Arugula (Eruca vesicaria subsp. sativa)
5 sources cited · Verified
The short answer
- Ready in
- 28–60 days
- Site
- soil pH 6–6.5
- Biggest risk
- Alternaria leaf blight
In the UK, rocket are ready to harvest 28–60 days after planting.
Rocket (Eruca vesicaria subsp. sativa) — salad rocket is an annual.
Unlike an annual crop, the work here is front-loaded into establishment: get the planting and the site right and the same plants crop for several seasons.
Core growing advice on this page is checked against named horticultural and university-extension sources — see References.
Soil & Growing Conditions
Water: RHS: "Keep the soil moist, watering in dry spells". Clemson: "Provide adequate moisture".
Soil pH range
Span reflects genuine variation between the cited authorities, not a single agreed figure.
Growth Stages
| Stage | BBCH | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sowing & germination | 0 | Sow up to 1cm deep, rows 15cm apart; seedlings emerge in only a few days, among the fastest of any salad crop. RHS. |
| Thinning & establishment | 3 | Thin to 15cm apart. RHS. |
| Cropping (cut-and-come-again) | 5 | Ready to pick 4-6 weeks after sowing. Take a few leaves from each plant along the row rather than stripping any one plant bare, which slows its recovery. Salad rocket provides fresh leaves for a month or two depending on temperature. RHS. |
| Bolting (salad rocket) / continued cropping (wild rocket) | 6 | Salad rocket bolts readily in hot weather, which ends the harvest for that sowing -- sow small batches every few weeks to keep supply continuous. Wild rocket, being perennial, keeps producing leaves even after it flowers. RHS. |
Quick Facts
| Factor | Value |
|---|---|
| Soil pH | 6 - 6.5 |
| Optimal growing temp | 15-25C |
| Minimum survivable temp | 8C |
| Time to harvest | 28-60 days |
| Soil texture | RHS: "Rocket likes fertile soil that retains some moisture, although wild rocket will also grow well in poorer, drier soil". |
| Drainage | RHS: "A sunny site is ideal for spring and late summer sowings, but for early/mid-summer sowings of salad rocket, it's better to choose a cooler spot in light shade" -- shade is used deliberately to delay bolting. Clemson: "Generally best grown in full sun". |
| Lifecycle | salad rocket is an annual; wild rocket is perennial, living for several years |
| Edible parts | leaves, flowers |
At a Glance
Harvest & Storage
When to pick: Neither source gives a physical readiness indicator; both define readiness by elapsed time. RHS: leaves can be picked "as little as a month" after sowing, and growers "usually start harvesting leaves about four to six weeks after sowing". Clemson: arugula "Can be harvested once it reaches maturity about 45 to 60 days after sowing".
Storage
Clemson: "Best when consumed within a week after harvest and can be stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator". RHS states no storage method.
Diseases
Pests
Rocket, Leaf to Flower
References
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Tier 1. Diamondback moth is "the most serious insect pest of brassica crops in South Carolina", leaving a window-pane appearance where the upper leaf surface stays intact. Damage is quantified relative to each other: one cabbage looper does roughly the damage of 5 diamondback moth larvae, and imported cabbageworm about two-thirds of a looper. Cross-striped cabbageworm hatches in masses and can rapidly skeletonise a plant, dropping to pupate just under the soil surface. Cabbage webworm damages buds and growing points, causing lateral budding. Cabbage aphids are commoner in cool autumn weather. Flea beetles are most problematic on mustard and turnips, which lack the protective waxy coating.
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5 independent sources are cited for this crop. Where they disagree - soil pH is the clearest case - every figure is preserved rather than averaged into false precision.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do rocket take to grow?
Typically 28–60 days, depending on cultivar and growing conditions.
What soil pH do rocket need?
A pH of about 6–6.5. That span reflects genuine variation between the authorities we cite rather than a single agreed figure — the References section lists each source's exact range.
What problems affect rocket?
Our data links 1 disease and 2 pests to this crop. See the sections above for each one and how to manage it.
Plan next season before the problems start
This page gives you the thresholds; the planner turns them into your own calendar. It works from what you can observe and measure in your garden rather than from dates written for somebody else’s latitude.
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