Considered the oldest leaf vegetable consumed by humans, watercress is a close cousin of mustard greens, cabbage and arugula. Watercress provides many nutrients and health benefits, and can be used in salads, soups, sandwiches and to give it a fresh, spicy taste. While considered an aquatic or semi-aquatic perennial that is often found in slow flowing water, you can also grow watercress in containers indoors or anywhere outdoors as long as there is shade and plenty of water.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Growing Watercress in a Container
Step 1. Buy watercress seeds
Seeds can be ordered online or from gardening and nursery supply stores.
- Popular types of watercress include English Watercress and Broad Leaf Cress.
- You can also start growing from large watercress that you can buy at the supermarket or farmer's market. Just soak the base of the stalk in water for a few days to encourage root growth and continue planting in the soil as you would starting from seed.
Step 2. Prepare a container for planting
Choose a large container with drainage holes that are at least 15.2 cm deep. Add a layer of landscape cloth at the bottom of the container to keep the planting medium from sinking when watered. Add shards of pot shards or small stones to the bottom layer of the container for good drainage.
- You can also use several smaller containers and place them in a larger drainage tray.
- Plastic containers are recommended over terracotta pots, as the water will dry too quickly for the watercress when using terracotta pots.
Step 3. Place a larger drainage tray under the planting container so that the plant is well watered every time
You can also place small stones in the drainage tray to allow water to flow freely into the planting container
Step 4. Fill the planting container with planting media
Use soilless growing media that drains well and contains peat or perlite or vermiculite. Leave about 5 cm of space above the lip of the container and water the soil well.
The ideal acidity or pH of the growing media is 6.5 and 7.5
Step 5. Sprinkle the watercress seeds
Place the 0.64 cm seeds in the planting container, leaving a distance of 7.6 to 10.2 cm between each seed.
Step 6. Flush with plenty of water
Soak the planting medium deep enough to fill the drainage tray below about half full, but don't let the water get any higher than the planting container. Replace the water in the drainage tray with new water every two to three days.
- To keep the entire soil covered with a thin transparent plastic sheet with small holes, this will keep the water in and allow the water to drain. The plastic can be opened when shoots begin to appear above the soil surface.
- Spray the soil surface with water from a spray bottle every other day.
Step 7. Place the container in indirect sunlight
Position the watercress in a spot that receives at least six hours of natural light a day, but try to keep it out of direct sunlight, which can burn young plants.
You can place the container indoors or when the temperature in your home is between 13˚ and 24˚C, you can place the container outside during the warmer months
Step 8. Give watercress fertilizer
Add a small amount of water-soluble all-purpose gardening fertilizer to the recommended amount of water in the drainage tray.
Step 9. Harvest the watercress
Once the plant has grown to approximately 12.7 to 15.2 cm, use kitchen shears or planters to trim the leading 10.1 cm from the plant as needed.
- Avoid cutting more than a third of the plant when so that the plant has enough leaves to keep growing.
- Harvesting periodically helps new growth in plants.
Step 10. Wash the watercress
If the watercress is in cold water, dry it and use it straight away or wrap it and store it in the refrigerator for use in the next few days.
Method 2 of 2: Growing Watercress Outdoors in Soil
Step 1. You can also start growing from a large watercress that you can buy at the supermarket or farmer's market
Just soak the base of the stalk in water for a few days to encourage root growth and continue planting in the soil as you would starting from seed.
Step 2. Choose a planting location
Watercress grows well in a cool, but partially shaded sun. Growing watercress in shallow fresh water that flows like a stream or stream is ideal. But you can also make your own pond or swamp.
The ideal planting time is in early spring after the last frost, or in early summer before temperatures drop too low
Step 3. Prepare the planting site
If you have a stream or stream, prepare 10.1 to 15.2 cm of organic compost mixed with 15.2 to 30.2 cm of soil.
Step 4. Create a planting spot
If you don't have a water source, dig a hole that is approximately 61 cm wide and 35 cm deep to create a swamp. Cover the bottom and edges with thick pond lining plastic, leaving a 15.2 cm lip at the top and making a few holes in the edges for drainage. Fill the lined hole with one part garden soil, one part coarse building sand, one part compost and a handful of fertilizer.
Step 5. Water the planting area
When planting near streams, make sure the soil is deeply submerged. When you have created a planting area, fill the artificial swamp to the edges with water.
When you have created a planting area, water the area every two to three days to ensure the soil is completely submerged or install a water pump to keep fresh water circulating through the swamp
Step 6. Plant the watercress
Plant the seeds 6.3 mm deep and approximately 12.6 mm apart, and cover them with a layer of fine gardening soil.
You can also start growing watercress indoors using the method above or transplanting an established plant. However, because the plant is delicate, it can be difficult to move
Step 7. Plant the lettuce
When the watercress sprout, keep the shoots 10.1 to 15.2 cm apart from each other. When small white flowers appear, prune them again with gardening shears to encourage plant growth.
Step 8. Harvest the watercress
Once the plant has grown to approximately 12.7 to 15.2 cm, use kitchen shears or planters to trim the leading 10.1 cm from the plant as needed.
- Avoid cutting more than a third of the plant when so that the plant has enough leaves to keep growing.
- Harvesting periodically helps new growth in plants.
Tips
- If whiteflies appear under watercress leaves, wash them with soapy water regularly.
- Remove snails and slugs by hand when they appear.
- Keep the area around the watercress weed-free and apply some humus to keep it moist and prevent weeds from growing.
Warning
- When growing watercress near streams or streams, test the water for contamination or harmful pollutants.
- Avoid using insecticides, herbicides and pesticides on or near your watercress as watercress absorbs easily and can injure humans who eat the plant.
- Wash the watercress well before eating to prevent soil or other pollutants from being eaten.
What You Need
- Planting container
- Drainage tray
- Planting media without soil
- Fertilizer
- Watercress seeds or shoots
- Small stones or broken pots
- Landscape layer
- plastic sheet
- Nog
- Spray bottle
- Garden or kitchen shears
- garden shovel
- Plastic pool liner
- Compost
- Land for gardening
- garden hose
