.

When harvesting, cut only the leaves, without touching the root system. This allows you to shoot multiple yields from one root.

The plant is removed along with the roots upon the onset of stable hot weather, when a single growth of flower stalks begins. Grown grass does not tolerate long storage and quickly fades.

How useful arugula, and that from it to cook (video)

What do you need care plant

How to grow large beautiful arugula bushes so that they have a presentation?

• After the seeds have started to germinate, it is recommended to mulch the soil to prevent it from drying out. This can be done with freshly mowed grass or hay.
• The plant should be watered every other day, heavily soaking the soil with water. For this cultivated plant, it is important that the land under it is always loose and sufficiently moist.
• If the grass has stopped its growth, it is recommended to fertilize the plants with a solution of nitrophoska.
• Arugula, cultivation of which is profitable on nutrient soils, likes nitrogen supplements, as which you can use chicken manure or mullein.

The grass can grow on any land, but the quality of the resulting green will be low if the roots lack microelements, moisture and air.

Thickened rows need to be thinned in time, choosing the largest specimens for food, leaving small bushes more free space for active growth. Such plant care will help you get some good yields.

Arugula leaves help improve digestion. Useful substances in the aerial parts of the plant have diuretic and antibacterial effects. Nursing mothers use this herb to improve lactation.

In the Caucasus, young herbs are used in salads, which are added to meat and pasta dishes.

It can be mixed with other types of greenery and used for filling in qutabs, flat cakes with herbal filling, included in the cuisine of the peoples of the Caucasus.

In Italian cuisine, herbs are added when cooking pizza. In Indian medicine, arugula seeds are used as a local irritant. The juice from the leaves of plants has whitening properties.

To make the spicy taste of the plant appear, the leaves should be dried after washing. Adding to salads, grass is not cut, and torn hands.

To improve the taste of salads with this plant watered with olive oil. When used with nuts and rocket, it contributes to the taste of these products.

Arugula - useful properties (video)

Gallery: arugula (15 photos)