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Watercress Seeds

Note: Germination instructions are not on seed packets, follow the instructions below for starting seed.

Sow in mid spring when the soil has warmed up in very shallow drills spread 7.5cm (3in) apart, and cover with a light covering of soil. As regular watering is necessary you may wish to have your drill at the bottom of a small trench approximately 8-10cm (3-4in) deep for easier watering.

To grow in a container, plant 3-4 to a 30cm (12in) tub or pot and stand in a container with about 2-3in of water, in the shade. Keep the water constantly topped up to this level.

Watercress Info

Watercress is a valuable winter salad vegetable but large doses are purgative. The leaves, rich in minerals and vitamins C and A, prized since Roman times for biting, rich flavor, raw or cooked as a vegetable and in soup.
Cress adds a peppery flavor to everything. Traditionally it was used to garnish parsnips or, in Ireland, boiled with bacon. Now it is used in soups, salads, sandwiches or stir-fries. Toss with sliced mushrooms in sesame oil over a high flame, enough to wilt slightly. It can be served with grilled meats or braised chicken breast.
Add finely minced cress leaves to crepe batter, compound butters, and crème fraiche for topping grilled fish or chicken. Include some minced cress in soufflés or mish mousse. Chinese cooks use watercress for its pungent flavor in broth soups at the end of a rich meal and in stir-fry recipes with meat or chicken. Cress is the traditional English sandwich stuffer or topping on finger sandwiches.
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NPV389 Watercress
Nasturtium officinale. Use in salads, ornamental in moist areas, 24" tall.
Package of 5,000 seeds. $8.95





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