Paracress: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar
When and how do you sow paracress outdoors?
Sow paracress, Acmella oleracea, after frost risk has passed and the soil has warmed well. This tropical vegetable is not cool-season watercress: autumn sowing is not a general choice in temperate climates. Steady warmth around 20–25 °C suits its start. If spring stays cold, wait or begin in a protected container.
Choose a bright position with fertile, well-drained soil and a fine surface. Moisten before scattering the tiny seeds thinly. Press gently and cover only with a dusting of fine soil, rather than burying them 1 cm deep. Water with a very gentle spray so they do not move. Maintain even moisture until emergence, without standing water.
Once seedlings have several leaves, thin to about 25–30 cm between plants, adjusted to their growth. Ten centimetres does not allow enough room for every mature clump. Watch young plants for drying and remove weeds that overtop them. Germination speed depends on the seeds and actual temperature: a few cool days are not a sound basis for declaring failure. Keep the sowing label in place while monitoring development and moisture.
How do you harvest Para cress?
