How to Grow Rocket
Eruca vesicaria
When to Start
Direct sow outdoors as soon as soil reaches 5°C — typically early to mid spring. Can also be started indoors 3 weeks earlier for a head start.
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Growth Stages
Approximate days from start
Care Essentials
- Light liquid feed every 2 weeks. Needs consistent moisture.
- Sow every 3 weeks for continuous supply. Grow under fine mesh to prevent flea beetle. Partial shade in summer.
Companion Planting
2 companion planting cucumber, onions
Growing Conditions
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- Sow indoors
- —
- Transplant out
- —
- First harvest
- —
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Spacing & Planting
| Plant spacing | 15 cm |
| Row spacing | 20 cm |
| Sow depth | 0.5 cm |
| Mature height | 40 cm |
| Mature spread | 20 cm |
Also known as Arugula. Can be sown more densely for baby leaf 'cut-and-come-again' harvesting.
Companion Planting
Grows well with
Rocket's pungent glucosinolate volatiles mask the chemical cues cucumber pests use to locate their host, providing passive pest confusion without competing for root space. Both plants prefer similar moisture levels, making irrigation straightforward.
▼Onions emit sulphur-based volatile compounds that repel thrips and aphids — two of rocket's most damaging pests — through olfactory masking. Interplanting a row of onions every 40–50 cm through a rocket bed provides continuous chemical protection throughout the season.
▼Care Guide
- Feeding
- Light liquid feed every 2 weeks. Needs consistent moisture.
- Watch for
-
- Flea beetle (major pest)
- Bolting in heat
- Slugs
Pests & Diseases
Pest Flea Beetle
Identification: Numerous tiny round holes peppered across leaves (shot-hole damage); small, shiny black beetles that jump when disturbed
- Cover with fine mesh or fleece from sowing — this is the most effective control
- Keep soil moist as flea beetles prefer dry conditions
- Interplant with taller crops to provide shade and reduce beetle activity
- Spray with pyrethrin-based insecticide in the evening when beetles are resting on leaves
Pest Slugs and Snails
Identification: Ragged holes in leaves, particularly overnight; slime trails on foliage and soil; seedlings eaten at ground level
- Apply organic slug pellets (ferric phosphate based) around seedlings
- Hand-pick at dusk; use beer traps
- Encourage natural predators such as frogs and ground beetles
- Apply ferric phosphate slug pellets around vulnerable plants
Pest Aphids
Identification: Clusters of green or black insects on leaf undersides and growing tips; sticky honeydew; curled or distorted leaves
- Blast off with a jet of water
- Spray with insecticidal soap
- Encourage ladybirds and hoverflies as natural predators
- Spray with a contact insecticide containing pyrethrins
Disease Downy Mildew Hyaloperonospora parasitica
Symptoms: Yellow patches on upper leaf surfaces with white or grey fuzzy growth on undersides; leaves become papery and die
Treatment: Remove affected leaves promptly; improve air circulation; avoid overhead watering
Prevention: Space plants for good airflow; water at the base; avoid overcrowding; rotate crops
Disease White Blister Albugo candida
Symptoms: Raised white pustules on leaf undersides; corresponding yellow patches on upper surfaces; distorted growth in severe cases
Treatment: Remove and destroy affected leaves; improve air circulation
Prevention: Avoid overcrowding; ensure good airflow; rotate brassica crops; remove crop debris at end of season
Growing Conditions
| Min. soil temperature | 5°C |
| Germination temperature | 10–20°C |
| Base growth temperature | 4°C |
| Min. daylength to start | 8.5h |
| Photoperiod sensitivity | day neutral |
Frequently Asked Questions
- How far apart should I plant Rocket?
- Plant Rocket 15cm apart with 20cm between rows.
- When can I harvest Rocket?
- Rocket is ready to harvest approximately 25 days after transplanting.
- What grows well with Rocket?
- Rocket grows well with cucumber, onions.
- Is Rocket frost hardy?
- Rocket is classified as Hardy.
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