Rocket

Eruca vesicaria

Rocket's peppery leaves are ready four to six weeks after sowing. Salad rocket lives only one season and soon flowers, so sow a little every few weeks. Wild rocket comes back every year and keeps giving leaves through summer and autumn.

Looking after it

Water: It needs normal watering. In dry spells keep the soil moist, because dry soil makes it flower and go to seed early. In warm weather, a pot can need water every day. Feeding: Rocket needs very little. It grows quickly in most soils and in fresh potting compost, with no feeding.

Harvest and keeping

Pick a few leaves from each plant, little and often. That keeps new ones coming. Once the plant flowers, the leaves turn tough and hot. The flowers are good to eat in salads. It's best eaten soon. The leaves keep a few days in a bag in the fridge.

What can go wrong

Flea beetles. The leaves get lots of small round holes, worst in warm, dry spells. The damage mostly just spoils the look. Keep seedlings watered and cover them with fine insect mesh.
Bolting. Flower stems shoot up early in hot, dry weather or when the plants are crowded. Thin the seedlings and water well. Sow summer crops in light shade.
Slugs and snails. They eat the seedlings and young plants. Pick them off at dusk and protect seedlings in damp weather.

Growing facts: RHS, UC ANR and seed-company sowing guides. Rocket care: RHS. pH: University of Delaware and Oregon State University extension.