Other names
arugula, garden rocket, rucola
Botanical name
Eruca sativa
Family / Genus
Brassicaceae / Eruca
Plant category
Leafy Vegetables
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Facts and figures
Light requirements
Sun / partial shade
Nutrient requirements
Medium feeder
Difficulty level
Easy
Culture (according to Gertrud Franck)
C - low growth, short growing period
Culture (according to Sister C. Weinrich)
Companion crop
Growing period
30 - 45 days
Row spacing
20 cm
Plant spacing
5 cm
Growth height
10 - 50 cm
Sowing depth
2 cm
Germination temperature (optimal)
10 - 20 °C
Germination type
Light and dark
Planting & harvest times of Rocket
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Direct sowing
Harvest
OutdoorsDirect sowing from Early May to Late September. After a growing period of 45 days, harvest can begin around Mid June and continues until Late October.
GreenhouseDirect sowing from Early March to Early October. After a growing period of 30 days, harvest can begin around Early April and continues until Early November.
Good and bad companions of Rocket
Good neighbours
Bad neighbours
Radish
Rocket and radishes both strongly attract flea beetles. Side by side the damage increases, so sow them apart or use a net.
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Specialist book
Reasons:
- Shared pest is attracted or multiplies
Predecessors and successors of Rocket
Bad predecessors
Black kale
important for large-scale cultivation.
negligible for strip cultivation of rocket.
Rotation break: 3 years
Broccoli
Rocket is also a brassica and shares clubroot with broccoli. Keep four years apart.
Rotation break: 4 years
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute, Specialist book
Reasons:
- Shared soil-borne pathogen
Brussels sprouts
important for large-scale cultivation.
negligible for strip cultivation of rocket.
Rotation break: 3 years
Cauliflower
Rocket is also a brassica and shares clubroot with cauliflower. Keep four years apart.
Rotation break: 4 years
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute, Specialist book
Reasons:
- Shared soil-borne pathogen
Chinese cabbage
important for large-scale cultivation.
negligible for strip cultivation of rocket.
Rotation break: 3 years
Flower Sprouts
important for large-scale cultivation.
negligible for strip cultivation of rocket.
Rotation break: 3 years
Garden cress
important for large-scale cultivation.
negligible for strip cultivation.
Rotation break: 3 years
Horseradish
Rotation break: 3 years
Kale
Rocket is also a brassica and shares clubroot with kale. Keep four years apart.
Rotation break: 4 years
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute, Specialist book
Reasons:
- Shared soil-borne pathogen
Kohlrabi
important for large-scale cultivation.
negligible for strip cultivation of rocket.
Rotation break: 3 years
Mizuna (Asian greens)
Rotation break: 3 years
Pak choi
important for large-scale cultivation.
negligible for strip cultivation of rocket.
Rotation break: 3 years
Pointed cabbage
important for large-scale cultivation.
negligible for strip cultivation of rocket.
Rotation break: 3 years
Red cabbage
important for large-scale cultivation.
negligible for strip cultivation of rocket.
Rotation break: 3 years
Rocket
Rotation break: 3 years
Romanesco
important for large-scale cultivation.
negligible for strip cultivation of rocket.
Rotation break: 3 years
Savoy cabbage
important for large-scale cultivation.
negligible for strip cultivation of rocket.
Rotation break: 3 years
White cabbage
important for large-scale cultivation.
negligible for strip cultivation of rocket.
Rotation break: 3 years
Winter cress
important for large-scale cultivation.
negligible for strip cultivation.
Rotation break: 3 years
Very bad predecessors
Mustard
Both are brassicas. Clubroot resting spores survive up to 20 years in the soil, so a 4 to 5 year break is needed.
Rotation break: 4 years
Oil radish
Rotation break: 3 years
Bad successors
Black kale
important for large-scale cultivation.
negligible for strip cultivation of rocket.
Rotation break: 3 years
Broccoli
Rocket is also a brassica and shares clubroot with broccoli. Keep four years apart.
Rotation break: 4 years
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute, Specialist book
Reasons:
- Shared soil-borne pathogen
Brussels sprouts
important for large-scale cultivation.
negligible for strip cultivation of rocket.
Rotation break: 3 years
Cauliflower
Rocket is also a brassica and shares clubroot with cauliflower. Keep four years apart.
Rotation break: 4 years
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute, Specialist book
Reasons:
- Shared soil-borne pathogen
Chinese cabbage
important for large-scale cultivation.
negligible for strip cultivation of rocket.
Rotation break: 3 years
Flower Sprouts
important for large-scale cultivation.
negligible for strip cultivation of rocket.
Rotation break: 3 years
Garden cress
important for large-scale cultivation.
negligible for strip cultivation of rocket.
Rotation break: 3 years
Horseradish
Rotation break: 3 years
Kale
Rocket is also a brassica and shares clubroot with kale. Keep four years apart.
Rotation break: 4 years
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute, Specialist book
Reasons:
- Shared soil-borne pathogen
Kohlrabi
important for large-scale cultivation.
negligible for strip cultivation of rocket.
Rotation break: 3 years
Mizuna (Asian greens)
Rotation break: 3 years
Pak choi
important for large-scale cultivation.
negligible for strip cultivation of rocket.
Rotation break: 3 years
Pointed cabbage
important for large-scale cultivation.
negligible for strip cultivation of rocket.
Rotation break: 3 years
Radish
After cabbages and other brassicas, clubroot and cabbage root fly pupae remain in the soil. Wait four years before sowing radishes there again.
Rotation break: 4 years
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute, Specialist book
Reasons:
- Shared soil-borne pathogen
Red cabbage
important for large-scale cultivation.
negligible for strip cultivation of rocket.
Rotation break: 3 years
Rocket
Rotation break: 3 years
Romanesco
important for large-scale cultivation.
negligible for strip cultivation of rocket.
Rotation break: 3 years
Savoy cabbage
important for large-scale cultivation.
negligible for strip cultivation of rocket.
Rotation break: 3 years
White cabbage
important for large-scale cultivation.
negligible for strip cultivation of rocket.
Rotation break: 3 years
Winter cress
important for large-scale cultivation.
negligible for strip cultivation of rocket.
Rotation break: 3 years
Very bad successors
Mustard
Both are brassicas. Clubroot resting spores survive up to 20 years in the soil, so a 4 to 5 year break is needed.
Rotation break: 4 years
Oil radish
Rotation break: 3 years
Care and fertilising
Make sure to water regularly.
Diseases and pests
Susceptible to
Black rot(medium susceptibility)
Clubroot
Flea beetles(high susceptibility)
White rust
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