How to Grow Rocket in the UK

How to Grow Rocket in the UK: Complete Growing Guide

Rocket (arugula or rucola) is one of the easiest and fastest salad leaves to grow in the UK. With its distinctive peppery flavour, rocket is perfect for salads, pizzas, and pasta dishes. Quick-growing and productive, rocket can be sown almost year-round for continuous harvests. This comprehensive guide will show you how to grow rocket successfully.

Types of Rocket

Salad Rocket (Annual): Milder flavour, larger leaves, faster-growing, less hardy

Wild Rocket (Perennial): Stronger peppery flavour, smaller serrated leaves, slower-growing, very hardy, longer-lasting

When to Sow Rocket

Rocket can be sown almost continuously:

• Outdoor sowing: March-September for spring, summer, and autumn harvest
• Under cover: October-February in greenhouses, polytunnels, or cold frames for winter harvest
• Succession sowing: Sow small batches every 2-3 weeks for continuous supply
• Best seasons: Spring and autumn sowings produce the best flavour (less bitter than summer crops)
• Summer shade: Provide partial shade for summer sowings to reduce bolting

Soil Preparation

Rocket is very adaptable and undemanding:

• Soil type: Any reasonably fertile, well-drained soil
• Add organic matter: Dig in compost for moisture retention
• pH level: Slightly acidic to neutral (pH 6.0-7.0)
• Moisture-retentive: Prefers moist soil to prevent bolting and bitterness
• Rake fine: Create a fine, level seedbed

How to Sow Rocket

Direct Outdoor Sowing (recommended):

1. Create drills: Make shallow drills 1cm (½ inch) deep, 15cm (6 inches) apart
2. Sow thinly: Sprinkle seeds thinly along the drill
3. Cover lightly: Cover with fine soil and firm gently
4. Water well: Water gently but thoroughly
5. Quick germination: Seeds germinate in 5-7 days

Broadcasting:

• Scatter seeds thinly over prepared soil
• Rake in lightly
• Water well
• Good for cut-and-come-again baby leaf harvests

Container Growing:

• Excellent for pots, window boxes, and growing bags
• Sow thinly in good quality compost
• Keep well-watered

Thinning Seedlings

Thinning depends on how you plan to harvest:

• For baby leaves: No thinning needed - harvest entire crop when 5-7.5cm (2-3 inches) tall
• For larger leaves: Thin to 10-15cm (4-6 inches) apart for individual plants
• Use thinnings: Add thinnings to salads

Ongoing Care

Rocket is very low-maintenance:

• Watering: Water regularly to keep soil moist and prevent bolting; dry conditions make leaves bitter
• Feeding: Generally no feeding needed
• Shade in summer: Provide partial shade during hot weather to reduce bolting and bitterness
• Weeding: Keep weed-free, though fast growth means weeds are rarely a problem
• Remove flower stalks: Pinch out flower stalks to prolong leaf production (or let wild rocket flower for bees)

Common Problems

Flea beetle: Small holes in leaves. Cover with fleece or fine mesh immediately after sowing; water well to promote fast growth.

Bolting: Running to seed quickly. Caused by hot, dry conditions. Water regularly, provide shade in summer, and sow bolt-resistant varieties.

Bitter leaves: Caused by drought or heat stress. Water regularly and harvest young.

Slugs and snails: Can damage young seedlings. Protect with barriers if necessary.

Harvesting Rocket

Rocket can be harvested in multiple ways:

Baby Leaf Harvest:

• Harvest when leaves are 5-7.5cm (2-3 inches) tall (3-4 weeks after sowing)
• Cut entire crop 2.5cm (1 inch) above ground level
• Plants will regrow for 2-3 more cuts

Cut-and-Come-Again:

• Harvest outer leaves when 7.5-10cm (3-4 inches) long
• Leave inner leaves to continue growing
• Pick regularly to encourage more production
• Plants can produce for several months

Whole Plant:

• Pull up entire plant when mature (6-8 weeks)
• Best for salad rocket

General Tips:

• Harvest in the morning when leaves are crispest
• Pick young leaves for mildest flavour
• Older leaves are more peppery
• Wild rocket flowers are edible and attractive

Storage

Rocket is best eaten fresh but can be stored briefly:

• Fresh is best: Use within hours of picking for best flavour
• Refrigerator: Store unwashed in plastic bags for up to 3 days
• In water: Stand in a jar of water like cut flowers to keep fresh
• Wilts quickly: Doesn't store well - sow little and often instead

Recommended Varieties

Salad Rocket (Annual):

• Rocket (standard): Classic variety, fast-growing, mild peppery flavour
• Skyrocket: Slow to bolt, good for summer sowings
• Apollo: Uniform, productive, good bolt resistance

Wild Rocket (Perennial):

• Wild Rocket (Diplotaxis): Stronger flavour, serrated leaves, very hardy
• Grazia: Improved wild rocket, good flavour, productive
• Dragon's Tongue: Purple-tinged leaves, attractive, spicy flavour