Permapotes

Garden cress

Garden cress: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar

Garden cress (Lepidium sativum) is an annual member of the Brassicaceae family, alongside radishes and mustards. Its small edible leaves bring a lively, mildly pungent flavour to many dishes. Although their common names are similar, garden cress is distinct from watercress, Nasturtium officinale. The two species have different characteristics and natural growing environments. Garden cress is a terrestrial plant familiar in vegetable gardens and small container crops.

Its appearance changes considerably as it develops. Young seedlings first display their cotyledons, followed by their true leaves. The fine greenery sold or served as a garnish therefore represents only one stage in the life of the plant. A more developed specimen has more conspicuous leaves and a different outline, with upright stems that may branch. Cress does not necessarily remain a low carpet throughout its whole life cycle.

Types offered for culinary use include common cress, curled cress and selections with broader leaves. These names mainly describe the shape of the foliage. They do not guarantee a particular strength of flavour, which also depends on the stage of development and growing conditions. The delicate foliage of young shoots and the greenery of older plants consequently provide different textures, even when they belong to the same species.

At maturity, this annual produces clusters of small, usually whitish flowers, followed by small flattened fruits containing reddish brown seeds. Flowering helps explain the difference between cress grown for tender shoots and a plant observed through its complete cycle. A new generation arising from seed should not be confused with the indefinite survival of the original plant.

In the kitchen, its peppery character recalls certain mustards. It complements salads, sandwiches, eggs, soft cheeses and sauces. Cress can also add a fresh vegetable note to a soup or an omelette. Its fine texture and distinctive flavour contrast with milder ingredients, allowing a small amount of greenery to make a noticeable contribution to a dish.

In a garden, its appeal lies in its modest footprint and rapid development. It offers an opportunity to discover an edible plant at several stages, from the first leaves to the seed bearing fruits. These changing forms make it interesting both as a culinary crop and as a subject for observing plant development.

Garden cress
Garden cress
Characteristics
  • Lifecycle : Annual
  • Exposure : Partial Shade
  • Frost Hardiness : Frost Resistant
  • Cultivation Difficulty : Easy
  • Mature height : 15 cm
Sowing & Planting
  • Greenhouse Growing : Not Required
  • Sowing Depth : 1 cm
  • Plant Spacing : 5 cm
  • Row Spacing : 20 cm
Maintenance
  • Maintenance : Low
  • Water Requirements : Moderate
Other characteristics
  • Soil Type : Humus-rich
  • Soil pH Preference : Neutral
  • Pest Sensitivity : Moderate
  • Disease Sensitivity : Low
  • Weed Sensitivity : Moderate
  • Pollination : Insect-pollinated
  • Propagation : Sowing