Why are people wild for wild arugula?
We know enough people who are wild for Wild Arugula that we decided to celebrate it with an Art Pack. Gardeners and farmers love how quickly it grows, how easy it is to harvest, the tell-tale serrated leaf shapes, and the amplified arugula flavor. I hoped I could find an artist whose colors and shapes reflected the habit and punchy taste of the plant. As I combed through the entries I had Matisse in the back of my head - bold shapes, vibrant colors, and a cultivated wildness to the composition.
"I create work to bring a happy burst of color into people's lives. Right now, I am wild about collages." Natasha Zahn Pristas
When I came across Natasha Zahn Pristas's collages I could almost taste a pasta dish of penne, smothered in red heirloom tomato sauce, ringed by a pungent bright green halo of Wild Arugula. Natasha's crisp edged Matisse-esque collage highlights the bright and bold flavor of Wild Arugula. Surrounded by bright cut-outs of sweeter and tamer varieties like tomatoes and peas, Natasha's Art Pack shows that Wild Arugula is a perfect pairing in any fresh-picked meal.
Natasha's art also won the popular vote for our 2018 Seed Catalog. So if you're on our catalog mailing list, you'll be getting one soon!
Growing Wild Arugula
| Days to Germination | 3 to 10 days |
| Days to Maturity | 30 to 50 days |
| Planting Depth | ¼ to ½ inch |
| Spacing in Row | 4 to 6 inches |
| Spacing Between Rows | 12 to 16 inches |
| Height at Maturity | 3 to 6 inches |
| Width at Maturity | 6 to 12 inches |
Wild arugula can be direct sown as soon as soil can be worked. They can also be started early and transplanted. In either method, be patient and expect erratic germination. Because this crop is not as domesticated as regular arugula, it exhibits uneven germination, which is common in the wild. Harvest when young for fresh use, when slightly older for braising. The cool-loving green doesn't particularly like mid-summer, but it will do well most of the season: keep on sowing! Wild Arugula is very hardy and will usually survive the winter with little or no protection. It'll be one of the first things you can sow in spring!