Growing Cress plant from seed to harvest

This plant originated from Asia. The botanical name of Cress is Barbarea Vernapraecox. Some of the common names are extra-curled cress, curly cress, Upland cress, cresson, early winter cress, curled cress, curlicress, fine curled cress, moss curled cress. This particular plant is a quick growing cool-weather vegetable. The plant need to be sow in the garden early in spring, as early as four or six weeks before the last frost, or you can grow it indoors year round. This plant really grow quickly from seed. The Cress plant will be ready for harvest fifteen to twenty days after sowing. Successive crops need to be sow until mid summer. You can also sow the Cress again in early autumn for autumn and winter harvest.

Varieties of Cress plant

The following are the different varieties of Cress plant:

1. The garden cress variety: The Garden cress variety is also called broadleaf cress, it has flat, bright green leaves up to four inches long and two inches wide. The garden cress variety is an annual that thrives in damp soil.
2. The curly cress variety: The Curly cress variety is also called cresson, early winter cress, or Upland cress. It actually has a finely divided leaves that look like parsley or chervil atop thin, branching stems. The Curly cress variety is a biennial that thrives in damp soil.

• The watercress variety: This particular variety is a trailing annual usually grown in water. You can grow watercress indoors in pot set in a tray of water or along the side of a stream or watercourse. The Watercress variety is an annual which grows in soil, in a gently running water.

Like I said earlier this plant grow easily from seed and also can be propagated from stem-pieces or cuttings.

The land preparation for the Cress

You can plant cress in shade or semi shade. You can grow garden cress and curly cress in a moist, but a well-drained sandy loam soil. The watercress can be grown in a container of compost-rich, sandy soil that is submerged in a running water. This plant actually prefers a soil pH of 6.0 to 6.8.

The time of planting

This plant are cool-weather annuals. You can sow the Cress in the garden early in spring, as early as four or six before the last frost, or you can grow Cress indoors year round. This plant will germinate in about fourteen days at 45°F. The garden cress really grow quick from seed. The Cress will be ready for harvest fifteen to twenty days after sowing. The Curly Cress actually requires about fourty to fifty days to reach maturity, although harvest can begin fifteen days after sowing. Why the Watercress actually requires about fifty-five to seventy days to reach maturity but the runner tips can be pinched off for use fifteen to twenty days after sowing. You can sow the Cress every ten days for a continuous harvest through midsummer. The Cress can actually become pungent and inedible in hot weather. You can plant the Cress in late summer for an autumn and winter harvest.

The spacing and planting

Make sure the garden Cress and the curly Cress seed are sow ¼ inch deep. The seed should be sow thickly in wide rows. You can thin successful seedlings to six inches apart. Make sure you space rows eighteen to twenty-four inches apart. You can also sow successive crops every ten to fourteen days. The watercress can be grown in submerged containers.

The feeding and watering of the Cress

This plant requires even moisture. Make sure you don’t allow the roots to dry out. You can grow the watercress in a gently running water. Make sure you grow the Cress in soil that is rich in aged compost.
The following are some of the companion plants; peppermint, Bunching onions, chives, wintergreen and spearmint. You can inter-plant the Cress with other small crops.

How to care for Cress

Make sure you keep the soil free from weed. Don’t grow the Cress in a direct sun. You can pinch the Cress back to promote new foliage.

Growing Cress in container

The curly Cress and the garden Cress can be grown in containers, pots and boxes. Make sure you sow the seeds thickly. This plant is not bothered by overcrowding. The garden Cress can actually be grown indoors on a windowsill. Try and use a container with good bottom drainage. The soil need to be kept moist.
Furthermore, Cress don’t actually have serious pest and disease problems.

How to harvest Cress

You can cut or pinch out the Cress tips as needed. You can begin to cut the plants when they have reach about three to four inches tall. Any plants that is cut back to ½ inch will quickly regrow. This plant is most tender at the early seed-leaf stage. Make sure you harvest the Cress well before it matures.