Arugula Wasabi is a unique variety of arugula. It's also called Wildfire and Rocket Wasabi. In appearance, this plant closely resembles regular arugula, with spoon-shaped, dark green, glossy, and serrated leaves. However, its flavor is more like that of Perennial Wild Rocket combined with wasabi. The name Arugula Wasabi refers purely to the flavor of the leaves. The initial flavor of this variety is very spicy, like wasabi, but it later becomes sweeter, nuttier, and slightly bitter, like Perennial Wild Rocket. The flowers of this variety are also edible and have a slightly sweet-sour, nutty flavor.
Arugula Wasabi is also a very healthy vegetable. It contains a wide range of vitamins and minerals, such as vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B11, C, D, E, and K. It also contains calcium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, copper, magnesium, manganese, sodium, selenium, and zinc. To preserve the crispness of the leaves, it's important not to overcook them. Arugula Wasabi is deliciously spicy in salads, sandwiches, pizzas, and omelets. It's also delicious added at the last minute to soups, sauces, pasta sauces, casseroles, stews, and stir-fries. The flowers of Arugula Wasabi can be used as a garnish for soups, salads, stir-fries, and other dishes. The spicy and nutty flavor of Arugula Wasabi is delicious with crab, tuna, young cheese, chicken, turkey, salmon, sausage, bacon, garlic, ginger, rice vinegar, avocado, pasta, rice, honey, sesame oil, red pepper, walnuts, pears, and yogurt. It also pairs well with sweet vegetables such as peas, lettuce, bell peppers, tomatoes, and carrots. Non hardy perenial. Height: 10-20 cm.
Outdoor sowing: March - September
Germination: 5 - 10 days
Germination temp.: 15 - 25 °C
Sowing depth: ½ - 1 cm
Planting distance: 15 cm
Distance between the rows: 30 cm
Planting position: sunny - half shaded
Days till harvest: 30 - 35
Arugula has no special demands on the soil type on which it's sown. Sow Arugula outdoors from March till September. Grow on a sunny plot in the spring and autumn. Sow in the summer on a sunny plot with half shade to prevent bolting. Sow outdoors under glass in early spring, when the temperatures are low.
Sow sparingly and not to deep. Cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil. Don't sow the seeds too closely together. Because when the seeds are sown too close together it can result in problems with fungi. Sow in rows about 30 cm apart. The ideal germination temperature is between 15 - 25°C. Germination takes about 5 - 10 days, depending on the outdoors temperature and the soil temperature. Thin the plants, when they're too close together, to 15 cm apart. Keep moist. Give enough water during drought because the plants bolt when they dry out. Early bolting effects the flavour of the leaves negatively.
You can harvest, approx. 4 - 5 weeks after sowing. The young leaves have the most flavour. Pick some leaves when needed or harvest the whole plant. The plants can grow on when the hart and the roots are intact. Use the harvested leaves the same day, because Arugula wilts fairly quickly after harvesting. Protect the plants against slugs and snails, caterpillars and aphids. Arugula belongs to the Cabbage family in the croprotation. But some gardeners use the croprotation of Greens. Sow every 2 - 3 weeks small amounts of seeds to extend the harvesting period.
