In recent years, Arugula vegetables have become a popular vegetable in every daily meal of many families not only in the US, Europe, and Western countries but also spread throughout Asia.
Arugula vegetables are relatively easy to grow, care for, and have a short harvest time. In particular, arugula vegetables have a unique flavor that makes salads extremely attractive.
However, in the process of growing and caring for this vegetable, you may encounter some problems with pests, poor growth, bitter taste, or dead plants.
Growing arugula problems? So, to learn about the problems you may encounter frequently when growing Arugula vegetables, join us to learn more in this article.
Everything You Need To Know About Growing Arugula Problems
Arugula is one of the popular vegetables that are easy to grow, require little care, and has a short harvest time. Arugula only needs to be grown in nutrient-rich, well-drained soil with a near-neutral pH.
However, you can also face some challenges while growing Arugula vegetables, especially when you do not have enough understanding of their properties and proper care methods for this vegetable.
Therefore, during the process of planting and caring for Arugula vegetables, you will likely encounter the 6 most basic problems below.
1. Arugula Will Be Vulnerable To Pests And Diseases
Arugula is quite sturdy and hardy from a young age, but beetles and cabbage worms are still dangerous enemies for this vegetable.
These insects and worms will often attack Arugula in warm weather during summer. Therefore, the ideal time to plant Arugula vegetables to avoid pests and diseases is spring or autumn.
However, if you still want to enjoy Arugula in a cool summer salad then you should pay attention to catching worms, insects, and mulching as well as adequate watering for Arugula vegetables because they have very shallow roots.
2. Arugula Is Susceptible To Brown Spot Disease
During the growing process of Arugula vegetables, you will likely have to regularly pay attention to signs on their leaves such as brown spots and yellow spots. This is called late blight, it causes brown spots on leaves and tops and leads to the death of Arugula.
This is a disease usually caused by fungi, so to avoid this disease, you should not water the leaves of Arugula often because it will create favorable conditions for the growth of fungi.
You should water the base of Arugula vegetables instead of watering their leaves, so the leaves will always be dry and limit the invasion of bacteria and fungi. You should also water in the morning or when there is still sunlight so that the light can dry the Arugula leaves before dark.
Alternatively, you can avoid the fungus that causes a brown spot on Arugula by sowing seeds or cuttings at least 3-5 inches apart to prevent the fungus from spreading.
3. Arugula Is Very Susceptible To Flowering And Seeding
Another issue that you need to pay attention to when growing Arugula vegetables as ingredients for every daily meal is that they are easy to flower and seed when the temperature is too cold or too hot.
This problem can occur even if the Arugula is not yet ready to be harvested, but because the temperature is too cold or too hot, the Arugula vegetables are forced to flower and seed which makes them not retain their original taste.
Therefore, you need to harvest Arugula vegetables on time and at the right time as well as cover or cover with straw when it is too hot or too cold to ensure the right temperature for Arugula vegetables to grow normally.
4. Arugula Often Suffers From Yellow Leaf Disease
One problem you may encounter frequently is the yellowing of the leaves of Arugula vegetables. This is a bacterial disease that causes the leaves of Arugula to turn yellow and appear brown spots.
Yellow leaf disease will occur more often when you grow Arugula in cool weather. Therefore, you need to choose the right time to plant Arugula vegetables because they do not like to be too hot and can also tolerate cold temperatures.
According to horticulture experts, in most areas, you should plant Arugula after the last frost day of spring. The ideal soil temperature for planting is 45°F – 65°F because they grow best in temperatures between 45°F – 55°F.
5. Arugula Is Susceptible To Death By A Fungus
Arugula will likely wear a fungal disease that causes mass mortality. The reason is that Arugula vegetables are sown in an area that does not drain, the soil is poorly drained, causing waterlogging.
Therefore, it creates favorable conditions for the development of fungal diseases that cause poor seed germination or death. To limit this problem, you should choose an area with wind, well-drained soil, and light for sowing so the fungus will have less chance of damaging young plants.
6. Arugula Is Prone To Turning Bitter
The harvest time of Arugula vegetables is relatively short, it is only about 35-40 days to harvest. Arugula prefers cool temperatures if prolonged heat will cause Arugula vegetables to become mushy and bitter.
Therefore, the best way is to harvest vegetables at the right time to avoid losing the characteristic flavor of this vegetable in salads.
Some Notes When Growing Arugula Vegetables
- Arugula can grow quickly and is best grown from seed. However, Arugula grown from transplants usually sprout faster than Arugula grown from seeds.
- Sow the Arugula seeds 1/4 inch-deep and 1-2 inches apart. Keep the soil moist and well-drained until the seeds germinate.
- Space the small seedlings when they are several inches tall and 2 to 3 inches apart. Arugula seedlings are spaced 6 inches apart for larger plants to ensure safe growth.
- Arugula can be grown in full sun in cool weather for 4-6 hours per day and can live in partial shade.
- Arugula has a shallow root system so you need to water it regularly as they can become bitter and produce seeds without water. To avoid fungal diseases, you should not water the leaves a lot and should water them in the morning so that the light can dry the leaves.
- You should harvest Arugula when the leaves are 4 to 6 inches long to enjoy the best flavor of this vegetable.
- You can intercrop other types such as beets, carrots, cucumbers, and Arugula vegetables to save space.
Conclusion
Arugula is a popular, easy-to-grow, easy-care vegetable that is loved by many gardeners. However, some problems that you may encounter in the process of taking care of this vegetable are pests, yellowing of leaves, brown spots, rapid seeding, and bitter leaves.
Therefore, you can refer to more information in this article to understand the characteristics and find the most suitable method of growing Arugula vegetables. We have many articles on hand for common problems you may have with this vegetable, please visit here.