Days to Maturity: 40 to 50
Rocket Wasabi is grown as a leafy vegetable. The plant forms a pretty rosette of green leaves with a unique, complex, fiery flavor, similar to wasabi or horseradish. Use in salads or as garnish. Arugula is considered a superfood for its nutrient rich content, having a high (top 20) Aggregate Nutrient Density Index score (ANDI), or micronutrient-per-calorie density. Rocket is a good source of vitamin A and also contains calcium and phytonutrients, including carotenoids and glucosinolates.
A hardy annual, growing quickly and easily, Rocket Wasabi prefers full sun to semi-shade and moist, well-drained soil that has been well prepared and raked to a fine tilth. Keep well watered during hot, dry weather. Harvest only a few young leaves from each plant or treat as a cut-and-come-again crop and pinch flower buds as they appear, to prolong the growing season.
A cool-season, winter-hardy vegetable, the toughest of the cool-season crops, one of the first to be planted in the garden, arugula seed can be direct sown into the garden as soon as the soil is workable in early spring, before the last frost date. It can also be started indoors 3 to 4 weeks before transplanting, spring and fall. It needs cold temperatures to germinate and grow, withstanding heavy frost and temperatures below 28°F, and becomes even sweeter with a light frost. Row covers protect plants from excessive cold and heavy frosts. Mulching helps to moderate soil temperature and to maintain soil moisture.
If you plan to start your seeds indoors, be sure to check out our Bio Dome Seed Starter Kit. With the Bio Dome, you can control the temperature, light, and soil mix to ensure your seeds become strong for transplant.
