Want to add a peppery punch to your salads? Spruce them up with a little rocket (Eruca sativa)! Not only is it a fast-growing leafy green, but you can plant it in the garden or in pots. Rocket is best sown in spring or autumn (it can tolerate the cold) and will be ready for harvesting in just six to seven weeks – you can even eat the baby leaves after about two weeks.
Rocket tastes best when harvested young, so keep nipping off the leafy growth and you’ll have rich pickings. To successfully grow rocket from seed – simply follow our handy guide.
How to sow rocket seeds
Step 1 Choose a spot in your garden that’s sunny and make sure soil is well draining. Before you plant rocket seeds, dig in some fine compost and a little fertiliser to prepare soil.
Step 2 Mark out a row about 3mm deep and 1-2m long. Carefully sow rocket seeds in a thin line along row, spacing out
as evenly as possible. Cover lightly with seed raising mix (available in bags), then press down and keep soil moist. Planting seeds every few weeks will ensure you have a continuous supply.
Step 3 Fertilise weekly with a complete liquid plant food such as Yates Thrive Soluble All Purpose Plant Food or Seasol PowerFeed for Vegies.
Step 4 Cut back plants to ground level once they’re full sized – about 7-8 weeks after planting. This encourages new shoots to grow. Feed again with a liquid fertiliser to promote vigorous growth and more harvests.
TIP: You can plant the seeds in pots and transplant them to the garden when they reach 5-7cm. Remember to label the pots, though, in case you forget what’s in there!
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