Content
Arugula on a windowsill feels no worse than in a greenhouse or in open ground. The vitamin composition, as well as the taste, of greens grown in the apartment are identical to those that grew in the garden. Therefore, lovers of mini-gardens on the balcony prefer to grow this exotic herb on their own, instead of buying a product that is not the freshest in the store. However, in order to get a good harvest, it is important to know some of the subtleties of growing arugula on a windowsill, the rules for sowing seeds and subsequent care of young seedlings.
Arugula is undemanding to care and growing conditions, and quickly produces a harvest.
Is it possible to grow arugula on a windowsill?
Among lovers of fresh greens, arugula is popular not only because it is an integral component of Italian, French and Turkish cuisine. This herb has proven itself to be an excellent aphrodisiac that increases libido, so no romantic dinner is unthinkable without arugula.In addition, this green is rich in B vitamins, ascorbic acid, carotenoids, macro- and microelements (zinc, iron, magnesium, potassium).
Despite the enormous benefits of arugula for the human body, gardeners are not enthusiastic about cultivating this crop on their plots. This is explained by the fact that the cabbage plant is of great interest to pests, such as the cruciferous flea beetle, which is able to completely destroy young shoots in just a few hours. Therefore, growing arugula on a windowsill at home is rapidly gaining popularity, since it is easier to protect greens from pests in an apartment.
How long does arugula grow on a windowsill?
When choosing a variety of arugula for growing on a windowsill, experienced gardeners advise paying attention to early ripening varieties, such as Koltivata, Rococo, Solitaire. The harvest can be harvested within 20-25 days from the moment the first shoots appear.
It is better to plant early and mid-ripening arugula
Mid-season varieties such as Rocket, Sicily or Corsica are also popular. The growing season is about 35-38 days from the moment the seeds are sown in boxes or pots.
Planting arugula on the windowsill
Growing arugula on a windowsill is not a labor-intensive process, since this crop is unpretentious and not capricious. Easy care allows even novice mini-garden lovers to achieve good results. However, it is not enough to simply sow seeds and expect a rich harvest in a month. To do this, you need to properly prepare the planting material, containers, soil mixture, and also think about which windowsill is best to place the boxes so that the seedlings do not feel a lack of light.
Preparing the soil and planting container
To grow arugula on a windowsill, you can buy soil in the store or prepare a soil mixture yourself. In the first case, any universal soil or substrate for seedlings will do, which does not require any additional processing; you can immediately begin filling the containers and proceed to sowing the seeds. In the second case, you will have to work hard.
To prepare the substrate you will need:
- turf soil - 2 parts;
- humus - 2 parts;
- river sand – 1 part.
All ingredients must be thoroughly mixed and calcined in the oven in order to eliminate the risk of crop contamination by pests or fungal infections.
The plant can be grown in pots or trays
It is impossible to fertilize crops, since the foliage has the ability to accumulate large amounts of nitrates. Therefore, the preparation of the substrate should be approached with the utmost care - it must contain a sufficient amount of nutrients for the full growth of the plant.
Planting containers can be either wooden boxes or plastic containers approximately 10 cm high, or ordinary wide flower pots. It is necessary that the bottom of the selected container has drainage holes. If you take dishes less than 8 cm high, then arugula will lack moisture, since the soil in such boxes dries out quickly.
It is necessary to fill the containers with the substrate to the brim, subsequently the earth will settle. It is important to place a 1-2 cm layer of drainage (pebbles, small crushed stone) on the bottom of the boxes.
Preparation of planting material
You can grow arugula on a windowsill from seeds both in winter and summer. At the same time, the seeds do not require special preparation. They do not need to be pre-soaked, stratified or disinfected - arugula is characterized by high germination. It is enough to buy already processed seeds in a specialized store and you can immediately start sowing.
Landing rules
After completing the preparation of the containers and substrate, you can proceed directly to sowing the seeds. They should not be buried; you can simply scatter them chaotically on the surface of the soil and cover them a little with soil. However, this sowing method requires subsequent thinning of the seedlings.
To get neat rows, you should adhere to the following planting algorithm:
- Make even grooves in the soil 0.5 cm deep at a distance of 3-4 cm from each other.
- Spread the seeds at a distance of 2-3 cm and moisten the soil with warm water using a spray bottle.
- Fill the rows with substrate without compacting them and moisten them a little again.
- Cover the planting containers with film or glass and place in a dark place for seed germination.
On days 3-5, when the first shoots begin to appear, the containers should be moved to a well-lit place. It is better if it is a window sill on the south side of the apartment. Once a day, it is necessary to remove the film to ventilate the seedlings, not forgetting to moisten the soil as the top layer dries using a spray bottle. If there is insufficient lighting, young seedlings will stretch upward. In this case, there is a great risk that they will fall under their own weight, and then it will be impossible to help them.
Care
When growing arugula on a windowsill, the main thing is to try to create the most favorable conditions for the culture, otherwise the leaves of an adult plant will be small and hard. All care comes down to providing the necessary lighting, maintaining the temperature, as well as regular watering of the seedlings.
Humidification is carried out by spraying with water or hanging wet rags on the radiators
Optimal conditions for growing arugula on a window
A week after the seeds germinate, it is time to thin them out. Weak and improperly growing seedlings are removed so that stronger ones do not lack nutrients. The optimal density between arugula bushes, which ensures their full development, is about 12-15 cm, then they will feel free, and the greens will grow fleshy and juicy.
Arugula is demanding on lighting, so it is not advisable to shade it with taller indoor plants standing next to it on the windowsill. Usually, natural light is sufficient for arugula.
The lack of lighting can be compensated by using fluorescent lamps, turning them on for several hours in the evening. It is important not to overdo it here, since with excessive lighting the bushes become thinner and the taste of arugula deteriorates significantly. In addition, excessive lighting stimulates the plant to shoot arrows. In this case, the bush stops growing and developing, and the greens will turn out small, hard and bitter.
The optimal temperature for growing arugula in an apartment on a windowsill is +18-19 °C. The culture is favorably affected by a slight decrease in temperature, but an increase is undesirable, since the taste of the greens is lost.
Watering arugula on the window
As the seedlings grow, watering is increased, but it is important not to overdo it; arugula does not like excess moisture. The frequency of watering depends on the air humidity in the environment. If the room is dry and hot, you need to water the arugula daily, if it’s cool - once every 2-3 days.
Top dressing
According to the rules of agricultural cultivation, arugula does not require additional feeding. However, if seeds are sown in the same substrate several times in a row, the seedlings can be fed using complex fertilizers for garden crops.
Useful tips
Experienced gardeners know the intricacies of growing arugula on a windowsill, which allows you to get lush and healthy bushes in an apartment:
- You can harvest as soon as the leaves reach a size of 10 cm. If you cut them selectively, one bush will produce spicy greens for up to 15 days.
- If the bushes bloom for some reason, the inflorescences must be removed without fail, otherwise the greens will be bitter.
- Despite the fact that the culture is light-loving, greenery should be protected from direct rays of the sun, especially in the summer: shade it or move it to a northern window sill.
- When choosing a place to place boxes with crops, it is important to remember that arugula absolutely does not tolerate drafts.
- You cannot use a substrate that contains peat for sowing - the seedlings will die. Soil that has previously grown legumes or squash is best.
Less experienced windowsill gardeners should pay attention to the appearance of arugula. A healthy plant's leaves have a rich, bright green color.If the greenery is dull, the bushes do not develop well - this indicates a lack of lighting, watering or a violation of the temperature regime.
Lesions can be treated with Fitoverm or Fitosporin
Conclusion
Arugula on the windowsill is a great way to enrich your diet with healthy and vitamin-rich greens all year round. The cultivation technology is simple, care is not labor-intensive, costs are minimal, so even non-professionals achieve success. Arugula is not capricious, does not require special attention to itself and, when favorable conditions are created, gives a good harvest within the confines of the apartment.
