A job, home and Radiohead’s OK Computer are all basic requirements of living, and without one of them life would quickly begin to hollow out. The same could be said in relation to the garden. There are some needs so basic that without them it starts to feel a little empty. Having rocket in your veggie patch is one of those.
Perhaps it is my Italian heritage, but a veggie patch without rocket is just not a veggie patch. Rocket, or arugula as it is also known, is the evergreen, ever-ready leafy green that fills the patch at any time of the year in almost all regions of our country. Perhaps the most challenging thing about this perennial performer is keeping up with production. A rocket plant loaded with leaf matter will quickly bolt to seed when ignored for picking. But on the upside, this produces perfectly edible, peppery flowers, and the very good chance of self-seeding plants to follow.
PLANTING
Sow seeds directly into the patch during the warmer periods of autumn and spring, otherwise propagate in a seed tray and transplant once conditions become more suitable. Make sure to keep watering up to both seeds and seedlings – always in the morning – as young leafy greens are delicate to both the sun and snails/slugs.
WATERING
In ground: Water daily for the first 4 weeks and 3-4 times a week in the absence of rainfall thereafter. More frequent watering may be required during the warmer times of the year.
In Pots: Water daily while establishing and for the entirety of the warm season, otherwise every second day – after they are 4 weeks old – if growing during the cooler times of the year.
MAINTENANCE
Add compost to the patch and plant seeds directly into the soil.
Apply a fortnightly application of liquid seaweed solution.
After 6 weeks thin seedlings out so that remaining plants have the room to mature and the mulch to a depth of 3–5cm using pea straw, lucerne hay or sugar cane mulch.
Leaf by leaf harvesting is encouraged for a perpetual harvest. Take more mature outer leaves and work your way in, leaving enough foliage on each plant to properly reproduce. Pick any seed heads that prematurely develop.
Continue in the same fashion until the rocket becomes too bitter, or the foliage toughens up.
HARVESTING
Time until first harvest: About 8 weeks
How to harvest: Harvest leaf-by-leaf. Pick the outer, more mature leaves first and leave enough foliage on each plant so that the plant can rapidly regenerate.
TIP
It’s a constant battle to stay on top of seeding, so pick regularly to prevent bolting. In the case that it does, cut flower heads to the stem base of the plants and pick the flowers to use in your next garden salad.
