Rocket, Eruca vesicaria, is a pungent annual leaf crop popular in salads, grown for its attractive, peppery leaves, edible flowers and spicy seedpods. It's perfect for growing successionally in pots in summer, and you can extend the season by growing under cloches in autumn.
Sow seed every two weeks from March to September. Harvest leaves when young when their flavour is at its best. Remove flower stalks to prolong leaf production, unless you want to eat the flowers and seedpods too.
Plant calendar
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Eruca and wildlife
Eruca has no particular known value to wildlife in the UK.
