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RE: The Veg Patch Diaries: Entry 05

in HiveGarden2 years ago

Oh wow @pixelhuntersam this looks awesome! I cannot stop thinking about those radishes pickled and thinly sliced on some sourdough bread and rocket leaves!

Rocket should be one of the easiest things you can grow, but throughout the years I have come to realize they don't want to grow where you plant them! They mostly grow where they want to.

However, what are your growing conditions like? They love full sun, lots of space, and good watering but not too much (i.e., well-draining soil). And what time of year are you growing them? My summers are too hot for them to grow, so I grow them only in the winter months.

If you like rocket, try to get your hands on wild rocket! They are more intense in flavor, they grow easier, they are perennial (normal salad rocket is an annual), and they produce an unlimited amount of seeds.

So if I would have to guess why your rocket is not sprouting/growing: (i) might be a bad batch of seed, not all rocket seeds will germinate, (ii) wrong time of the year, i.e., too hot, (iii) they are just picky and want to grow next to your lovely radishes because rocket plants are just like that.

Jokes aside, I hope this helps a bit! Sorry for the essay-length reply!

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No need to apologize @fermentedphil I appreciate your input! It is summer here and we have been through two heatwaves, so I am guessing that would be the reason. Dang it... I want fresh rocket! Guess I will have to be patient then. I'll see what these seedlings do. Otherwise I guess I am going to have to wait until it cool downs some in a few months time.

Thank you so much again!

 2 years ago  

No worries! That might be the problem yes. Or at least, it is what happened to me! Every summer there are a couple of rocket plants that sprout but the bolt immediately and do not produce leaves.

But as I mentioned, if you like the rocket flavour and as you clearly want some during the summer, try growing wild rocket (Diplotaxis tenuifolia). They grow year round and sprout anytime of the year. In fact, they are quite drought tolerant in contrast to normal salad rocket.

Best of luck!