Eat Your Greens

Spice up your menu with some rocket

- Jennifer Stackhouse

Probably the best advice to heed when growing rocket is “plant and stand back”. This fast-growing leafy annual is grown for its peppery leaves, which are delicious in salads, added to sandwiches or made into pesto.

Also known as arugula (a name mainly used in the United States), rocket has other common names, including roquette and rucola.

Rocket is a Mediterranean plant but is now grown around the world. There are two main forms of rocket. The so-called “wild” rocket (below) has narrow dark-green leaves, while the large-leaf form (opposite) has broad, scalloped, lighter-green leaves.

GETTING STARTED

Rocket is best grown from seed sown directly where it is to grow. It can be grown throughout the year.

Sow seeds in rows in a rich, well-drained soil, then lightly cover the seeds. Rocket can also be grown in pots or to edge a raised vegetable bed. As well, rocket can be grown in seed trays as a micro-green.