How fast/big should rocket grow?

JoeyG

I bought some rocket in a pot about 6 weeks ago and its been growing on my windowledge ever since.

I cut some leaves off about a month ago to use in a pasta dish, but they dont seem to be growing back very fast, theres now maybe 10 leaves that i could cut and use... so at the moment I'm having to buy packets of it to use in my meals which isnt ideal.

I dont have windows in my flat, only glass bricks, but there is plenty of direct sunlight coming in, and i'm keeping the pot watered when required (every day or every other day)... I was advised to just water the tray underneath and not directly into the soil, is this correct?

Could someone tell me if this sounds like a normal rate of growth? at the moment i'm getting about 1 meal every month from it... how can I help it along? should I think about re-potting it in a new pot sometime soon?

As you can probably tell i dont have much experience in this field

otterspasm

Hi there,
I'm not altogether sure but I have got about 10 rocket plants growing in a trough in my garden and we would get about 5 or 6 meals worth out of them as they are at the moment. I'm not sure how quickly they would grow new leaves once cut though. they did grow quite quickly though. Took about 2-3 weeks from planting seeds to having 5-6 meals worth. HTH!
Tess

angelavdavis

I remember by July last year I didn't know what to do with it all but it was growing in a bed in the garden.
I would have thought it is likely to be a bit slower this time of year, but give it a couple of weeks and it will probably accelerate, then it will be a battle against time to actually pick it before it runs to seed!

Farway

Rocket grown outdoors is like a weed in my garden, it grows about 2 feet tall

I find the cabage white butterflies love laying eggs and the caterpillars then scoff it, but still have plenty for me to mix in my salad leaves

It does run to seed but I still use the leaves, the seed self sows so one perpetual green cycle :rotfl:

isualive

My rocket is growing like weeds, really fast, especially since i transfered it to the garden. It has recently started sprouting flowers. Do i need to dead-head them? I'm not sure if that's the right phrase, i'm new to growing veg. Also growing spinach which is a bit wimpy, but the lettuces and spring onions are doing well.

Farway

No need to dead head, you would never have time to catch them all

Sow some more and let the current crop seed, save the seed and re-sow it, or just let it self seed if space allows.

You will have rocket forever that way, even in winter if mild enough

JoeyG

Excuse my ignorance but how do I know when its gone to seed? do the leaves wither and die?

My plant is indoors so that may account for why its not growing so fast... should I be watering it from the bottom though? when its outside it will naturally get watered on top

isualive

Farway wrote: »

No need to dead head, you would never have time to catch them all

Sow some more and let the current crop seed, save the seed and re-sow it, or just let it self seed if space allows.

You will have rocket forever that way, even in winter if mild enough

:beer: Thanks, excellent advice. I knew someone on here would know. :beer:

isualive

If it's already flowering, do i need to quickly eat it, before it turns, or will it be okay for ages?

Farway

isualive wrote: »

If it's already flowering, do i need to quickly eat it, before it turns, or will it be okay for ages?

You can leave it, but the leaves will tend to get tougher, smaller & stronger in taste

Once the seed has ripened the plant will die of old age, but its prodigy will live on in the form of seeds or seedlings

If indoors it may never set seed due to lack of pollinating insects

Waterings, do it from wherever you like, from the top is fine providing it is not left sitting in a saucer of water day & day out

Rocket plants are tough as old boots, not some exotic namby pamby semi tropical plant. I have always wondered how supermarkets manage to give it a rarity value in the price.

isualive

Thanks so much, i'm slowly learning. Gardening is such fun.