Rocket
Eruca vesicaria subsp. sativa
Rocket is the fastest-growing salad leaf in the kitchen garden — from sowing to first harvest in as little as four weeks. Its peppery, pungent leaves give character to salads and wilted into pasta sauces are exceptional. A few consecutive sowings provides an endless supply through the growing season.
SowingDirect sow
Sunlight☀️ Full sun
Water💧💧 Moderate
Days to harvest25–40
Soil pH6–7
Spacing10cm × 15cm
Planting Calendar
🌏 Adjusted for southern hemisphere seasons.
Sow indoorsSow outdoorsTransplantHarvest
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Quick and Simple
Rocket is one of the easiest and fastest salad crops. Scatter seed thinly in rows or broadcast over a patch, water in, and harvest in 4–6 weeks. It needs very little attention.Succession Sowing
Rocket bolts quickly in heat, producing tough, very pungent leaves and flowers. The flowers are also edible and peppery. Sow small amounts every 2–3 weeks from March to September for a continuous supply of tender young leaves.Wild Rocket
Wild rocket (Diplotaxis tenuifolia) is a perennial species with a stronger, more intensely peppery flavour. It is slower-growing but more enduring, coming back year after year. Grow it alongside annual rocket for different strengths of flavour.Soil: Any reasonably fertile, well-drained soil. Tolerant and undemanding.