Mr Fothergills Mustard & Cress Seed (1)

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Usually when harvesting cress, you cut them close to the soil line. But if you leave half an inch on the seedlings when you cut them, then you may find that the cress regrows. Water the container or tray gently with a water sprayer on a regular basis to keep the soil or the paper towels moist. Note that you will have to add moisture more frequently if you are growing your cress on paper towels instead of soil. Under normal conditions, the seeds will sprout in about 2-3 days. So, I hope I've convinced you. For the effort of sowing a few seeds that would otherwise provide about enough garnish for a cheese sandwich, you will, by letting cress grow, gain handfuls of leafy growth. Cress tends to lose its flavour when cooked, but it certainly adds texture and a mustardy warmth to any salad. Start by adding a layer of growing medium around 1cm deep. This could be layers of kitchen towel, any absorbent paper waste, cotton wool or peat-free multi-purpose compost

Sprinkle cress seeds over the surface of the pot,’ says Chris Bonnett, owner of Gardening Express. Don’t be tempted to sow the seeds too densely, or the seedlings will be competing for space – keep to a light sprinkle. With only 16 calories per 1 raw cup (50 grams), garden cress is a low calorie food that may even promote weight loss. The true leaves of cress are feathery and divided and plants grow to around six inches high in about four weeks. Leave it longer and it will begin to go to seed, but if this happens don't just throw them out. The fire in the leaves will have died down, but they're still tasty and the tiny white flowers are also edible and provide a tiny mustardy explosion in the mouth. If you harvest by snipping stalks just above a leafy growing point, they may produce a second flush of leaves, but my experience is that cress isn't very keen to regenerate. Sowing a new batch is a better way to keep cress in production. Garden cress is added to soups, sandwiches and salads for its tangy flavour. [7] It is also eaten as sprouts, and the fresh or dried seed pods can be used as a peppery seasoning ( haloon). [6] In the United Kingdom, cut cress shoots are commonly used in sandwiches with boiled eggs and mayonnaise. [8] [9] [10] Garden cress, raw Nutritional value per 100g (3.5oz)

When is my cress ready to eat?

In a test-tube study, human liver cells preexposed to toxic hydrogen peroxide were then exposed to garden cress extract. The extract inhibited oxidative stress by 56% and prevented cell death by 48% ( 16). In animal studies, ALA has been shown to reduce heart injury and heart cell death when there’s inadequate blood flow to the heart ( 23, 24). Garden cress (Lepidium sativum)Perhaps the most familiar of all, garden cress is a hardy annual, which you can grow as an indoor garden idea all year round on a windowsill. You can grow it outdoors too at certain times of the year. It’s the seedling leaves which are harvested and have a mildly peppery flavor. Speedy and easy to grow, it’s a perfect garden activity for kids as a grow-your-own project. Mustard (Sinapsis alba) is often grown with cress in a mustard-and-cress mixture, but is even faster! So sprinkle in the mustard seed 2-3 days after sowing the cress.

I don't really see the point of growing cress only to scythe it down when it's barely got going, and I'm moderately confident that, once you've tried the grown-up version, neither will you. Cultivation of cress is practical both on mass scales and on the individual scale. Garden cress is suitable for hydroponic cultivation and thrives in slightly alkaline water. In many local markets, the demand for hydroponically grown cress can exceed available supply, partially because cress leaves are not suitable for distribution in dried form, so they can only be partially preserved. Consumers commonly acquire cress as seeds or (in Europe) from markets as boxes of young live shoots. [6]

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Mustard and cress are great in sandwiches and salads, or as a garnish. If you’re growing them with kids, then try using some unusual containers. If you wash out empty eggshells, you can draw faces on the front and grow ‘egglings’ with cress hair! Because aluminum accumulates in your body tissues, you may eventually experience adverse reactions, such as oxidative stress and poor liver function ( 14, 15). Then find some tissue. Mustard and cress are usually grown on damp tissue (such as kitchen paper) rather than compost. You can use cotton wool, too. Place the container in good light such as a brightly lit windowsill. Germination usually takes a day or two

To successfully grow garden cress indoors on soil or on paper towels, follow the step-by-step instructions below: Harvest your cress when you want to use it, by snipping the stems. It doesn’t keep long once it has been cut. Firstly, choose a suitable container to grow your cress in. ‘You could use a plastic container with damp paper towel, or even use an old cup filled with moist cotton wool,’ says Smith. Bear in mind, cress usually grows better in soil, so consider filling your tray with a light layer of compost. Alternatively, you can use a growing mat or felt.If it’s the middle of winter and there’s nothing much going on in the vegetable garden, or you want some easy and ultra-fresh salad greens, or a rainy day project to help keep the kids occupied, then try growing mustard and cress! Add some scrunched-up kitchen roll and cotton wool (as before), leaving a space of about 1cm from the top. Edible shoots are typically harvested in one to two weeks after planting, when they are 5–13cm (2–5in) tall. [7] Culinary uses [ edit ]