🌱 Sowing & planting
- Sowing depth: 2 mm (surface sowing)
- Sowing distance: approximately 0.5 cm between the seeds
- Germination temperature: from 12 °C
- Germination period: 4–7 days
- Planting distance: not applicable – garden cress is sown close together and harvested as seedlings
- Growth cycle: 7–21 days (from seed to harvestable seedlings 5–10 cm tall)
📅 Growing times
Garden cress is usually grown indoors or in containers. You can sow it on a windowsill almost year-round, as long as the indoor area has sufficient light and isn't too cold.
🌿 Popular breeds
📘 Basic information
- Crop group: Cabbage crop
- Plant family: Cruciferous family
- Height: seedlings are harvested at approx. 5–10 cm
- Frost resistant: no
- Root system: a few centimeters for seedlings
- Fertilization: little to none – the crop is harvested already in the germination stage
- Preferred soil: soil plays little role; seeds can even germinate on damp paper towels
🌞💧 Pitch & water
Location: 🌤 moderate sun (bright spot on the windowsill or in the conservatory)
Watering: 💧💧 moderate, keep the substrate (kitchen paper or potting soil) slightly moist but not soaking wet.
🤝 Good & Bad Neighbors
Garden cress is usually grown in containers or pots and in practice has no particularly good or bad neighbours.
🪴 Cultivation method step-by-step
- Choose a shallow container that will fit on your windowsill.
- Place a double layer of kitchen paper in the container and, if necessary, mark the bottom so that it fits nicely.
- Moisten the kitchen paper thoroughly under the tap and place it back in the container.
- Sprinkle the cress seeds densely together, so that the seeds are approximately 0.5 mm apart.
- Mist the seeds with a plant sprayer and place the container on the windowsill.
- Spray lightly with water daily until the seeds germinate, keeping the paper moist.
- Allow the seedlings to grow further under the influence of light to approximately 5–10 cm.
- Cut the garden cress 1 cm above the paper towel and use it immediately in the kitchen – delicious with cheese or shrimp croquettes.
❗ Dangers & Concerns
Garden cress has virtually no diseases or pests during this short cultivation period, as long as you work cleanly and do not allow the substrate to become moldy (so do not keep it too wet).
🧺 Harvesting & storing
- Harvest by cutting the seedlings against the bottom with scissors or a knife.
- Harvest preferably just before use for maximum flavor and freshness.
🍽️ Nutritional value
Per 100 g raw garden cress:
- 32 kcal
- 0 g fat
- 3 g protein
- 6 g carbohydrates
- 1 g fiber
- 4 g sugar
- Vitamins: A, B6, C, E and K
- Minerals & trace elements: folic acid, calcium, iron, magnesium , phosphorus , potassium, copper and manganese
- Less good: relatively high in sodium (salt)
