I can proudly say that I’ve already harvested four crops of garden cress. This wonderful herb is flavorful, fragrant, and pleasing to the eye! Based on my experience, I’ll share how to grow garden cress at home on your windowsill.
How to Grow Garden Cress:
Garden cress seeds will sprout in any moist material that roots can penetrate:
- Cotton wool
- Natural fabric
- Gauze
- Sawdust
- Sand
The germination temperature is also impressive: even on a balcony where it was no higher than 5 degrees at night, it sprouted. However, I would recommend covering it with plastic wrap for a day after sowing so it stays warm and moist. I water the cress using a spray bottle—the leaves love a warm mist, and this way, I avoid drowning the delicate, thin stems. Direct sunlight can scorch garden cress, so it’s better to provide partial shading.
Sow the seeds very densely—this way, the stems support each other and don’t topple over if they wilt or grow too tall. I don’t see any need for fertilizers, since I usually eat it on the fifth day after sowing.
Check out this article for detailed photos on growing garden cress.
When to Harvest Garden Cress:
It’s said that if you cut the leaves, the cress will grow new ones—that assumption didn’t prove true. If you let it grow for more than a week, it becomes bitter and tough. I prefer to eat it within a week after sprouting. However, this applies to the “Vest” and “Curly” varieties; I haven’t come across other varieties, so I can’t say exactly how tall the stems should be for consumption. I cut the cress when it’s about 5 cm tall.
We mostly eat it for breakfast on sandwiches, with cottage cheese, or pâtés. It’s also delicious added fresh to borscht and soups. I haven’t tried cooking it, but I know there are recipes for stewed garden cress. Garden cress is also popular in medicine— treating illnesses with garden cress is even effective against cancer.
Be sure to try growing garden cress at home. While you won’t harvest kilograms of it, it’s absolutely worth it. Moreover, it has incredible benefits thanks to its unique chemical composition .
