When to plant Arugula
A fast peppery salad green for cool weather. It's ready in weeks and gets hotter and sharper as it bolts in heat, so small, frequent sowings in spring and fall give the best mild leaves. Shrugs off light frost.
Companions: Lettuce, carrot, bush beans
How to grow Arugula
Arugula is best direct-sown straight into the garden, as it dislikes being transplanted. Give it full sun to part shade and space plants about 4 inches apart. It takes roughly 35 days from planting to its first harvest, so count that against your frost dates to be sure it can finish. It also supports a fall sowing for a second harvest. Classic companions include lettuce, carrot, bush beans.
Grower's tip: Peppery, fast, and cold-tolerant — sow little and often, and pick young before it bolts.
When to plant Arugula by USDA zone
Timing shifts with your climate — the same arugula goes in weeks earlier in a mild zone than a cold one. Find your zone below for its planting window, or open that zone's full calendar.
| Zone | When to plant |
|---|---|
| Zone 1a | Direct sow outdoors May 18–Jun 15 Direct sow outdoors Jun 20–Jul 18 |
| Zone 1b | Direct sow outdoors May 13–Jun 10 Direct sow outdoors Jun 25–Jul 23 |
| Zone 2a | Direct sow outdoors May 8–Jun 5 Direct sow outdoors Jun 30–Jul 28 |
| Zone 2b | Direct sow outdoors May 2–May 30 Direct sow outdoors Jul 7–Aug 4 |
| Zone 3a | Direct sow outdoors Apr 27–May 25 Direct sow outdoors Jul 14–Aug 11 |
| Zone 3b | Direct sow outdoors Apr 22–May 20 Direct sow outdoors Jul 18–Aug 15 |
| Zone 4a | Direct sow outdoors Apr 17–May 15 Direct sow outdoors Jul 24–Aug 21 |
| Zone 4b | Direct sow outdoors Apr 12–May 10 Direct sow outdoors Jul 28–Aug 25 |
| Zone 5a | Direct sow outdoors Apr 7–May 5 Direct sow outdoors Aug 6–Sep 3 |
| Zone 5b | Direct sow outdoors Apr 2–Apr 30 Direct sow outdoors Aug 10–Sep 7 |
| Zone 6a | Direct sow outdoors Mar 24–Apr 21 Direct sow outdoors Aug 22–Sep 19 |
| Zone 6b | Direct sow outdoors Mar 18–Apr 15 Direct sow outdoors Aug 30–Sep 27 |
| Zone 7a | Direct sow outdoors Mar 10–Apr 7 Direct sow outdoors Sep 7–Oct 5 |
| Zone 7b | Direct sow outdoors Mar 4–Apr 1 Direct sow outdoors Sep 15–Oct 13 |
| Zone 8a | Direct sow outdoors Feb 22–Mar 22 Direct sow outdoors Sep 23–Oct 21 |
| Zone 8b | Direct sow outdoors Feb 15–Mar 15 Direct sow outdoors Sep 30–Oct 28 |
| Zone 9a | Direct sow outdoors Jan 31–Feb 28 Direct sow outdoors Oct 10–Nov 7 |
| Zone 9b | Direct sow outdoors Jan 18–Feb 15 Direct sow outdoors Oct 20–Nov 17 |
| Zone 10a | Direct sow outdoors Jan 3–Jan 31 Direct sow outdoors Nov 2–Nov 30 |
| Zone 10b | Direct sow outdoors Dec 18–Jan 15 Direct sow outdoors Nov 5–Dec 3 |
| Zone 11a | Direct sow outdoors Dec 4–Jan 1 Direct sow outdoors Nov 5–Dec 3 |
| Zone 11b | Direct sow outdoors Dec 4–Jan 1 Direct sow outdoors Nov 5–Dec 3 |
| Zone 12a | Direct sow outdoors Dec 4–Jan 1 Direct sow outdoors Nov 5–Dec 3 |
| Zone 12b | Direct sow outdoors Dec 4–Jan 1 Direct sow outdoors Nov 5–Dec 3 |
| Zone 13a | Direct sow outdoors Dec 4–Jan 1 Direct sow outdoors Nov 5–Dec 3 |
| Zone 13b | Direct sow outdoors Dec 4–Jan 1 Direct sow outdoors Nov 5–Dec 3 |