Planting something for yourself and cooking but not seeing it coming out as you wanted is very difficult to see. This is also applicable when you plant a rocket or arugula in your home and it starts to flower and starts to bolt and does not give you the desired result. So what do you do when the plant starts flowering?
To stop the rocket from flowering make sure it is not in a very hot place the soil is also moist and suitable for it. Another thing to stop the rocket from bolting is cutting the plant by thinning it out removing bigger stems and not letting it grow bigger to start the flowering process.
It’s one way to stop the plant from bolting and another to grow it properly so it doesn’t bolt or go to flowering. So let’s talk in detail about how to grow a rocket and prevent it from flowering.
What is a rocket plant?
Rocket is a very easy to grow in home plant and can be used in all kinds of salads and dishes. It has a peppery flavor and younger leaves are tender and have more flavor while bigger leaves are mostly used for cooking and sauces.
The flowers of rocket plants are also edible and can be used as a salad. The plant is rich in vitamin C and potassium which is very nutritious for us.
The rocket plants love to grow in sunlight but can go bolting if the temperature is too hot, the soil is dry and the plants become stressed.
Is rocket annual or perennial?
The rocket plant is a perennial plant that can grow at any time of the year in any place and can produce lots of food for you. The rocket plant can also produce flowers very fast to make seeds and bolt so it needs to be consistently chopped off to keep growing new leaves or it will bolt and dry out.
Why is my rocket flowering?
The main reason for a rocket plant going to flowering is that you let it grow very big and don’t thin it out. If the stems of the plant are too big and the leaves are turning yellowish then it is time to cut the upper part of the plant and let the plant grow new, small leaves.
The other reason for the rocket plant to flower prematurely is due to stress and tough conditions. If the weather is too hot or the plant is not getting enough moisture then it can stress and starts to bolt.
When does the rocket start flowering?
As rocket is a perennial plant it can produce leaves and grow as long as it is in ideal condition and will not bolt and die but if the conditions are not right or the plant is growing very big then it will flower.
The two main times for the rocket plant to start flowering is one when the plant has grown too big and has the ability to produce flowers and seeds. So if you are seeing long stems on the plant and it is growing big leaves then there is a chance that it will start to produce flowers.
The second is when the plant becomes stressed by heat and weather or not getting proper moisture and nutrients from the soil to grow then it goes into the bolting process of producing flowers for its survival.
What to do when a rocket plant starts to flower?
If your rocket plant is starting to flower then the first thing is to remove the flower from the plant. Cut the larger stems of the plant to promote new leaves to grow which will stop the plant from flowering.
Try to keep the plant to give some shade in the day so it doesn’t burn out from the heat of the sun which can also make the plant go into flowering mode and produce seeds for its survival.
How to stop rocket plants from flowering and bolting?
The best way to stop the rocket plant from bolting or flowering is by keeping it in an ideal condition where it doesn’t stress and don’t let the plant grow big enough to produce flowers and make seeds.
Keeping the young plant moist and giving it some amount of shade throughout the day can keep the plant happy and produce tender, flavoury leaves and stop the plant from producing flowers or bolting.
Does Arugula/rocket flowering mean the plant’s crop season is over?
Yes, the rocket plant crop season is over. If the rocket plant (arugula) is flowering then the plant is coming to the end of its lifecycle and slowly will stop producing leaves and eventually die. When the rocket plant starts to produce flowers, the leaves will start to turn yellow and won’t taste good.
The leaves will slowly dry out and fall off the plant and the crop season will stop and the stems will lean to the side.
How to grow rocket in your home garden?
Growing a rocket plan in your home is very easy as there are mainly 3 steps to growing it.
- The first thing you need to keep in mind is that you need to have a nutritious soil and well aerated and loose to help the plant to grow healthy and fast.
- The second thing is to sow the seed into the soil in a row and tapping it inside lightly into the soil. If you are sowing in multiple rows then keep at least 6 inches of gap between each row.
- The third step is to keep the soil moist to help the plant to sprout very easily. Don’t over water the plant as it can damage the plant or can cause diseases.
- The fourth step is to thin out. After the sowing in 3-4 days you will start to see the seeds sprouting. After seeds have sprouted, thin out by keeping at least 6 inches gap in between two plants to give them space to grow.
This is all you need to know about growing rocket plants in your garden as it is very easy. Just keep thinning it out as it grows and prevent it from flowering or bolting and it will provide you with a harvest of good flavoury leaves for your salads and dishes.
Do you cut the flowers off the rocket plant?
Yes, you can cut the flowers off the rocket plant. If you don’t want the rocket to produce seeds then you can cut the flower off from the plant by pinching it. The flower of the rocket plant is edible and has a good flavor. The flower can be used in salads and can be eaten raw.
Can you eat rocket after it has flowered?
Yes, you can eat rocket after it has flowered as it does not go bad but the taste of the rocket depends on the leaves as bigger leaves can become bitter and taste worse but it will be edible and not harm you.
If you want to eat the rocket after flowering then choose new small leaves which will be tender and have a sweet flavor to them.
Hope you find all the details about Rocket plant flowering and can solve the issue in your garden. Get Set Gardening
