How to Grow & Care for Watercress: Indoors & Outdoors

Watercress grows best in water, such as in ponds, but can be grown at home in jars from seeds. Find out how to grow watercress at home.

Watercress, like other microgreens, can be grown at home and harvested to add additional nutrients and flavor to your meals. It has a natural, peppery taste and is rich in vitamins A and C, iron, and calcium. Read on to learn how to grow watercress, how to harvest it, and care for this plant at home.

How to Grow Watercress

Just like any other plant, watercress needs specific conditions in order to thrive. If you plan to plant watercress you will need to maintain these simple conditions.

Seeds and Cuttings: watercress can be planted from seeds or from cuttings. Both require the following conditions:

• Soil: watercress needs a very damp soil to thrive. Use compost to ensure your soil is permanently moist, and add vermiculite. Top up the soil as it grows in order to maintain moisture.
• Sunlight: watercress likes about 4 hours of sunlight in the morning and then prefers shadier areas in the afternoon, so make sure the area you choose fits the light requirements in order to have a thriving watercress plant. 
• Water: as its name implies, it grows best when near water. If you don’t plant to plant watercress outdoors next to a pond or other water feature, simply place a plate filled with water beneath the pot of watercress so that the roots have constant access to water.
• Temperature: watercress likes 45-70 degrees Fahrenheit temperatures in order to grow. 

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Indoor and Outdoor Watercress Care

Indoor Watercress

If you want to plant your watercress indoors from seeds, utilize the above conditions, and cover the initial planting pots or trays with a clear plastic bag to maintain a moist and humid environment. After germination, you can remove the bag, but always remember to keep the soil moist.

If you want to grow watercress from cuttings, remove the lower leaves, and place the stems in a shallow, water filled container. Change the water often (once or twice a week) to keep bacteria from growing. Once the roots begin to grow, place them in a moist, composted soil at the top of the soil. 

Watercress can be grown year round indoors as it does not require very much sunlight.

Outdoor Watercress

If you plan to plant watercress in spring outside, ensure frost has fully stopped before planting. Find a sunny location and dig 6-8 inches down before planting, filling the space with organic compost to maintain soil moisture. Water the area often to ensure the roots get enough moisture. 

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When and How to Harvest Watercress

You can harvest watercress as early as 4 weeks after it starts growing. It’s worth noting that the flavor is best during the cooler months of the year. Here are some tips for harvesting watercress: 

• Harvest the leaves before the blooms emerge, or the flavor will become bitter.
• Properly prune the plant to encourage thicker growth.
• Always use clean gardening tools before trimming the plants, to remove the risk of harmful bacteria.
• Cut the plants when they reach about 4 inches in height.
• Make sure there are still a few leaves left on the stems, so that the plant will continue to grow.
• Place the cuttings in cool water after harvest to keep them fresh. 

Watercress is not a very difficult plant to grow, and if kept in the right conditions inside, can be grown year round. It makes an easy addition of nutrients, vitamins and minerals to your meals or salads.

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Tags: DIY Garden Guide Planting