Watercress
Historic leafy vegetable
Watercress is widely distributed in Europe and Asia and grows wild in southern Sweden. It is one of the plants that has been in the human diet for the longest time. In ancient Greece and Rome, watercress was considered to be invigorating for body and soul. Ancient sources describe how watercress was eaten with oil, vinegar, pepper and cumin. It sounds like that recipe could still be used today!
In many Irish legends, watercress is described as a highly prized food. For example, the mythical heroes Fionn and Fiánna lived on watercress as they travelled around on their magical adventures.
Hildegard of Bingen recommended watercress for jaundice and fever. In folk tradition, the plant also had a reputation for reducing depression and sharpening intelligence. Because watercress is rich in vitamin C, 17th-century sailors were advised to eat it to avoid scurvy.
Growing watercress outdoors
Watercress can be grown outdoors in the open air, in pots or in greenhouses. Sow directly in June or pre-plant indoors in April-May.
The seeds are light-growing. Place them about 0.2 cm deep. Cover the tray with a transparent lid or plastic with air holes. Keep moist during germination.
Plant out the watercress when the risk of night frost is over. A good distance between plants is about 10 cm. Choose a moist, shady spot. In early spring and late autumn, watercress can be grown in a greenhouse.
When harvesting watercress, leave a piece of the stalk. Then new shoots will grow out.
In the southern parts of the country, watercress can be grown as a perennial and overwinter outdoors.
Watercress as microgreens, houseplant or sprouts
Watercress can be grown indoors to get crispy home-grown leafy greens all year round. During the dark months, the plants need to get some extra light.
- Watercress in soil indoors
The seeds are light-growing. Place them about 0.2 cm deep. Cover the tray with a transparent lid or plastic with air holes cut in it. Keep moist during germination.
Watercress can be grown as microgreens. Sow the seeds fairly densely and start harvesting after a week. You can also grow a few larger plants in a pot. In this case, it may be appropriate to harvest when the watercress is about 15 cm high. Save 1/3 of the stem, so that the plant can develop several side shoots.
If you grow watercress in a pot, it is a good idea to keep a couple of centimetres of water in the flowerpot. This will keep it moist.
- Watercress in hydroponics
As watercress is a plant that likes to grow in a water-rich environment, it is very well suited to hydroponic cultivation.
- Sprouting watercress
It is very easy to germinate watercress. First, the seeds are soaked for 24 hours. Then they are left to germinate in a jar or germinator. Rinse 1-2 times a day. We find it easiest to rinse all types of sprouts in a colander with metal mesh.
Watercress is easy to propagate
Watercress is one of those funny plants that branches out in all directions. When you cut the stems, more shoots develop. The rootlets cause new seedlings to appear next to the mother plant. In addition, it is easy to cut a shoot of watercress and put it as a cuttings in moist soil.
Watercress in cooking
Watercress is packed with nutrients, including vitamins A, C, D, E and K, antioxidants and the minerals calcium and manganese.
The leaves, stems and small white flowers are all edible. Watercress is delicious raw in salads. It can also be mixed into stir-fries, gratins, pies, stews and purees.
Author: Johanna Damm
Fact-checked by Erik Hoekstra
Last updated 2022-10-14