Every season, we fine-tune our growing methods to improve the quality of a crop and to produce it more efficiently. Some crops, like potatoes, are many, many tweaks away from perfection. But for every struggle, there is at least one success story to keep us moving forward.
Arugula is making the transition from one camp to the other, thanks to three big changes.
Black tarps for weed control: Prior to seeding the bed, we cover the soil with a woven plastic tarp for a couple of weeks–a practice that has been getting a lot of attention recently thanks to the work of Canadian farmer Jean-Martin Fortier. The warmth of the tarp gets the weeds to germinate, and the absence of light stunts their growth. Learn more about this practice here.
Mode of seeding: This season, we introduced a pinpoint seeder to insure a more even stand. If the arugula is too sparse, the weeds have a leg-up and crowd out the crop. A too-dense stand inhibits airflow and invites disease. Our new seeder helps us to hit that “just right” Goldilocks zone.
Row cover for germination and pest protection: We cover our arugula with row cover (the white fabric in the photo) regardless of the time of year. The row cover helps prevent a crust from forming on the soil surface, making it easier for the little arugula seeds to germinate. Once the arugula is established, the cover keeps the flea beetles and other pesky pests at bay.
We still have some work to do to further improve the arugula harvest, but we’re feeling good about the practices we’ve put in place. So good, in fact, we may reconsider our lifetime ban on the cultivation of spring mix. But not before we get those potatoes figured out.