Why is arugula bitter?

Rucola is one of the most common ingredients found in all national Italian dishes. But it is popular all over the world, including Russia. The taste of the plant has a characteristic sourness and even pungency. But when arugula becomes bitter, it is almost impossible to eat it. There are several reasons for the change in taste.

If the arugula starts to taste bitter, then the first thing you should pay attention to is compliance with agrotechnical conditions. The most common causes of bitterness are as follows.

• Insufficient watering. This is a fairly moisture-loving plant, therefore, it reacts negatively even to a short-term drought. With rare or weak watering, the concentration of mustard oil increases in the composition, which is the source of an unpleasant bitter taste.
• Thickened planting. If there are many plantings on one bed, then the plant does not have enough space for normal development. The leaves are significantly reduced in size, which affects the taste in the most unfavorable way.
• Hot weather. If the arugula is not protected from active exposure to sunlight, its leaves will become too coarse, and sometimes there is a bitter taste.
• Insufficiently humidified air. The plant requires watering not only at the root, but also additional spraying from a spray bottle. If you make this procedure regularly, then the greens grow tender and pleasant to the taste.
• Untimely harvesting. If the arugula is not removed from the garden in time, the period of inflorescence formation begins. In this case, the leaves become rough and very bitter.

These reasons are considered natural. A bitter aftertaste also appears if any harmful substances have got into the garden.

In this case, greens are generally not recommended for food, as it may be unsafe.

In order to rectify the current situation, it is necessary to take action as early as possible.

We recommend that you do the following.

• Do not violate the rules of agricultural technology. They consist of choosing the right shaded place for growing arugula, as well as timely and abundant watering. In extreme heat, additional spraying from a spray bottle is necessary.
• The distance between plantings should be several centimeters. If the seeds have been sown too often, it is best to thin out the seedlings.
• The grown crop must be removed from the garden in a timely manner. Leave only a few shoots to form seeds if necessary.
• It is strictly forbidden to spray any chemicals near the bed with arugula. The plant absorbs toxic substances and becomes unsafe when eaten.

If you do all the agrotechnical measures in a timely manner, then arugula will always delight you with a delicate, pleasant, natural taste.