You want to grow cress? Then you've come to the right place! We have the best tips and tricks for your homegrown cress seedlings!
I love fresh cress! On bread, in salad or in soup - it just always tastes good. Do you feel the same way? Then you've probably wondered whether you should grow your own cress.
My answer is quite clear: Yes! It's really no witchcraft and cress is considered a true vitamin miracle.
Especially in the cold season, cress should be on your menu. It is full of important minerals and has a high vitamin C content.
The plant strengthens our immune system and reduces the risk of colds.
Table of contents
The best thing about growing cress is that you can easily grow it at home and have fresh greens in your kitchen and especially on your plate all year round.
Enough talk! Let's start with the cress pulling.
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Grow cress: How it works
Grow cress seeds is hardly any effort. Unlike most other plants, cress grows not only on the ground, but also on absorbent cotton, kitchen paper or paper towels.
Of course, you can also plant them in a flower pot or in your garden bed. But this is not necessary at all!
Before you start growing cress, you should have all the utensils at hand. In addition to the seeds, you will need a shallow dish or plate, paper towels, absorbent cotton or tissues and water.
How to grow cress
- Take a few sheets of kitchen paper and moisten it with lukewarm water.
- Put the kitchen paper in the bowl and fold the corners.
- Spread the cress seeds as evenly as possible on the damp kitchen paper. Attention: they should not be sown too close to each other.
- Moisten the seeds again with a spray bottle. The water allows them to soak up and swell. However, the seeds should in no case float in the water.
- Place the container with the seeds in a bright place. Preferably on a windowsill.
- Make sure that the cress does not dry out in any case and spray it with water twice a day.
- And already you can watch the cress grow day by day :)
How to properly care for the cress
After planting, you can already enjoy the seedlings after about a week.
The most important thing when growing cress is moisture. The soil or subsoil must be constantly moist so that the plants do not dry out. Moisten your cress twice a day with a spray bottle.
However, the seeds should in no case float in water. If the cress sprouts are kept too wet, they can ferment or mold.
In addition, you should place the cress in a bright place. Preferably on a windowsill. So they can also be grown throughout the year.
However, direct sun tolerate the plant only conditionally, because the heat quickly dry them out.
When you harvest the cress, you should use it up as soon as possible. If it takes on a slightly musty taste, it is better to discard it.
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What are the varieties of cress
If you want to grow cress, you should also choose the right variety. Not every variety of cress is suitable for sowing on the windowsill.
Basically, there are three different varieties, which differ in color, size and taste.
- Garden cress: It is a very tender plant and germinates very quickly. Therefore, it is best suited for growing in absorbent cotton or kitchen crepe.
- Watercress: This variety belongs to the aquatic plants and is slightly larger than the garden cress. Watercress is not suitable for growing cress on the windowsill. In addition, this variety should be eaten only the leaves.
- Nasturtium: This plant has very decorative flowers and leaves, so it is very often used for food decoration purposes. You can also grow the nasturtium in the warm on a windowsill.
Why you should not give up growing cress
Did you know that cress is really healthy? The plant has a very high vitamin content. It contains vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C and D.
Unlike other types of sprouts, cress does not contain much protein and hardly any carbohydrates, but it has a large number of minerals and trace elements.
Calcium, potassium, iodine, niacin, carotene, iron and phosphorus is in the fresh green. And like any other medicinal herb, cress contains secondary plant compounds.
With the mustard oil it contains, cress acts as a natural antibiotic. The bitter and aromatic substances of the mustard oils have a positive effect on kidney activity.
In addition, cress cleanses the blood, stimulates digestion and promotes metabolism. The plant prevents infections and supports the immune system.
So growing cress really pays off!
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With what dishes cress goes well
Cress has a pungent taste, which is similar to that of radish or mustard. The pungency comes from the essential mustard oil contained in the cress.
Due to its strong flavor, cress is a wonderful seasoning in salads. It also adds a slight spiciness to sauces and dressings.
On cold spreads or incorporated into herb butter, the cress tastes delicious. And soups and egg dishes also benefit from the flavor of the plant.
However, cress should only be used cold, as it is very tender. In warm dishes, you should therefore not cook them in any case. Refine the dishes with it only at the end.
Our conclusion
There is really nothing that speaks against the cultivation of cress. The kitchen herb is super tasty and really healthy. In addition, cress is really simple to grow and succeeds almost everywhere.
Good luck!
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