Well a few weeks ago I planted some from a seed pack with the usual
picture of mature arugula. It sprouted and is growing beautifully, but,
it doesn't look anything like arugula. It has leaves that are jagged,
not like an elongated oak leaf. I used the same seed pack in the spring
when I tried to grow it with a "grow light" and it looks nothing like it
did when it sprouted that time.????? Have I been duped, or is it
normal for it to start out jagged? I can't post a
pic......Help!!....Sharon

"biig" > schreef in bericht ...
>
> Well a few weeks ago I planted some from a seed pack with the usual
> picture of mature arugula. It sprouted and is growing beautifully, but,
> it doesn't look anything like arugula. It has leaves that are jagged,
> not like an elongated oak leaf. I used the same seed pack in the spring
> when I tried to grow it with a "grow light" and it looks nothing like it
> did when it sprouted that time.????? Have I been duped, or is it
> normal for it to start out jagged? I can't post a
> pic......Help!!....Sharon

My rucola looks like yours now, every time I grow it. Not as pretty as the
store bought stuff. Maybe it's due to growing conditions (which are
different later in the season)?

"biig" > wrote in message ...
>
> Well a few weeks ago I planted some from a seed pack with the usual
> picture of mature arugula. It sprouted and is growing beautifully, but,
> it doesn't look anything like arugula. It has leaves that are jagged,
> not like an elongated oak leaf. I used the same seed pack in the spring
> when I tried to grow it with a "grow light" and it looks nothing like it
> did when it sprouted that time.????? Have I been duped, or is it
> normal for it to start out jagged? I can't post a
> pic......Help!!....Sharon

Arugula gets an attitude when grown in hot weather. The leaves look
different than those grown in early spring, and they get bitter more
quickly.

I use fence wire to make a tunnel over my cool weather crops, like this, but
smaller, obviously:
http://www.steelmasterusa.com/pages/...llery/X/1.html

Mine cover 2 rows because that makes the tunnels small enough to lift off
easily without clobbering other nearby plants. On top of the tunnels, I've
attached grey window screen to cut down on the sunlight. It helps with
arugula, spinach, lettuce, swiss chard and quite a few other things whose
seed packets say "Plant in early spring, and again in mid to late summer for
a fall crop". I want these things all summer, so this is my method.

JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
>
> "biig" > wrote in message ...
> >
> > Well a few weeks ago I planted some from a seed pack with the usual
> > picture of mature arugula. It sprouted and is growing beautifully, but,
> > it doesn't look anything like arugula. It has leaves that are jagged,
> > not like an elongated oak leaf. I used the same seed pack in the spring
> > when I tried to grow it with a "grow light" and it looks nothing like it
> > did when it sprouted that time.????? Have I been duped, or is it
> > normal for it to start out jagged? I can't post a
> > pic......Help!!....Sharon
>
> Arugula gets an attitude when grown in hot weather. The leaves look
> different than those grown in early spring, and they get bitter more
> quickly.
>
> I use fence wire to make a tunnel over my cool weather crops, like this, but
> smaller, obviously:
> http://www.steelmasterusa.com/pages/...llery/X/1.html
>
> Mine cover 2 rows because that makes the tunnels small enough to lift off
> easily without clobbering other nearby plants. On top of the tunnels, I've
> attached grey window screen to cut down on the sunlight. It helps with
> arugula, spinach, lettuce, swiss chard and quite a few other things whose
> seed packets say "Plant in early spring, and again in mid to late summer for
> a fall crop". I want these things all summer, so this is my method.

That must be the problem. I have it in a large glazed bowl, about 18
inches across. The bowl has an unglazed bottom, so I'm assuming that
the water won't stay in long enough to rot the roots. I can't shield it
because I have basil in the same pot. We've had hot weather and the
plant gets a lot of sun. Maybe I should move the basil. Is your
arugual too bitter to use? I tried it and expected a nice peppery
flavour, but there wasn't much flavour at all. .......Sharon

"biig" > wrote in message ...
>
>
> JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
>>
>> "biig" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> >
>> > Well a few weeks ago I planted some from a seed pack with the usual
>> > picture of mature arugula. It sprouted and is growing beautifully,
>> > but,
>> > it doesn't look anything like arugula. It has leaves that are jagged,
>> > not like an elongated oak leaf. I used the same seed pack in the
>> > spring
>> > when I tried to grow it with a "grow light" and it looks nothing like
>> > it
>> > did when it sprouted that time.????? Have I been duped, or is it
>> > normal for it to start out jagged? I can't post a
>> > pic......Help!!....Sharon
>>
>> Arugula gets an attitude when grown in hot weather. The leaves look
>> different than those grown in early spring, and they get bitter more
>> quickly.
>>
>> I use fence wire to make a tunnel over my cool weather crops, like this,
>> but
>> smaller, obviously:
>> http://www.steelmasterusa.com/pages/...llery/X/1.html
>>
>> Mine cover 2 rows because that makes the tunnels small enough to lift off
>> easily without clobbering other nearby plants. On top of the tunnels,
>> I've
>> attached grey window screen to cut down on the sunlight. It helps with
>> arugula, spinach, lettuce, swiss chard and quite a few other things whose
>> seed packets say "Plant in early spring, and again in mid to late summer
>> for
>> a fall crop". I want these things all summer, so this is my method.
>
> That must be the problem. I have it in a large glazed bowl, about 18
> inches across. The bowl has an unglazed bottom, so I'm assuming that
> the water won't stay in long enough to rot the roots. I can't shield it
> because I have basil in the same pot. We've had hot weather and the
> plant gets a lot of sun. Maybe I should move the basil. Is your
> arugual too bitter to use? I tried it and expected a nice peppery
> flavour, but there wasn't much flavour at all. .......Sharon

Your bowl is about 4 feet too small, Sharon. Someplace in your yard, take a
trowel, loosen the soil down to 6 inches, and stick your hand in. Now, do
the same with any of your flower pots. Notice the temperature difference.
Many plants will not put up with their root systems being warm. Unless you
can find a way to shade the pots, you'll never have success with certain
plants.

"biig" > wrote in message ...
>
> Well a few weeks ago I planted some from a seed pack with the usual
> picture of mature arugula. It sprouted and is growing beautifully, but,
> it doesn't look anything like arugula. It has leaves that are jagged,
> not like an elongated oak leaf. I used the same seed pack in the spring
> when I tried to grow it with a "grow light" and it looks nothing like it
> did when it sprouted that time.????? Have I been duped, or is it
> normal for it to start out jagged? I can't post a
> pic......Help!!....Sharon\

It's fine, you have the right stuff.

David

JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
>
> "biig" > wrote in message ...
> >
> >
> > JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
> >>
> >> "biig" > wrote in message
> >> ...
> >> >
> >> > Well a few weeks ago I planted some from a seed pack with the usual
> >> > picture of mature arugula. It sprouted and is growing beautifully,
> >> > but,
> >> > it doesn't look anything like arugula. It has leaves that are jagged,
> >> > not like an elongated oak leaf. I used the same seed pack in the
> >> > spring
> >> > when I tried to grow it with a "grow light" and it looks nothing like
> >> > it
> >> > did when it sprouted that time.????? Have I been duped, or is it
> >> > normal for it to start out jagged? I can't post a
> >> > pic......Help!!....Sharon
> >>
> >> Arugula gets an attitude when grown in hot weather. The leaves look
> >> different than those grown in early spring, and they get bitter more
> >> quickly.
> >>
> >> I use fence wire to make a tunnel over my cool weather crops, like this,
> >> but
> >> smaller, obviously:
> >> http://www.steelmasterusa.com/pages/...llery/X/1.html
> >>
> >> Mine cover 2 rows because that makes the tunnels small enough to lift off
> >> easily without clobbering other nearby plants. On top of the tunnels,
> >> I've
> >> attached grey window screen to cut down on the sunlight. It helps with
> >> arugula, spinach, lettuce, swiss chard and quite a few other things whose
> >> seed packets say "Plant in early spring, and again in mid to late summer
> >> for
> >> a fall crop". I want these things all summer, so this is my method.
> >
> > That must be the problem. I have it in a large glazed bowl, about 18
> > inches across. The bowl has an unglazed bottom, so I'm assuming that
> > the water won't stay in long enough to rot the roots. I can't shield it
> > because I have basil in the same pot. We've had hot weather and the
> > plant gets a lot of sun. Maybe I should move the basil. Is your
> > arugual too bitter to use? I tried it and expected a nice peppery
> > flavour, but there wasn't much flavour at all. .......Sharon
>
> Your bowl is about 4 feet too small, Sharon. Someplace in your yard, take a
> trowel, loosen the soil down to 6 inches, and stick your hand in. Now, do
> the same with any of your flower pots. Notice the temperature difference.
> Many plants will not put up with their root systems being warm. Unless you
> can find a way to shade the pots, you'll never have success with certain
> plants.

Thanks for the tips. I'll put the basil in a different pot and move
the arugula to a shadier spot....Sharon

"biig" > wrote in message ...
>
>
> JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
>>
>> "biig" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> >
>> >
>> > JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
>> >>
>> >> "biig" > wrote in message
>> >> ...
>> >> >
>> >> > Well a few weeks ago I planted some from a seed pack with the
>> >> > usual
>> >> > picture of mature arugula. It sprouted and is growing beautifully,
>> >> > but,
>> >> > it doesn't look anything like arugula. It has leaves that are
>> >> > jagged,
>> >> > not like an elongated oak leaf. I used the same seed pack in the
>> >> > spring
>> >> > when I tried to grow it with a "grow light" and it looks nothing
>> >> > like
>> >> > it
>> >> > did when it sprouted that time.????? Have I been duped, or is it
>> >> > normal for it to start out jagged? I can't post a
>> >> > pic......Help!!....Sharon
>> >>
>> >> Arugula gets an attitude when grown in hot weather. The leaves look
>> >> different than those grown in early spring, and they get bitter more
>> >> quickly.
>> >>
>> >> I use fence wire to make a tunnel over my cool weather crops, like
>> >> this,
>> >> but
>> >> smaller, obviously:
>> >> http://www.steelmasterusa.com/pages/...llery/X/1.html
>> >>
>> >> Mine cover 2 rows because that makes the tunnels small enough to lift
>> >> off
>> >> easily without clobbering other nearby plants. On top of the tunnels,
>> >> I've
>> >> attached grey window screen to cut down on the sunlight. It helps with
>> >> arugula, spinach, lettuce, swiss chard and quite a few other things
>> >> whose
>> >> seed packets say "Plant in early spring, and again in mid to late
>> >> summer
>> >> for
>> >> a fall crop". I want these things all summer, so this is my method.
>> >
>> > That must be the problem. I have it in a large glazed bowl, about 18
>> > inches across. The bowl has an unglazed bottom, so I'm assuming that
>> > the water won't stay in long enough to rot the roots. I can't shield
>> > it
>> > because I have basil in the same pot. We've had hot weather and the
>> > plant gets a lot of sun. Maybe I should move the basil. Is your
>> > arugual too bitter to use? I tried it and expected a nice peppery
>> > flavour, but there wasn't much flavour at all. .......Sharon
>>
>> Your bowl is about 4 feet too small, Sharon. Someplace in your yard, take
>> a
>> trowel, loosen the soil down to 6 inches, and stick your hand in. Now, do
>> the same with any of your flower pots. Notice the temperature difference.
>> Many plants will not put up with their root systems being warm. Unless
>> you
>> can find a way to shade the pots, you'll never have success with certain
>> plants.
>
> Thanks for the tips. I'll put the basil in a different pot and move
> the arugula to a shadier spot....Sharon

Also, keep lots of extra seed handy. Plant it every 10 days or so, and
during hot weather, harvest it when small.