When to plant Rocket / Arugula in Subtropical Australia

Subtropical zone — applies to Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Coffs Harbour, Lismore and similar areas. Growing elsewhere? Temperate · Cool · Tropical · Arid.

Rocket is a fast, cool-season leaf, so sow the seed direct across the cooler months in the subtropics — March through October is the window. It grows quickest and stays sweetest in the mild subtropical winter, which is why Brisbane and Gold Coast growers treat it as a reliable autumn-to-spring cut-and-come-again crop. Germination is rapid at 6 to 12 days, and you can be picking leaves in as little as 30 to 60 days. Sow shallowly at 4mm and pick young and often; left too long, or grown into warm weather, rocket bolts to seed and the leaves turn fiercely peppery and tough.

Sowing calendar — subtropical zone

Green months are your sowing window: March to October.

Growing notes

Rocket's whole story in the subtropics is the race against heat. The cool season from autumn to early spring keeps the plants leafy and mild; sow into the tail of the window in September and October and the lengthening warm days will push plants to bolt within weeks, turning tender leaves bitter and hot. For a steady supply, sow small amounts every two to three weeks rather than a single large patch.

Give it a partly sunny to sunny spot with moist, fertile soil and consistent watering — dry spells are the fastest trigger for bolting and heat in the leaf. It is quick and shallow-rooted, so it does well in containers and along bed edges. Space or thin to around 30 to 40cm if you want large plants, though for cut-and-come-again baby leaf you can grow it far more densely and simply keep harvesting the outer leaves.

Being a brassica relative, rocket draws flea beetle in the warmer end of its season, peppering the leaves with tiny shot holes, and slugs after subtropical rain will graze seedlings hard. Fine netting protects young plants from both butterflies and beetles. In the humid warmth, avoid overhead watering late in the day to keep fungal leaf spot off the foliage, and harvest in the cool of the morning when the leaves are crispest.

Rocket / Arugula at a glance

Common questions

When is the best time to grow rocket in the subtropics?

Sow direct from March to October, through the cooler months. Rocket bolts quickly in warm weather, so the mild winter is its prime season.

How quickly can I pick rocket?

Very quickly. Seed germinates in 6 to 12 days and you can be cutting leaves in 30 to 60 days, sooner for baby leaf.

Why is my rocket so bitter and peppery?

Excess heat, dry soil and letting plants bolt all make the leaves fiercely hot. Grow it in the cool season, keep watering consistent, and pick young and often.

What's eating holes in my rocket leaves?

Small shot holes are usually flea beetle, which is active in warmer weather. Cover young plants with fine netting and grow through the cooler months when pressure is lower.

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