The working definition of a 'weed' is a plant growing where the gardener would rather it wouldn't. So... the simplest answer is a question... what do you do with weeds?

My arugula also readily volunteers itself... in fact, I enjoy that it does well in the paths where I can just walk all over it once it gets past its useful stage. If it's in the way, I just cut it back, or pull it out.

It's just that it seems I can now no longer grow anything in this garden plot except arugula, because it keeps coming up in abundance every year. We don't mind all the arugula, we eat it daily. I'm just wondering if I'll ever be able to plant anything else there-this particular plot was normally reserved for tomatoes! Obviously weed killer is not desirable in an organic vegetable garden. Guess the tomatoes may have to find a new home...

" I'm just wondering if I'll ever be able to plant anything else there"

Arugula is considered an invasive weed by many and works well only if kept contained. But no you won't be able to grow anything else there while the arugula is allowed to grow as you describe. It would have to be eradicated from the bed first. You can always transplant some of it to a large container first to keep some if you wish. Then repeatedly till/turn/hoe/mulch the rest out of existence making sure none is allowed to go to seed before pulling it.

Or as you mentioned, find a different location for the tomatoes and write off the current bed as arugula-only.

Dave

Uh, oh... worse than I thought. Oh, well... shouldn't complain about excess arugula. Tomatoes will need new location. thanks for the help!

Well, with a response like that, the arugula is just going to expand and eventually take over your whole lot. I hope you really like arugula. But seriously, tilling deeply at the beginning of the season should do wonders, and just pulling whatever plants survive that should complete the job. After couple of seasons, there won't be any more, and you can contend with more routine wind-borne weeds. I should note that arugula flowers are very edible, so there should be no excuse for letting them go to seed. Once they bolt, the leaves are pretty distasteful, but the flowers are great.

We already have a weed in our neighborhood which everyone calls Thai Sour Grass. It's so pervasive, no one believes there's anything to be done about it. The good news is, it only grows in winter, then disappears. I never thought of arugula being in the same category, so Dan, thanks so much for explaining. Yes, we'll definitely do the deep til. Glad there is some hope. And we'll try those flowers, too! Oh, one more thing... do the plants reproduce only when the flowers/seeds get buried in the dirt? Or do the flowers only have to bloom to spread the seeds? Sorry, I must be a beginner, I assume "bolting" means when the plants flower. Thanks for the help!

Yeah, I really don't see the problem. The first year that I had arugula come back, I dug it out of the bed and transplanted it to a large pot of soil (not even a mix good for pots, just some excess of my clay soil.) The roots filled the pot, and grew so far down into the ground I couldn't move the pot at the end of the season! By then, it had seeded well and by the 3rd year I had plants growing all over the garden (like I said, my favorite place for them is in the paths between the beds.) Now that I have enough arugula growing (actually, 2 distinctly different types,) I don't worry about transplanting. I harvest it while it's still in the rosette stage, and when, and if, it comes up where I don't want it growing, I just remove it.

The cool thing about naturalized arugula is that you get 2 crops of salad greens per year... spring and fall. Oh... and its centralized location in my garden is right next to some basil that has also taken a liking to volunteering over a large-ish area.

Space is limited where my garden is, so I see no good reason to allow anything to grow where I don't want it growing. It's sure easier to deal with than many of the inedible (or unpalatable,) true weeds.

ETA... arugula spreads by seeds. It will come up wherever the seeds fall and find 'purchase'. Birds could even spread them. But no, they don't have to be 'planted' under the soil - they are so small, just a rain can cover them up enough for them to sprout.

More good info. Yes, of course, pull up the seedlings early. But this arugula, in this setting comes up like ground cover, so thick, it seems more practical to just let it have the space. Great, we'll see what spring brings, and take it from there. Thanks for all the help. Much appreciated. Cheers

Get yourself a Dutch hoe. Hoe off the seedlings when they're tiny, ie just emerging, on a hot day so they die on the surface.

Or wait until they have germinated, filling the bed, and then cover the bed with clear plastic. That will kill them in a week or so.

"That will kill them in a week or so." In some climates.... In mine it would act as a greenhouse and they'd be bigger than ever. This a good example of why it is really important to tell us your location.

I'm in Santa Barbara, California, more specifically Goleta, very near the coast. We get nice warm summers and chilly winters. However, we don't get enough sunlight on the garden due to large oak trees blocking the sun. Garden gets only partial light on and off during the day. Yes, I think a dutch hoe will do the trick. I just have to find time to stay on top of those pesky arugulas! Thanks again.

OK. Solarisation might not work if you have a shady garden. That could well be a major contributory factor to your tomatoes' failure to thrive too. Quite possibly more important than the Arugula.

You could always plant your tomatoes and lay 2 layers of newspaper down as a mulch. Put something over the paper like grass clippings or bark chips and the arugula seedlings will be smothered.

Linda

Oh, good idea! Thanks