Best time to plant rocket in Australia
Eruca sativa
Also called arugula, salad rocket, roquette
Rocket, known as arugula in North America, is a fast-growing annual salad green in the cabbage family, grown for its lobed, peppery leaves. Young leaves are milder and heat sharpens the flavour. The cream flowers with dark veins are edible too. Perennial wild rocket is a separate plant, from the genus Diplotaxis.
On a shared plot: suits a plot
Finishes in a season and stays within its space, so it suits most plots.
When to sow
| Zone | Months | How well checked |
|---|---|---|
| Cool | Feb to Mar, Sep to Nov | Broadly matches local guides, with some differences |
| Temperate | Feb to Mar, Aug to Nov | Broadly matches local guides, with some differences |
| Subtropical | Mar to Oct | Matches local guides |
| Arid | Mar to May, Aug to Nov | Matches local guides |
Your local conditions can shift any months shown here, so treat them as a guide.
Growing details
- How to start
- Sow directly or raise seedlings
- Sowing depth
- 3mm
- Plant spacing
- 20cm
- Row spacing
- 25cm
- Height
- 30cm
- Frost
- Hardy, takes a light frost
- Sun
- Full sun
- Life cycle
- annual
These are typical figures, and varieties differ. Your seed packet takes priority.