Key Features
- Classic Cress Variety: A fast-growing annual herb known for delicate foliage and a peppery flavor.
- Delicate Flowers: Produces small, attractive white flowers as plants mature.
- Compact Growth: Forms low, leafy plants that work well in containers, herb gardens, and kitchen gardens.
- Culinary Appeal: Young leaves and shoots can add a fresh, peppery note to salads, sandwiches, soups, and garnishes.
- Easy Garden Crop: Well suited to beginner gardeners and quick harvests when grown under favorable conditions.
Growing Benefits
- Provides fresh, flavorful leaves for everyday culinary use.
- Grows quickly from seed with suitable moisture and temperatures.
- Works well in containers, raised beds, herb gardens, and small spaces.
- Makes a useful addition to home kitchen gardens.
- Can be sown successively for a continuing supply of tender young leaves.
Seed Specifications
- Common Name: Garden Cress, Cress; Botanical Name: Lepidium sativum; Plant Type: Annual herb.
- Colors: Fresh green foliage with small white flowers; Height: Approximately six to eighteen inches depending on conditions.
- Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade; Soil: Fertile, moist, well-drained soil; Water: Regular moisture without waterlogging.
- Germination Time: Commonly a few days under favorable conditions; Sowing Depth: Shallow, about one-quarter inch or less; Spacing: Thin seedlings to several inches apart.
- Growing Zones: Suitable as an annual across a broad range of climates; Flowering/Maturity: Young leaves mature quickly, while flowering occurs later; Uses: Salads, sandwiches, garnishes, soups, herb gardens, and containers.
Growing Tips
- Sow seeds directly where they will grow because cress develops quickly.
- Keep the seedbed evenly moist until seedlings become established.
- Provide morning or full sunlight while protecting plants from intense heat.
- Make repeat sowings during suitable weather for a steady supply of young leaves.
Seed Storage
Keep unused seeds in their original sealed packet or an airtight container. Store them in a cool, dry, dark location away from humidity, heat, and direct sunlight. Keep seeds completely dry until planting.
Unique Facts About Seeds
- Garden cress belongs to the Brassicaceae family, which also includes cabbage, mustard, and radish.
- Lepidium sativum is valued as a quick-growing culinary plant with a characteristic peppery flavor.
- Cress can be harvested young for tender leaves before the plant develops mature flower stalks.
- The plant produces small white flowers that can eventually give way to seed pods containing the next generation of seeds.