Just scatter them in the trench
I pulled the carrots today to make way for the arugula. I had hoped for a bigger yield and larger size, but the colder winter here in the South hurt the growth. The carrots were an experiment to see if I could get a good crop from winter growth before the arugula seeds had to go in. While the answer is no, I consider the experiment a success since I won’t repeat the mistake. It has also helped me decide to chop down the last dogwood and build another raised bed for next year.
When it comes to arugula (a key ingredient in my pesto), I have found that the easiest thing to do is score one-inch deep trenches six inches apart and scatter the seeds into them. Then cover with soil and pat down lightly. When the plants start to come up I will then thin the lines out wherever needed. One package of seeds usually cover two two-foot-long trenches.
The carrots do taste a billion times better fresh than from the store
those carrots look great! I’d never had arugula before spending some time in the south this winter, and now I love it! Pesto made with it sounds wonderful…..
I’m truly jealous. I just started my garden a week ago and nothing – mostly b/c my dog has dug up EVERYTHING! And I was going to buy arugula but I replaced it for sweet peppers. I just recently heard about it as a base for pesto and love the peppery idea. Now, I think I’ll buy arugula for my 2nd-time-around gardening.
Wow, you farm your own vegetables. How cool is that!
Those carrots look great! I can’t wait to start my vegetable garden…come on Spring!
This might make me try arugula in my garden this year. I like the idea of putting it in pesto. I just told myself that I WILL make a giant batch of pesto this year to freeze some in ice cube trays to use in the middle of winter.
I put a few spoonfuls in a plastic sandwich bag and that works well. I do the same thing with tomato paste. Makes it easier to stuff between other stuff when the freezer is packed.
I have not grown my own carrots or arugula yet, but want to try them this year. There’s nothing like home-grown veggies!