Cress Seeds

Belonging to the mustard family, this quick-growing, peppery and tangy herb is an annual plant and a microgreen favorite. Cress typically reaches about 24 inches in height and showcases beautiful, clustered, tiny blooms of pink and white. While cress is often grown in a kitchen garden or in the backyard, it is also suitable for hydroponic planting. After the seeds are sown, your garden cress will reach maturity and be ready for harvest in just five to fifteen days!

• Thrives in bright, sunny growing areas
• Fast growing and excellent for container gardens
• Offers a distinctly spicy, peppery, and pungent flavor
• One of the oldest leafy greens humans have eaten

Quite possibly the easiest herb to grow, direct sow cress seeds outdoors between one and two weeks before the average last frost, or grow them on a sunny windowsill for a great source of fresh greens at any time of year! You may also choose to start your seeds indoors, two to four weeks before the last frost and then transplant them outdoors after the threat of frost has passed. Cress grows well in loose soil and a shady location, staying consistently moist. Cress prefers soil with a pH of 6.0 to 6.8.

Sow seeds about 1/4 inch deep, thickly in wide rows spaced approximately 18 to 24 inches apart. Spray seedlings daily to keep moist and water generously after seeds sprout to ensure the roots do not dry out.

Once your seedlings are about an inch or two tall, thin them out so they are six inches apart from each other. You can begin adding cress to salads and sandwiches just weeks after germination, as baby leaves can be harvested as soon as the true leaves appear, when they are about three to four inches tall. You may choose to cut the plants back to about 1/4 inch to promote quick regrowth for continuous harvest.

A great seed to introduce your children to gardening, as they will see young seedlings emerge after only five to fifteen days! Harvest as a microgreen and enjoy its mild peppery flavor. Continue to plant every 10 days (sow seeds thickly; cress is not bothered by overcrowding) for a succession of wonderful greens at a time when there is less available to harvest in the garden.

To harvest, cut the stalks of the plant off at the base and store in your refrigerator for up to one week.

Companion plants for cress include bunching onions, chives, peppermint, and spearmint! Garden cress is known for being used on sandwiches, in salads and soups, and as baby greens. Grow your own cress in your kitchen garden to expand your culinary experience.

For more information about planting, growing, and caring for cress seed, see the Cress Seeds Planting Guide.