Here are the best techniques & tips to maximize your yield per 1020 tray while growing arugula microgreens from seed to harvest in as little as 5 to 9 days.
How To Grow Arugula Microgreens At Home From Seed To Harvest Overview!
Here’s a menu of all the most important info covered in our “Arugula Microgreens How To Grow From Seed To Harvest”.
- Arugula microgreen seed sources & varieties.
- Equipment required to grow microgreens.
- Planting arugula microgreens seeding density and germination tips.
- How to grow arugula microgreens.
- When to harvest arugula microgreens.
- Arugula microgreen nutrition information.
- Arugula microgreens health benefits.
- Arugula microgreens growing tips.
- Frequently asked questions.
Arugula Microgreen Seed Sources & Varieties:
Great seed sources for the following varieties of microgreens include:
Equipment Required To Grow Microgreens
Planting Arugula Microgreens – Seeding Density & Germination Tips
Crop Cycle: 6 to 12 days from seed to harvest.
Sanitize Arugula Seed: No
Soak Arugula Seed: No
Arugula Microgreen Seeding Density Per 1020 Tray: 15 – 25 g (0.50 – 0.90 oz)
Step #1 Have your 1020 tray with holes inside 1020 tray without holes, bottom watering is required to reduce mold issues and increase shelf life.
Step #2 Spread seed over pre-moistened tray using multiple passes to get even distribution while spreading seeds over the top of the soil while broadcasting.
Step #3 Once arugula seeds are sprinkled evenly over the soil, mist the seeds prior to stacking the trays so the dry arugula seed is now wet (this greatly increases germination rates).
Step #4 Stack trays 1 to 3 high with empty 1020 tray on top (no holes) and 15 lb weight for 2 to 4 days.
After 2 to 4 days the arugula will be sticking out along the side of the trays, unstack when arugula is 0.5″ tall, bottom water heavily the day you uncover and place under the grow lights.
Growing Arugula Microgreens
Step #1 Watering: Heavily bottom water the arugula the day you uncover from the stacked germination phase.
Bottom water the arugula throughout the rest of the growing cycle to keep the foliage dry. It is pretty much impossible to spin dry wet arugula foliage. Spin drying your arugula will damage them due to their delicate nature, further reducing your shelf life.
Packaging wet arugula foliage into a clam shell or plastic bag will greatly decrease your shelf life.
Step #2 Growing: Keep under lights for 4 to 10 days. It is important not to topwater, over water, and to ensure good airflow & low humidity in your grow room to prevent mold issues.
Step #3 Possible Problems: During the growth phase grow rooms or areas with poor airflow (not enough fans), hot/humid conditions. or overwatering can experience mold.
If you discover a section of your arugula that has fallen down and are laying flat on the soil or hanging over the edge of your 1020 tray they have been under-watered.
Bottom water your tray and within 4 to 6 hours your arugula will be standing back up again.
When To Harvest Arugula Microgreens
Average Yield: 140 – 200 g (5 – 7 oz) per 1020 tray
Step #1 Harvest Tools: Sharp knife (They should be harvested once they are 1 to 1.5 inches tall.)
Step #2 Harvest Process: Do not water for at least 12 hours prior to harvest to ensure greens are dry.
Cut and place directly into the packaging. If greens are wet they must be dried prior to packaging to improve shelf life.
Step #3 Packaging: Package into clamshells or bags as dry as possible because when packaged dry they can easily last up to 7 to 9 days when refrigerated.
Absorbent pads may be used to remove moisture.
Arugula Microgreen Nutrition Information
Arugula is very rich in the following:
- Vitamin B6
- Amino Acids
- Calcium
- Iron
- Protein
Source: Sprouting.com
Arugula Microgreen Health Benefits
- Vitamin B6: Helps the body turn food into energy and is important in maintaining a healthy body and developing a healthy brain.
- Amino Acids: Help the body grow and function properly.
- Calcium: May have benefits beyond bone health, potentially protecting against cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
- Iron: Helps to preserve many vital functions in the body, including general energy and focus, gastrointestinal processes, the immune system, and the regulation of body temperature.
- Protein: Is an important building block of blood, bones, cartilage, muscles, and skin.
Arugula Microgreens Growing Tips
#1 Grow Tip: Easy microgreen to grow and harvest with consistent yields.
#2 Grow Tip: Wet your soil bed, spread seed, and be sure to mist your seeds prior to stacking. The misting process will greatly improve germinations.
#3 Grow Tip: Bottom water to reduce potential of mold and rotten smell.
#4 Grow Tip: Important not to water 12 hours prior to harvest. It is very hard to get foliage dry if recently watered prior to harvest. Packaging wet will quickly decrease shelf life!
#5 Grow Tip: Package with a smaller quantity and sell for a higher price.
I hope these tips above helped you improve your yields!
Misting our seeds prior to stacking and germination has made the biggest impact for improving our 1020 tray yields.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What are arugula microgreens?
They are edible seedlings that are usually harvested 3–7 days after germination when they have two fully developed cotyledon leaves.
How to eat arugula microgreens?
- Pasta dishes.
- Salads.
- Sandwiches & wraps.
What do arugula microgreens taste like?
They have an initial nutty flavor that fades into a earthy, peppery, and pungent taste. The most common feedback we receive is it tastes exactly like full grown arugula, just much more intense.
Arugula sprouts vs microgreens nutrition?
Arugula sprouts and microgreens are both considered to have very high levels of nutritional value. If there was a slight edge to be awarded arugula sprouts due to being consumed earlier in the growth phase compared to microgreens it would pack a greater punch per volume.
Arugula microgreens vs arugula?
Microgreens (arugula included) are generally considered to be more nutritious than full-grown vegetables due to the following factors:
- Microgreens are tiny, immature versions of vegetables, herbs, and other plants harvested anywhere from a week to two weeks after germination. Due to being harvested only a week to two after germination, they are generally more nutritious. For example, radish microgreens are considered to be 40 times more nutritious than the mature counterpart.
- With any fresh vegetable, time is a nutritional enemy, microgreens are generally consumed much sooner than arugula providing more nutrition.
Do arugula microgreens regrow after harvest?
No, arugula will not regrow after harvest to provide a second cut like a crop of pea microgreens would.
How to grow arugula microgreens without soil?
To grow without soil you would follow the exact same process as described above.
Growing Microgreens From Seed To Harvest With Step-By-Step Instructions:
Plant, Cultivate, Harvest!