Damaged Rocket Leaves

[Green Novice Gardener]

As a new gardener, I planted my rocket seeds directly into a raised bed and have been really pleased to see them grow. I've watered regularly and have also covered the bed with wire mesh to keep out the birds.

The plants are now about 3-4" tall and I was going to thin them out and eat the thinnings. But over the last days I've noticed that a lot of the leaves are not right. They are still the same outer shape that they should be but each leaf has lots of small round areas where it looks like the chlorophyl has gone, leaving a pale coloured leaf surface.

I can't see any slugs or snails, although there are ants about.

Please can you tell me what I'm doing wrong?

[Jeanied]

You aren't doing anything wrong by the sounds of it. I think you have an attack of the flea beetle who absolutely adore rocket. It makes the leaves look less perfect, but it does not affect their eating qualities!

[Green Novice Gardener]

Thank you. I haven't heard of a flea beetle. Looking at my plants again this afternoon, I can see that some the marked bits of the leaves have now gone to small holes. But at least I can still eat it!

Is there anything I can do to get rid of flea beetles for when I plant my next crop? Perhaps I should have mentioned that my raised bed is very small, about 4 feet by 3 feet, and I've got 6 mini-plots in that area. Two of the mini-plots are rocket lettuce. The everlasting spinach and the parsley are doing Ok.

Many thanks.

[Jeanied]

Flea beetle jump like fleas when you disturb them, GNG. You can use a sticky trap waved over the top of the bed, and they jump onto it and get stuck. That's the only control I have ever found for them.
I have had a lot less of them this year - I put it down to the hard winter. I grow rocket at home in a pot where I have had a bit more success. On my plot they always used to get the radish leaves as well but this year it seems a lot better.

[Green Novice Gardener]

Thanks for your reply. Since your first post I've had a really good look at my rocket plants and have found that you're quite right and its not just ants crawling over the leaves! I can't get the other tiny bugs to jump onto my sticky trap, but they're definetely there and I did manage to catch one and have a good look at it. Now I know what the problem is, I'm going to try growing a different salad leaf in my raised bed and try the rocket in a pot. You've been really helpful. Thank you!

[Currysniffa]

GNG I've been having the same problem with some of my lettuces eg: rocket, mizuna, mixed leaf (cut and come again type) and the radish leaves. I have found though that they haven't touched my little gems or iceberg lettuce at all, I don't have this problem with the lettuces I grow at home in pots and containers just on my allotment plot...

[Green Novice Gardener]

Thanks for your post, Currysniffa. I've just planted some rocket seeds in a pot, and covered it with a layer of fleece to try and keep the beetles out. I've taken out all the old rocket as it was 50% holes and very sickly looking. Hope those beetles don't move onto my cut and come again lettuces now! Meanwhile, I'm leaving the old rocket plot alone for a few days and then I'll try little gems. Fingers crossed!

[evie b]

I too have rocket in a raised bed with holes in it. The rocket in my pots are perfect. I wont grow it in a bed in future.

[Green Novice Gardener]

Thanks, Evie B. The rocket in my pot has now germinated and is looking really good. Thank you to all who have helped me.

[Two_Sheds]

Rocket really doesn't grow well in high summer

[Green Novice Gardener]

You were right, Two Sheds ..... the rocket seeds in the pot germinated nicely, got to about cress size (like you get in supermarkets) and then it began to look sickly. I was giving it daily soakings of water but it just sort of started to shrivel and the little green leaves got those tell tale holes in them again. And I had it covered in fleece! Rocket now abandoned for this year!