Rocket, also called arugula, is a fast hydroponic leafy green for NFT, raft, ebb-and-flow, or tray systems, producing peppery leaves best under cool conditions.
Varieties
Variety
Latin Name
Cultivated rocket
Eruca vesicaria
Wild rocket
Diplotaxis tenuifolia
Baby rocket
Eruca vesicaria
Wasabi rocket
Diplotaxis erucoides
Lookalikes
Lookalike
Latin Name
Description
Mustard greens
Brassica juncea
Similar peppery brassica greens, but usually broader and sharper.
Radish microgreens
Raphanus sativus
Similar peppery brassica flavor at microgreen stage.
Edible Parts
Part
Use
Description
Toxicity
Leaves
Primary edible leafy green used fresh in salads, sandwiches, pizzas, and garnishes.
Harvest young leaves for mild flavor or cut outer leaves repeatedly.
Generally edible in normal culinary amounts.
Flowers
Edible garnish with peppery flavor.
Flowers can be eaten, but flowering indicates bolting and reduced leaf quality.
Generally edible in normal culinary amounts.
Propagation
Part
Method
Description
Seed
Direct sowing or starter plugs
Sow seed shallowly into moist starter plugs, shallow media, or hydroponic trays.
Growing Parameters
Parameter
Range
Optimal
Unit
pH
5.8 - 7.0
6.0 - 6.5
pH
Electrical conductivity
1.0 - 2.2
1.4 - 1.8
mS/cm
Air temperature
8 - 26
15 - 21
°C
Cultivation
Aspect
Compatibility
Notes
Nutrient film technique
High
Well suited for baby leaf and small rosette production if temperatures remain cool.
Deep water culture
High
Works well in raft systems with good aeration and moderate nutrient strength.
Microgreen tray culture
High
Can also be grown as microgreens or baby leaf in shallow trays.
Identification
Growth habit: Fast-growing cool-season leafy brassica grown as baby leaf or full-size salad greens.
Leaves: Leaves are green and lobed to deeply serrated; wild rocket is narrower and more deeply cut.
Flavor: Peppery, nutty, mustard-like flavor that becomes stronger as plants mature or experience heat stress.