Product Details

Fast growing arugula with heavily serrated leaves and upright growth habit. Surrey has the mild, slightly peppery flavour, size, and speed of salad types with the interesting leaf shape of spicier wild varieties. A wonderful addition to mixed green salads with its complimentary flavour and leaf shape, as a topping to pizza and pasta, or on its own as a simple salad with a topping of parmesan cheese.

• Salad type.
• Serrated leaf shape.
• Fast growing.
• Mild, slightly peppery flavour.

All About Surrey

Latin

Eruca sativa (Wild Arugula is Diplotaxis tenuifolia — see below)

Family: Brassicaceae

Difficulté

Easy.

We Recommend

Astro (MS483). All arugula varieties are good, but Astro stands out. Grow this variety in cool weather, or try it as a micro-green at any time of year.

Season: Cool season. Arugula tends to bolt in hot weather.

Exposure: Full sun to partial shade.

Timing

Direct sow every 3 weeks from mid-March to April and again in September for a fall/winter crop. Optimal soil temperature for germination: 4-12°C (40-50°F).

Starting

Sow no more than 5mm (¼”) deep in well-drained soil in full sun. Thin seedlings to 10-15cm (4-6″) apart in rows 45-60cm (18-24″) apart. Overcrowded plants will bolt earlier. Seeds germinate in 4-8 days.

Days to Maturity

From direct sowing.

Growing

Ideal pH: 6.5-7.0. Keep soil moist until germinated and then just keep the area weeded.

Harvest

Use as a cut & come again crop, harvesting with scissors. Baby leaves are mild and tender.

Seed Info

In optimum conditions at least 75% of seeds will germinate. Usual seed life: 3 years. Per 100′ row: 1.2M seeds, per acre: 348M seeds.

Diseases & Pests

Flea beetles will cause numerous tiny holes in the leaves. If these appear, try planting a couple of weeks later next year, to avoid their laying cycle. Or plant under lightweight row cover.

How to Grow Wild Arugula

Wild arugula (Diplotaxis tenuifolia and D. erucoides) is a perennial plant that has the advantage of not bolting in hot weather. It has a very similar texture and flavour profile to conventional arugula, and can be used in similar applications: pizza topping, salad green, addition to salad mixes. Plus, it can be harvested all summer long, after the other arugula has all gone to seed.

Timing

Start indoors 2-4 weeks before the last frost and transplant out in late spring.

Starting

Sow the tiny seeds barely covered with soil. Keep them warm and damp. Germination is slow, so be patient.

Days to Maturity

From transplant.

Growing

Wild arugula has a sprawling habit and feathery, deeply indented leaves. Space plants 10-15cm (4-6") apart in rows 30cm (12") apart. Remember that this perennial plant will re-emerge in spring. Keeping the plants cut will encourage new, more tender growth. Trim the young leaves with scissors as needed.

Seed Info

Usual seed life: 3 years.