When to Plant Rocket (Arugula) in Melbourne, Cool Temperate Guide

Sow February to May and August to December. Right now in October you can sow.

Also called arugula, rucola, roquette.

Planting window
Sow from August to December and from February to May. Grows well in cool conditions and is frost-tolerant.
Days to harvest
25 days
Sunlight
Full sun in cool weather. Part shade essential in warm weather to slow bolting and reduce bitterness.
Water needs
Regular watering to keep soil moist. Drought stress makes leaves intensely bitter and...
Spacing
15cm apart, 25cm between rows
Soil pH
6.0-7.0

Published · Last reviewed · By GardenBuddy.au
Growing advice is reviewed by hand. Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.

This Rocket (Arugula) guide is written for the Cool Temperate zone, which takes in Melbourne, Hobart and Geelong. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.

Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Sydney Canberra Alice Springs Perth

Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.

Rocket (Arugula)

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Rocket is a fast-growing, peppery salad green available in two types: annual salad rocket (milder, bolt-prone) and wild/perennial rocket (stronger flavour, slower to bolt). Annual rocket matures in 4-6 weeks and self-seeds prolifically. Wild rocket is slower but more heat-tolerant and perennial in mild climates. Both are essential in salad gardens and among the easiest greens to grow in Australia.

See what grows now in your own postcode

Planting Calendar for Cool Temperate

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
- D D D D - - D D D D D

S = Seed Tray   T = Transplant   D = Direct Sow

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Current Growing Conditions

Soil temperature: 14.9°C (optimal range: 5–25°C) ✓ Ready to plant

Modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Melbourne), not a live sensor.

What this month normally looks like

In October the Cool Temperate zone normally runs 19°C by day and 8°C overnight, with about 67 mm of rain over 9 or 10 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was -3.0°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 28 postcodes, SILO.

How to Grow Rocket (Arugula) in Cool Temperate Australia

When to Plant

Sow from August to December and from February to May. Grows well in cool conditions and is frost-tolerant.

Soil
Well-drained soil with moderate organic matter. Not fussy about soil quality. Performs well in average garden soil.
pH Range
6.0-7.0
Sunlight
Full sun in cool weather. Part shade essential in warm weather to slow bolting and reduce bitterness.
Spacing
15cm apart, 25cm between rows
Watering
Regular watering to keep soil moist. Drought stress makes leaves intensely bitter and triggers bolting. Morning watering. Light, frequent irrigation best.

Companion plants: Lettuce, Tomato, Strawberry, Bean, Dill

Avoid planting near: No strong antagonists known

Grow before, grow after

Rocket belongs with the brassicas, the leafy greens and brassicas turn of a four turn bed rotation.

Grow before it
Legumes (Beans - Dwarf, Peas, Broad Beans)
Grow after it
Fruiting crops (Tomato, Capsicum, Zucchini)

Give the bed 3 turns before brassicas go back in. The cabbage family is hungry for nitrogen and shares club root and other soil diseases.

Cool Temperate Growing Tips for Rocket (Arugula)

Recommended Varieties

  • Annual rocket
  • Wild rocket

Key Challenges

  • Slow growth in cold winters
  • Slugs in wet weather

Pro Tips

  • Melbourne's cool climate is excellent for year-round rocket production
  • One of the most cold-tolerant salad greens
  • Wild rocket persists as a perennial in Melbourne gardens

Harvesting Rocket (Arugula)

When ready: Baby leaf: 8-10cm (3-4 weeks). Full size: 15-20cm (5-6 weeks). Leaves should be bright green and firm. Harvest before flower stalk appears for best flavour.

How to harvest: Cut-and-come-again: cut leaves 3cm above ground. Or pick individual outer leaves. Annual rocket gives 2-3 cuts before bolting. Wild rocket gives many more cuts.

Where to next

What rocket costs in the shops right now, retailer by retailer, updated daily.

Also worth sowing in the cool temperate zone this October: Beetroot, Chilli Peppers, Cucumber and Sweet Corn.

The pest most likely to find your rocket: Cabbage White Butterfly.

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Common Questions About Rocket (Arugula)

When do you plant rocket in Australia?

It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:

Does rocket grow all year round in Melbourne?

No. In the Cool Temperate zone the planting months are Feb to May, Aug to Dec. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.

What else is rocket called?

Rocket is the usual Australian name. Overseas seed packets and recipes call it arugula, rucola, roquette. Same plant, same growing advice.

Which zone am I in?

Type your postcode into the box under the heading and the page tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Cool Temperate zone, Melbourne is its reference city.