Some people are perfectly content with using the neutral greens of iceberg and romaine lettuce in their salads. If you have a love for spicier food, try adding arugula to these plates as well.

The University of Illinois Extension describes arugula as having a taste similar to horseradish or peppercress. Bonnie Plants suggests that the plant can be cooked and eaten like spinach, but you can also use it in smaller amounts to add some zing to pasta sauces and other recipes.

Arugula leaves grow best in cool temperatures, so it is best to plant them in either early spring or late summer. Sowing the seeds in mid-April for spring planting and late August or September for summer planting gives the leaves the best chance to develop.

When choosing a site for arugula, find a place with full sunlight or partial shade. Burpee says areas with some shade will help keep temperatures down, which in turn will keep the leaves from getting too bitter.

Well-drained soil with even moisture levels is the best medium for growing arugula. A pH level of 6 to 6.8 is ideal. The plant will also tolerate low fertility, though Bonnie Plants suggests working in some compost or a timed-release fertilizer to assist with growth.

The Cornell University Cooperative Extension suggests planting the seeds a quarter-inch deep and an inch apart. As the arugula grows, you can gradually thin it out so the plants are four to six inches apart. As an added bonus, these small greens are edible and can be added to salads.

Arugula grows fast and will be ready for the salad bowl in no time. The seed company Burpee says seeds will sprout within three days, and leaves can be ready to harvest in as little as three weeks. If you want a steady supply of these greens, you can sow new seeds every couple of weeks.

During hot temperatures, arugula will bolt by developing a tall shoot. Bonnie Plants says this stalk can grow up to three feet high, and some gardeners enjoy harvesting its edible white flowers. You can continue harvesting the leaves until they become unpalatable, at which point you should pull out the plant and wait for the next season to put down new seeds.

Keeping the plant cool and well-watered will reduce the likelihood that it will bolt. In addition to shading the arugula during hot temperatures, you should keep the soil moistened and put down a layer of mulch to retain water. Mulch will also keep the plant from self-seeding.

Cool temperatures will foster the development of the arugula leaves. The University of Illinois Extension says these develop as a rosette, or a group of divided leaves.

Burpee suggests harvesting the leaves when they are about four to six inches long. Bonnie Plants says taking off the outer leaves will allow the smaller leaves to keep growing, letting you return to the same plant for multiple harvests.

Young leaves will have a milder taste, while older and larger ones will be spicy. These leaves will keep in the refrigerator for about one week.

Diseases will rarely affect arugula, though the Cornell University Cooperative Extension says the plant should not be grown in a plot that was recently used for another member of the cabbage family. Insects also generally ignore arugula, though flea beetles may nibble on the leaves. Burpee says a floating row cover should keep these pests at bay.