How to Grow Water Cress

Contrary to popular belief, you can grow watercress without planting it in a running stream. Although watercress tends to grow in moving water, it is not a growth requirement. Watercress is not considered a water plant because the shoots and leaves of the plant grow above the water. The plant prefers to take root in moist environments, but you can create the right conditions for growth with inexpensive items and a continual supply of water. If you can practice diligent watering your watercress will even tolerate soil.

Paper towel
Cup of water or bucket
Watercress seeds or cuttings
Individual peat pots

Instructions

From seeds
- 1
  Dip a paper towel into the cup of water. Remove the paper towel from the water and pour two-thirds of the water out of the cup.
- 2
  Put the paper towel back into the cup of water and pour watercress seeds onto the paper towel. Keep the paper towel moist for 10 days on a sunny windowsill.
- 3
  Transplant the seedlings into individual peat pots. Place the pots on a sunny windowsill and keep them moist for three weeks. Carefully transplant the watercress 6 inches apart on the ground in a sunny spot.
From cuttings
- 4
  Purchase cut watercress at your local super market or farmer's market.
- 5
  Fill a bucket with water and place the cuttings into the bucket.
- 6
  Position the bucket in a sunny spot.
- 7
  Change the water daily.
- 8
  Cut the watercress back to 4 inches when you notice runners shooting out from the mother plant. You can also perform this action late in the spring.

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How to Grow Water Cress

Instructions

From seeds

From cuttings