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Arugula on the windowsill feels no worse than in a greenhouse or in open ground conditions. The vitamin composition, as well as the taste qualities of greens grown in an apartment, are identical to those that grew in the garden. Therefore, lovers of mini-gardens on the balcony prefer to grow this exotic herb on their own, instead of buying goods that are not the first freshness in the store. However, in order to get a good harvest, it is important to know some of the intricacies of growing arugula on the windowsill, the rules for sowing seeds and the subsequent care of young shoots.
Arugula is undemanding to care and growing conditions, quickly yields
Is it possible to grow arugula on the windowsill
Among lovers of fresh herbs, arugula is popular not only because it is an integral part of Italian, French and Turkish cuisine. This herb has established itself as an excellent aphrodisiac that increases libido, so no romantic dinner is unthinkable without arugula. In addition, this green is rich in B vitamins, ascorbic acid, carotenoids, macro- and microelements (zinc, iron, magnesium, potassium).
Despite the enormous benefits of arugula for the human body, gardeners without enthusiasm cultivate this crop on their plots. This is due to the fact that the cabbage plant is of great interest to pests, such as the cruciferous flea, which is able to completely destroy young shoots in just a few hours. Therefore, growing arugula on the windowsill at home is rapidly gaining popularity, since it is easier to protect greens from pests in an apartment.
How much arugula grows on the windowsill
When choosing a variety of arugula for growing on a windowsill, experienced gardeners advise paying attention to early-ripening varieties, such as Koltivata, Rococo, Solitaire. Harvest can be harvested after 20-25 days from the moment the first shoots appear.
It is better to plant arugula early and medium ripening
Mid-season varieties such as Rocket, Sicily or Corsica are also popular. The vegetative period is about 35-38 days from the moment the seeds are sown in boxes or pots.
Planting arugula on the windowsill
Growing arugula on the windowsill is not a laborious process, since this culture is unpretentious and non-capricious. Ease of care allows even novice mini-garden lovers to achieve good results. However, it is not enough just to sow the seeds and wait for a rich harvest in a month. To do this, it is necessary to properly prepare the planting material, containers, soil mixture, and also think about which window sill is best to place the boxes so that the seedlings do not feel a lack of lighting.
Soil preparation and planting capacity
To grow arugula on the windowsill, you can buy the soil in the store or prepare the earth mixture yourself. In the first case, any universal soil or seedling substrate is suitable, which does not need to be further processed, you can immediately start filling the containers and proceed to sowing the seeds. In the second case, you will have to work hard.
To prepare the substrate you will need:
- sod land – 2 parts;
- humus – 2 parts;
- river sand – 1 part.
All components must be thoroughly mixed and calcined in the oven in order to eliminate the risk of infection of crops with pests or fungal infections.
The plant can be grown in pots or trays.
It is impossible to fertilize crops, since the foliage tends to accumulate a large amount of nitrates. Therefore, the preparation of the substrate should be approached with all care – it must contain a sufficient amount of nutrients for the full growth of the plant.
Planting containers can be wooden boxes or plastic containers approximately 10 cm high, as well as ordinary wide flower pots. It is necessary that the bottom of the selected container has drainage holes. If you take dishes less than 8 cm high, then the arugula will lack moisture, since the soil in such boxes dries up quickly.
It is necessary to fill the containers with the substrate to the brim, subsequently the earth will settle. It is important to lay a drainage layer (pebbles, small gravel) 1-2 cm at the bottom of the boxes.
Preparation of planting material
You can grow arugula on the windowsill from seeds both in winter and in summer. In this case, the seeds do not require special preparation. They do not need to be pre-soaked, stratified and disinfected – arugula is characterized by high germination. It is enough to buy already processed seeds in a specialized store and you can immediately start sowing.
Rules of landing
After completing the preparation of containers and substrate, you can proceed directly to sowing seeds. They should not be deepened, you can simply randomly scatter them on the surface of the soil and slightly crush the earth on top. However, this method of sowing requires subsequent thinning of seedlings.
To get neat rows, you should adhere to the following landing algorithm:
- In the ground, make even grooves 0,5 cm deep at a distance of 3-4 cm from each other.
- Spread the seeds at a distance of 2-3 cm and moisten the soil with warm water using a spray bottle.
- Fill the rows with the substrate, without tamping, and moisten a little again.
- Cover the planting containers with film or glass and place in a dark place for seed germination.
On the 3-5th day, when the first shoots begin to appear, the containers should be moved to a well-lit place. It is better if it is a window sill on the south side of the apartment. Once a day, it is necessary to remove the film to ventilate the seedlings, not forgetting to moisten the soil as the top layer dries out with a spray gun. If there is not enough light, young seedlings will stretch upwards. In this case, there is a great risk that they will fall under their own weight, and then it will be impossible to help them.
Care
Growing arugula on the windowsill, the main thing is to try to create the most favorable conditions for the culture, otherwise the leaves of an adult plant will be small and hard. All care comes down to providing the necessary lighting, maintaining the temperature regime, as well as regular watering of the seedlings.
Humidification is carried out by spraying with water or hanging wet rags on batteries.
Optimal conditions for growing arugula on the window
A week after the seeds germinate, it is time to thin them out. Weak and improperly growing seedlings are removed so that stronger ones do not feel a lack of nutrients. The optimal density between arugula bushes, which ensures their full development, is about 12-15 cm, then they will feel free, and the greens will grow fleshy and juicy.
Arugula is demanding on lighting, so it is undesirable to shade it with taller houseplants standing next to it on the windowsill. Usually natural light arugula is enough.
The lack of lighting can be compensated by using fluorescent lamps, turning them on in the evening for several hours. It is important not to overdo it here, because with excessive lighting, the bushes become thinner and the taste of arugula deteriorates significantly. In addition, excessive lighting stimulates the plant to shoot arrows. In this case, the bush stops growing and developing, and the greens will turn out to be small, hard and bitter.
The optimal temperature regime for growing arugula in an apartment on the windowsill is + 18-19 ° С. The culture is favorably affected by a slight decrease in temperature, but an increase is undesirable, since the taste of greenery is lost.
Watering arugula on the window
As the seedlings grow, watering is increased, but it is important not to overdo it, arugula does not like excessive moisture. The frequency of watering depends on the humidity of the air in the environment. If the room is dry and hot, it is necessary to water the arugula daily, if it is cool, once every 2-3 days.
Additional fertilizing
According to the rules of agricultural cultivation, arugula does not require additional feeding. However, if seeds are sown several times in a row in the same substrate, seedlings can be fed using complex fertilizers for horticultural crops.
Useful Tips
Experienced gardeners know about the intricacies of growing arugula on the windowsill, which allow you to get lush and healthy bushes in an apartment:
- You can harvest as soon as the leaves reach a size of 10 cm. If you cut them selectively, then one bush will produce spicy greens for up to 15 days.
- If the bushes bloom for some reason, the inflorescences must be removed without fail, otherwise the greens will be bitter.
- Despite the fact that the culture is photophilous, greens should be protected from direct sunlight, especially in summer: shade or rearrange on the northern windowsill.
- When choosing a place to place boxes with crops, it is important to remember that arugula categorically does not tolerate drafts.
- It is impossible to use a substrate in which peat is present for sowing – the seedlings will die. Soil that has previously grown legumes or pumpkins works best.
Less experienced windowsill gardeners should pay attention to the appearance of arugula. In a healthy plant, the leaves have a rich bright green color. If the greenery is dull, the bushes do not develop well – this indicates a lack of lighting, watering, or a violation of the temperature regime.
Lesions can be treated with “Fitoverm” or “Fitosporin”
Conclusion
Arugula on the windowsill is a great way to enrich your diet with healthy and vitamin greens throughout the year. The cultivation technique is simple, the care is not laborious, the costs are minimal, so even non-professionals achieve success. Arugula is not capricious, does not require special attention to itself, and when favorable conditions are created, it gives a good harvest within the framework of an apartment.
