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How long does watercress take to grow


How to Grow Watercress at home in plant pots

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Watercress (Nasturtium officinale) is a wonderfully tasty crop, hot and peppery, and very easy to grow at home. Watercress also has many health benefits accredited to it, but I grow it for its superb flavour. Gram for gram, watercress contains more vitamin C than oranges, more calcium than milk, more iron than spinach and more folate than bananas. It is a very versatile kitchen crop and can be used to make delicious soups, added to smoothies or is just perfect with cheese dishes and sandwiches.

It used to be that the gardening books recommended growing watercress in waterlogged areas or streams, which just isn't always possible!  We grow watercress, very quickly and easily, in

plastic plant pots

. 

When to Sow, and Grow Watercress
Watercress can be sown, outdoors from March to August.   It can be sown and grown from February through to September if using a cold greenhouse or cold frame. It can be harvested from March through to November.

Equipment - To grow watercress at home, in plant pots, you will require the following:

Sowing Water Cress
Seed Fill the plant pot with compost, pressing down firmly until the pot is almost full.  It can be filled almost up to the lip of the plant pot.

Liberally sprinkle the Watercress seed over the surface of the compost, too much is better than not enough, and cover.  The seed can be covered with compost, but I prefer to cover it with vermiculite as it is so small.  Vermiculite is very lightweight and offers little resistance to the growing seeds, whereas when covered with compost, I find that sometimes it can dry out and create a 'cap'. Once covered, place the plant pot in the saucer.

Watering
Watercress is amazingly low maintenance, except for

watering

.  As a semi-aquatic plant, it must always have access to water.  This is achieved by permanently keeping water in the plant saucer.  Initially, fill the plant saucer with water and keep topping up until the compost is thoroughly wet.  If possible, avoid wetting the

compost

from the top of the plant pot, as this will disturb the tiny seed.

Once the compost is thoroughly wet, ensure that at all times the plant saucer is full of water.  The water can be changed weekly if it starts to discolour, but it must always be full. If possible, use rainwater to water the watercress, as it is softer. Tap water can be used if necessary. Seedlings should appear in about seven to ten days. 

Growing on
If growing early or late in the season, Watercress does benefit from being in a cold greenhouse or cold frame.   From March onwards, it can be placed outside, on a patio perhaps, where it also benefits from any rainfall.  Just ensure that the saucer never dries out. Watercress does not require any feeding. I find that Watercress prefers a semi-shady position, some sun, but not all day. 

Harvesting your watercress
Your Watercress will be ready to harvest from about four to seven weeks after sowing, depending on the time of season sown and weather. Watercress positively benefits from being harvested, quite hard, and being treated as a cut and come again crop. 

Start picking when the stems are large enough to handle, about 4 or 5" in length, ensuring that a couple of leaves are left on the plant at the base. They will then readily re-sprout and a continual harvest can be achieved, throughout the summer and autumn months.

Conclusion
Watercress is a very easy crop to grow, produces fresh, tasty and bumper crops and a single 25 Litre Plant Pot will produce the equivalent of twenty plus of the bags that are available in the supermarkets. Watercress is a very worthwhile crop to grow. Give it a go.

Watercress seeds
Watercress seeds are incredibly small, and a seed packet will contain enough for at least a whole season. For example, we stock Watercress Aqua seeds from Unwins and a packet contains approximately 1000 seeds.  When we sow the seed we do sow a lot and start harvesting watercress as baby leaves.  It will quickly grow to give larger leaves and bigger crops. We tend to sow about a third of a packet of seed for each 25 Litre Pot that we plant.

Watercress growing kit.
If growing Watercress at home appeals, see below for all you need to grow your Watercress. The kit is reusable many, many times over.  In fact, we are still using the same kit that we started five years ago.  Once in use, the only expense would be filling the pot with compost and a packet of seeds, which would be enough to produce about four or five pots, if grown as baby leaves initially.

Watercress aqua

If you love watercress you'll love Aqua. A great, peppery strong flavoured water cress that doesn't even need running water. Just keep in a damp place and keep moist and you will have a delicious healthy water cress to pick straight from the garden or windowsill.

BUY NOW

Vermiculite 

Vermiculite is a naturally occurring mineral which has been heated to high temperatures to produce lightweight, absorbent flakes, perfect for a range of gardening tasks.

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Round pots & planters

Our range of round plastic plant pots covers plant pots for seed sowing, pricking out and planting of specimen plants. Available in different quantities and sizes.

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how to grow watercress at home

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There are a number of methods for how to grow watercress and it is not a hard crop to master. So rather than buying it weekly from the supermarket, nurture your own home harvest of these fresh, peppery leaves that make a great addition to salads, sandwiches and soups.

Featuring in dishes since ancient Greek and Roman times, watercress has long been known for its medicinal qualities, too. High in vitamins A and C, as well as iron, calcium, and folic acid, it is also believed to have high levels of antioxidants, so is definitely a salad leaf worth growing.

See. Kitchen garden ideas - easy ways to get started

Can you grow watercress at home?

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Yes you can grow watercress at home – and there are a number of ways to cultivate it.

Although watercress thrives when grown in water, you don't need a water feature or pond in your garden to be able to grow it. In fact, you can grow watercress even if you don't have a garden, as a microgreen in a pot on a windowsill at any time of year – see more on how to grow microgreens in our dedicated guide.

Watercress 'is very easy to grow in a pond or in a pot. As its name suggests, it does need moisture to grow satisfactorily,' advises gardening expert and writer Alys Fowler in her new book Eat What You Grow .

'All cress types are very easy to grow, but watercress requires uniquely wet growing conditions. If its needs can be met, it’s very easy,' agree the experts at West Coast Seeds .

See: How to grow spinach - in pots, indoors or in raised beds

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How long does it take to grow watercress?

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Watercress does not take a long time to grow – in fact, you could be harvesting the first of the peppery leaves as early as four weeks from sowing, depending on when the seeds were sown.  

'Growing watercress from seed requires no special skills or equipment. Simply sow the seed directly into containers, in spring, or as soon as the average daily temperatures reach 8-15°C. Germination should occur within 14 days,' explain the experts at seed growers Thompson & Morgan .

If you sow watercress seeds regularly through spring and early summer you can enjoy a constant supply of fresh leaves.

See: Small vegetable garden ideas - from layout designs to the best crops to grow

Where does watercress grow best?

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Obviously the space available to you either outdoors or indoors will dictate to a certain extent how to grow watercress, but as long as you provide it with the right conditions, then it will grow well in a variety of places.

'Watercress can grow submerged in water – as it does in a stream – but will do just as well in damp soil,' explains Alys Fowler.

'It wants to be wet but it doesn’t want to be stagnant and, ideally, it wants free-draining, but constantly moist conditions,' she adds.

Growing watercress in containers can actually be easier, as if it is grown in water, the water needs to be kept fresh and bacteria-free, which can be tricky to achieve in a garden. 

How to grow watercress from seed

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Once it has warmed up to about 8-15°C outside – generally by spring – watercress seeds can be sown directly outdoors.

'Whatever pot you grow it in, watercress will do best if there is drainage and if it is endlessly being topped up with water. Although it is a perennial, it is often best to treat it as an annual to maintain its vigor,' advises Alys. 

See: How to grow basil, from seed, indoors and out

Can you grow watercress from cuttings?

You can grow watercress from cuttings.  

To do this:

How to grow watercress in a pond

(Image credit: Getty Images)

If you have a water feature in your garden, such as a pond, this is a great place to grow watercress. BUT NOTE: if you're planning to eat the watercress, then do not grow it in the pond as the water will not be fresh enough to make the watercress safely edible.

You can, however, also mimic the natural conditions of a pond or stream by growing watercress plants in a shallow container of water.

To grow watercress in water, fill a pot with compost and sow the watercress seed on the surface. Once the seeds have started to germinate, either submerge the pot in a pond, or in a container – such as an old metal tub – filled with water, so that the top of the pot is about 2 to 3 inches below the surface of the water. 

If placed in a pond the watercress should self-seed easily.

Growing watercress on a windowsill

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You can also grow watercress seed as a microgreen on a windowsill, and harvest the tiny peppery leaves once the stems are about 2 inches high.

'Watercress can be sown at any time of year providing that a brightly lit area is available,' say the experts at West Coast Seeds. 

Using this indoor growing method for watercress 'you'll get one, maybe two cuts per tray,' advises Alys.

See: How to grow mint – a beginner's guide

Harvesting watercress

Watercress leaves can be harvested from about 21 days after they emerge, and if you cut or prune the plant back to about 4 inches it will encourage thicker, lusher growth.

Harvest the watercress using scissors and it will then grow back at least once. If you keep sowing seeds every few weeks you will enjoy a continual harvest.

Once the plants start producing their small white flowers the leaves become bitter.

Once you have harvested the leaves, wash them and store in a refrigerator for a few days at most. 

Rachel is senior content editor, and writes and commissions gardening content for homesandgardens.com, Homes & Gardens magazine, and its sister titles Period Living Magazine and Country Homes & Interiors. She has written for lifestyle magazines for many years, with a particular focus on gardening, historic houses and arts and crafts, but started out her journalism career in BBC radio, where she enjoyed reporting on and writing programme scripts for all manner of stories. Rachel then moved into regional lifestyle magazines, where the topics she wrote about, and people she interviewed, were as varied and eclectic as they were on radio. Always harboring a passion for homes and gardens, she jumped at the opportunity to work on The English Home and The English Garden magazines for a number of years, before joining the Period Living team, then the wider Homes & Gardens team, specializing in gardens.

planting, care and cultivation, useful properties, types and varieties.

Details

Watercress was brought to European Russia from the Middle East and Egypt. Today, more than 200 species of this refreshing-tasting annual herb grow throughout the globe.

Spring is considered the best time to plant vitamin watercress. Just growing watercress from seeds is the key to getting a mineral-rich and tasty leafy vegetable.

Watercress properties

This herb is very rich in minerals. Watercress has the following properties:

increased immunity;

thyroid support;

blockade of cancer cells.

And this is not the whole list of benefits of eating these greens.

Research has proven that our health benefits come from the high content of vitamins as well as minerals. Antioxidant properties prevent the formation of free radicals that are undesirable for our body. Of the proven facts, it should be noted that watercress contains:

much more calcium than milk;

more vitamin C than an orange;

more iron than spinach.

The best varieties of watercress

The common name cress combines only three types of lettuce.

Sometimes:

Whole-leaved - late and early maturing species. This species can be grown throughout the year. Perfectly takes root on the balcony or on the windowsill.

Curly - the “raggedness” of the foliage served as the designation of the variety of the average ripening period.

Seeding - matures quickly.

Even experienced gardeners find it difficult to distinguish the seeds of all three types of lettuce.

Among the best representatives of early maturing varieties are the following.

Danish

Quick, spicy greens during early spring. The variety has excellent shoots.

Dukat

Tart taste of juicy and tender leaves. Ripens a few weeks before eating.

Cultivation of watercress

Watercress can be sown outdoors from April to mid-May.

Shade-loving plant produces excellent crops in places hidden from bright sunlight. A location where the sun's rays appear in the afternoon are great for planting an unpretentious spice.

Preparing a garden plot for watercress includes loosening and fertilizing the soil with compost and minerals. Removing weeds in the future will save you a lot of unresolved problems. These simple growing conditions will result in a good harvest.

Watercress can be sown both in spring and before winter. In this case, it is necessary to carry out sowing work under frost - in order to avoid premature emergence of sprouts.

Watercress is grown in individual beds and as a catch crop.

The distance between plants should not be less than 10 cm. Planting density occupies the first position among the factors that adversely affect the yield. Thinning will prevent this from happening.

Watercress is sown in spring in open ground at a depth of 10 mm. Winter plantings to a depth of 15 mm.

Optimum growing conditions for this crop are 16-18°C.

Caring for watercress

Watering is an important condition for proper care of this herb. It is important to remember that water is the medium for watercress. The lack of moisture immediately affects the taste of the green leaf. The plant shoots and becomes bitter, almost unfit for consumption.

On dry days, water about 2 times a day. If the weather is rainy, one watering in 3 days is enough.

If the soil is not fertilized, you need to pay attention to its top dressing. Top dressing should be balanced, liquid, low concentration. You need to add in a minimum amount, very carefully. Due to the rapid maturation, the greens will not have time to process the nitrates added to the substrate.

The remaining procedures are limited to removing weeds and loosening.

Watercress in the apartment on the windowsill

The plant is adapted to growing on the windowsill, all year round.

The interesting thing about growing this herb indoors is that this herb doesn't require soil. The soil can be replaced with a sponge, paper towel, and pieces of cotton wool.

A mug, cup, container or deep plate is a good container for germinating seeds.

Harvesting

Carefully cut off the foliage layer with scissors without touching the stems. Washed and dried watercress leaves can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Conclusion

Watercress is a very useful plant. 4 large and strongest plants are left to collect seeds. A month after flowering, the residual material is seed.

best tips for growing at home

Do you love watercress as much as I do?

Whatever plant you take, it is inextricably linked with the history of mankind. The weed that grows on your window has been traveling and growing with humanity for thousands of years. But there are not many plants that can be quickly and easily grown with your child. Watercress, or bedbug, is an ideal plant. It grows quickly and is easy to care for. And when vigorous sprouts begin to reach for the sunlight, the child's joy knows no bounds.

Watercress is undemanding to light, I would even say it is shade-loving. You can even grow it in your kitchen cabinet so your pets can't get to it (hello my cute kitty!).

Seeds are easily and easily available at any farming store that sells seeds. A pack of seeds is usually thick :), the seeds will last for a long time.

I won't say seeds are cheap, but growing plants organically is never cheap. But the process is fun.

The optimum temperature for germination is +7 °C...+15 °C. If it rises above +15 °C, plant growth stops, and a local catastrophe may occur

Watercress - annual plant , its seeds are similar to mustard seeds. It grows quickly, and it is necessary to eat it when it reaches a height of 8-10 cm.

We harvest with scissors. Cut the lettuce exactly the amount you want to use in food: it does not keep for a long time. Therefore, watercress should be sown regularly, best of all - according to scheme 3 after 3 days.

There are a lot of varieties of watercress , and some grow faster, others slower. Most have green foliage, but some have purple. Green varieties grow faster. Usually, a future salad is drawn on a box of seeds - look and choose.

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Watercress farming:

  1. Take a container and place in it a layer of clay or peat soil about 3 cm high, or flannel (cotton cloth), or paper towels.
  2. Sow the seeds on the surface of the soil and carefully press them into the ground. Then water the crops with warm water and cover the container with dark paper or black film.
  3. Place the container in a warm place with a temperature of at least +7 °C and maintain a constant humidity in the room where the seeds are germinated.
  4. After the seeds have germinated, remove the film or paper from the container and place it in a bright place.

It is very important that the substrate is always moistened. Never dry out in molds in which you grow it (pay attention to the wide holes at the bottom).

But if the stems of the seedlings break or rot, then the soil in the container is too wet. It doesn't matter what substrate you grow your watercress on, it should always be kept moist, but never wet.

Watercress does not need to be fertilized , it is a very unpretentious plant.

How to use watercress and what to cook with it

This herb is only used fresh as a condiment in salads, meats, fish, omelettes, gravies and soups. When dried, it loses many valuable qualities

Many dishes can be prepared from watercress; it is combined with meat and fish, soups, salads, soufflés, gravies and sauces are prepared from it, seasoning for second courses and cold appetizers. It is good raw, and vegetarians also blanch it, cook it with wine and sugar, with oil dressings.

You can cook stews, cottage cheese casseroles and omelettes with watercress, and sandwiches with it are not only tasty and low in calories - they are very beautiful and look great on the table.

Children are delighted with small weeds grown with love with their own hands.

They really like to mix it all up and season it with sour cream or butter - quick, easy, interesting.


Pumpkin seed salad recipe

  1. First prepare the dressing: beat the juice of half a lemon with 1 tbsp. olive oil;
  2. Then add 3 carrots, grated on a fine grater, a bunch of watercress and mix.
  3. Topped with boiled eggs (2 pcs.), grated on a coarse grater.
  4. Pour a few drops of vegetable oil into a frying pan, add pumpkin seeds (1 tbsp), fry for 2 minutes, then add honey (1 tsp), remove from heat and sprinkle over salad.

Benefits of watercress