Days to Maturity: 45

Once a rare delicacy, Arugula is now part of the American dinner table. But for what it costs at the fresh market, growing your own is the only sane option! And it's a good thing it's so easy to grow—you can sow the seeds successively every 2 weeks all spring to guarantee yourself a big harvest over many months to come of this gourmet green.

This plant reaches about 2 1/2 feet tall and 1 foot wide, with leaves best cut at 2 to 3 inches long. Cut just what you need for the next meal; each leaf that is severed stimulates production of more foliage, so a single plant can keep producing over a long season. And the flavor is so delectable when the leaves are young and tender—peppery and mustardy, with a palate-cleansing zing! Great in pesto, too—just don't let the leaves get too big, because they will lose their tender texture with maturity.

Start seeds indoors 3 to 4 weeks before last frost. They should germinate in 3 to 4 days at 40 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit. When the seedlings are 4 weeks old, transplant them into rows about 18 inches apart, in full sun to dappled shade and loose, rich soil.