Topic: rocket, germinate if you like

[Ricado]

am i the only one that finds rocket a pain to germinate, sometimes zilch in a whole seed tray?

Im using mizuna quite a bit now.  It germinates faster than most other things, brassicae etc, grows like the clappers and is sweeter than rocket, so as far as im concerned rocket can stay in its packet.

Also noted the red mustard ive sown is up in about 4 days, inside heated greenhouse, but even so is pretty good.

[jennym]

I agree with you Ricado - and when it does germinate ( I usually sow outdoors direct) then every flea beetle within miles hones in on it.
And the mizuna and red giant mustard I agree on as well - brilliant taste and very little trouble with them.

[busy_lizzie]

I usually sow Rocket directly outside and it seems to germinate okay.  My trouble with Rocket is that is seems to go to seed so quickly. busy_lizzie

[froglets]

Agree with all your experiences, patchy germination then straight to seed.

I keep persevering as it's so tasty & so expensive in the shops ( and comes in full on packaging grrrrrr)

[dandelion]

??? I sow rocket outdoors, and find it germinates a day or 2 faster than my radishes. I'm always thinning loads!!!
I tends to bolt in hot weather though.

[weedin project]

I get the same problem as others, in that germination is easy peasy, but is followed by it almost instantly going to seed once it gets to about 6" high.  :-\
I just pinch out the flowering stem and pick a succession of leaves from the base upwards.  Fortunately I find them easy to replace just by sowing about once a month in a couple of pots.

[Ceratonia]

Rocket germination problems - I wish  :(

Came back from holiday, to find several plants had flowered and set seed. Have been pulling out resulting seedlings for about 3 years now. Don't think I'll need to sow some ever again....

[cleo]

But remember-Rocket flowers tast scrummy. Going to seed is not always so bad(ask Mrs Cleo ;)) Pak choi and the ilk gow to flower but those flowering stems are great lightly stir fried.

OMG-no Mrs Cleo is not in bud-I didn`t mean it that way-

[rbull]

I think Ceratonia had the right idea.
I let our wild rocket go to seed.  The flowers look very nice and you can still pick the leaves to eat whilst in flower.  The seeds just spread around and we now get rocket all year round, even all through this Winter.

Must get around to trying this Mizuna stuff, though.