It's easier than it looks: how to grow watercress at home

Watercress is a fairly unpretentious crop that even beginners can grow. The plant is a real storehouse of nutrients – it contains protein, vitamin C, calcium, iron, potassium salts, B vitamins, etc.

Watercress can be grown all year round: in winter – on windowsills, in summer – in beds. OBOZ.UA figured out how to grow this crop at home.

How to grow watercress

Watercress seeds are light brown, round, and very small. They need to be soaked before planting. Pour clean, settled water into an ordinary plate, put a napkin on the bottom, and "sow" the seeds on top.

Then the plate should be placed in a warm, preferably dark, place. As soon as sprouts appear, the container can be moved to the windowsill. The napkin should not dry out, so don't forget to add water.

In a few weeks, the plate will be covered with curly, tender greens.

Watercress can be eaten with potatoes, meat, and fish, and added to broths or stews. The salad tastes a bit sharp because it contains mustard oil.

How to get seeds from watercress

After planting the seeds in the garden, you should water the seedlings thoroughly so that the soil remains moist for as long as possible; watering will make the greens juicier.

In 30-45 days, plants that are not used for food will produce tall stems with inflorescences, and around August, many pods will be ripe. They need to be collected, dried, ground, and left for the winter to grow on the windowsill.

The most common and fertile varieties are:

• message
• curly cress
• common cress
• garden cress.

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