I started some arugula inside to have something fresh and green in my salad. It came up very well, and a week after planting I decided to thin it to use in my salad. I cut it and my husband that was near me suddenly asked - what is that smell? I sniffed the cutting board and didn’t like the smell at all. I ended up throwing what I already cut in the trash. After dinner I took one plant out to figure out what I didn’t like in the smell… Root smells like radish, OK. But leaves… Something well known and unpleasant… Suddenly it hit me - skunk! It smells like skunk! I am not sure if the plant is just too young and smell will change later, but as of now, I debating if I should just throw it away right now…
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I’ve grown arugula and never experienced that - I hope you give it another chance, because it makes a nice early addition to your salads. Unless, of course, it smells like skunk!
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That grows like weeds here. The flavour is strong but we love it on salads or in soups. It’s very healthy!
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Happy to see I’m not the only one who associates arugula with skunk smell! I think it may just be a case of people being sensitive to different chemicals. I enjoy strong greens so it surprised me as well.
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So, the smell is not changing as the plant matures?
I am not the biggest fan of arugula but I have to give it credit where its due. On a burger with some bluecheese(or bc dresing) is great.
As for the smell it doesn’t bother me but we are fans of pungent herbs in my home.
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Arugula is amazing i will put this in the same category as people who hate on cilantro! (this will get you some defenders for sure!)
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My wife grows it. I don’t like it on my salads, but never have told her. She’s too happy with her aeroponic garden for me to complain.
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No, store bought is usually milder homegrown is pungent, I love it myself. The smellier the better! I understand some herbs I won’t touch. I hate mustard too, well I can eat it, just prefer not to. I will though and used a spice it’s fine. On a burger no way!
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Welcome to the club. I can’t stand the stuff. Extremely bitter. 
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I love it, it reminds me the smell of wild ones when I was a kid.
arugula is packed with good stuff, which is unfortunate since it is a vegie that you can’t introduce to a 2 yr old without traumatizing the kid…
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I dont like it either and besides bittermelon and mustard greens I can’t think of any other veggies I don’t like. I wish I did!
when i was a kid, bittermelon greens(and bittermelon itself) and mustard greens were absolutely horrid to me, not sure what taste-bud switch was turned on(or off) that now i actually eat both in large amounts, and find them palatable.
arugula is a different matter. Even though i can eat lots of it, i still don’t find it palatable. (am sure many who think arugula is palatable is thinking i need to ‘grow up’ further, lol)
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Taste buds grow callouses as you get older!
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lol!
i guess my callouses need to further evolve into bunions 
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We love strong arugula. Put a pile of it on a slice of pizza with some olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. It tastes great and you can pretend the pizza is healthy.
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For those of you that dont like arugula what about all the spring greens?
I like green garlic 
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Well that makes good sense, I was more wondering about the mesclun lettuces and other bitter spring greens like dandelion, chicory, endive, turnips etc…