Rocket and bolt
I learnt something this week that I thought I’d share – rocket grows best if you sow it once the days are getting shorter again. In fact, the same applies to similar plants, including pak choi and mizuna.
The seed packets tell you that you can sow in the spring and to an extent that is true. I sowed rocket early (in March, I think) and we have had delicious peppery rocket leaves for a while now. But it hasn’t taken long for it to bolt.
‘Bolting’ is when a plant tries to produce seed – so it starts to produce flowers and ultimately seeds and stops producing the leaves you want to eat. Often bolting makes what is left of a plant a little bitter and not so nice to eat.
I’ve been reading a book by Charles Dowding that I found in the library. Charles is one of a handful of skilful commercial organic growers in the UK who also write about their knowledge – he’s well-known as an expert in the ‘no-dig’ method. The experience he relates is that rocket sown after the summer Solstice – and even better as late as early September – is much less inclined to bolt, and instead will produce lots of leaves. At that time of year, it is also less susceptible to flea beetle, which like to make tiny holes in the leaves.
Useful advice from the voice of experience then: if you want to get the most from your rocket seeds, don’t sow them until August or September. Plenty of time, if you’re still thinking about growing something this year but haven’t quite got around to it.
However, the other side of that coin is that, actually, it’s been quite nice to have a few rocket leaves to pick early in the season! Also, now that the rocket plants have mostly bolted and are covered in dainty flowers, they are attracting all kinds of little pollinators, as well as bees, and ladybirds. The leaves that are left are still tasty and the flowers are also edible. Even though it’s sage advice, I might still ignore it and sow a few early rocket seeds another year.
Belated happy Solstice!