Arugula is an easy-care salad plant that is very popular with its slightly nutty taste. Rocket is often associated with Italian cuisine, where it is used not only as a salad but also as a pizza topping. The Mediterranean plant, popularly known as mustard rocket or salad rocket, can be easily grown in the garden or in planters on the balcony. With the help of a few useful tips and little effort, you can soon be enjoying a delicious salad.

Fresh from the garden to the table - plant rocket yourself

The rocket plant can be pre-cultivated on the windowsill from the end of January. The temperature should be in the range of 10 to 16 °C, i.e. neither too cold nor too warm. After a germination time of approx. 5 - 15 days, the first small plants appear, which can be relocated outdoors from March, or the seeds can be sown there again directly. But remember to protect the rocket from frost damage in extreme cold. If necessary, cover the plants with garden fleece.

The right location ensures lush growth

Choose a place that is as sunny as possible for the rocket plant. It is ideal if you have already worked up the site with compost in autumn. The soil prepared in this way is an excellent basis on which the rocket will develop magnificently and will thank you for your effort with rapid growth. The more nutrient-rich the soil, the larger the subsequent harvest. However, it is important to note that no other cruciferous plant has been grown on the same site in the last three years. The arugula also belongs to this plant genus and the crop rotation requires that there be a break in cultivation in order to obtain satisfactory results. If other cruciferous plants, for example types of cabbage such as white, red or Brussels sprouts, have been planted in the same place beforehand, you should definitely pay attention to the time interval.

The right care makes the difference

Arugula is a more than grateful plant in this regard. It is considered extremely easy to care for and delights the gardener with its rapid growth. After about 4 to 6 weeks you will be rewarded with freshly harvested lettuce. No additional fertilizers are required when growing arugula. Sometimes this can even be reversed. If rocket is given too much fertilizer, this can trigger the so-called leaf spot disease. If your plants are affected, you must cut them out completely and dispose of them. If you ensure a well-dosed irrigation on dry days, this is completely sufficient and you can soon look forward to a high harvest yield.

flea beetles, cabbage flies and other pests

Unfortunately, arugula is not immune to pest infestation. In order to intervene as a precautionary measure, however, only a small amount of effort is required. Loosen the soil around the plants regularly with a rake and make sure that the soil is always slightly moist. This is how you protect your plants from annoying flea beetles. Plants can be protected against cabbage flies with a simple insect net. To avoid the already mentioned leaf spot disease, you should avoid fertilizing at all. Further damage to the plants is threatened by the so-called downy mildew, a fungus that unfortunately often appears in allotment gardens. You can spray the plants with horsetail broth to strengthen them. However, compliance with the crop rotation is usually sufficient. Sufficient plant spacing ensures that you can only water the soil around the plants and the leaves are spared. This also prevents downy mildew. Do you have ladybugs in your garden? Then you have double reason to be happy! Ladybugs not only look cute, they also put an end to this unwelcome pest.

Harvest time - the most beautiful time

The rocket is ready to be harvested when the leaves are approx. 10 - 12 cm long. Do not cut them too deep, because then the rocket will continue to sprout. The iron-rich and calcium-rich plant can then be harvested up to three times, just like lettuce. If you let the rocket perennial bloom in the garden, you can later harvest the seeds from the white-yellowish flower yourself. Keep the seeds in a dry place so they are available for new sowing. If you do without a harvest, the seed will also spread itself in your bed. It can happen that the rocket spreads almost like "weeds". Since rocket can be planted all year round, you can repeat the sowing at a different location so that you always have fresh lettuce on your plate until the end of September - by then rocket can be harvested without any problems.

The preparation

The stalks of the rocket should be removed as much as possible, as they contain bitter substances and allow the delicious, slightly nutty and pungent aroma to unfold better. Let your imagination run wild and compose tasty salad creations that are also very healthy. Give it a try - put arugula on a pizza. Simply enjoy the taste experience at home, which is otherwise reserved for Italian restaurants.

Category:

Vegetable garden