Growing guide

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

ZoneJFMAMJJASOND
CoolBroadly matches local guides, with some differencesNoSowSowNoNoNoNoNoSowSowSowNo
TemperateBroadly matches local guides, with some differencesNoSowSowNoNoNoNoSowSowSowSowNo
SubtropicalMatches local guidesNoNoSowSowSowSowSowSowSowSowNoNo
AridMatches local guidesNoNoSowSowSowNoNoSowSowSowSowNo

Good months to sow

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.

Further reading on this plant