Learning how to grow arugula is pretty simple. This perennial herb is an excellent introduction to growing fresh salad leaves for young and novice gardeners alike. You, too, can easily grow arugula indoors in a hanging or window container. And while you're at it, why not try other Mediterranean herbs such as basil, mint, parsley, dill, thyme, and oregano?

To get started harvesting your crops, you need to store them properly. Since they have an aromatic, tangy flavor, it's important that you harvest them promptly but not so quickly that they lose their flavor. Harvesting them too soon will interfere with their flavor. Also, some of these herbs, like mint and basil, are best harvested in the late afternoon or early evening when the heat is most intense. Harvesting them too early will interfere with the flavor of their foliage.

In addition to storing them correctly, you also need to know how to preserve them. To preserve your greens, you can try drying them or freezing them. Or, you may choose to put them into a plastic zipper bag and store them in your refrigerator until you are ready to use them. If you choose to dry them, remember to air-dry them at a lower setting. Drying them over high heat can destroy some of the chlorogenic acids in the microgreens.

When harvesting your plants, it's important to remove the whole leaf from the middle. If the leaf has a strong stem, the stem will go toward the bottom of the container, making new shoots take root. However, if the leaf is shorter, the stem remains on top of the plant for future growth. When storing your arugula for future use, you should not wash or dry the leaves or any of the roots until the seeds are ready to be planted. Once the seeds are ready, place them into small quantities of perlite and allow them to remain in the permit for one to two weeks.

When sowing arugula seeds, you should not do it in the spring. Instead, you should do it about a month before your last frost. In the summer, the soil is often very warm and will make germination easier. If you do it in the spring, the soil will become cold and hard, which will affect germination.

Once your arugula plant starts to develop leaves, it is time to remove them. Harvest your plant every other day or after two leaves are visible. Harvest the entire plant at once if you have many shoots. Otherwise, divide the plant into quarters and sow those quarters with a handful of sterile seeds. Allow the seeds to sit for two to three weeks before harvesting again. The reason you harvest the leaves is, so the plant has an opportunity to develop its flavor.

Once your arugula plant has developed a large number of leaves, it is time to separate the larger, mature leaves from the roots. Once the leaves start to turn yellow, this is the time to fertilize the soil and place a small sprinkling of lime or sand down on the soil. Fertilizing the soil gives the plant nutrients it needs to develop properly. It also helps the soil stay healthy through the growing season.

When planting seedlings in the spring, it is important to place them directly into a shallow potting mix. Most gardeners believe that the soil should be watered while the seedlings are developing. Although this is true, the roots should be kept in moist conditions for a few weeks after planting. This allows the roots to get a foothold before the cold weather sets in. Remember how to grow arugula, and you will have gorgeous specimens blooming year-round.