How to Plant Upland Cress

Test the soil in your garden with a soil-test kit. Doing so determines which amendments, if any, are needed to make the soil's pH level in the range of 5.8 and 6.5, which is ideal for growing upland cress. Perform the soil test early because amendments' effect can take up to one year. If your soil's pH is low, work limestone into the top 7 inches of soil to raise the pH level. If the soil's pH is high, incorporate sulfur into the top 7 inches of soil to lower its pH.

Spread a 2-inch layer of compost over the soil in your garden, and incorporate it into the top 6 to 8 inches of soil to promote drainage. Remove all rocks, weeds and other debris from the soil, pulverize soil clumps and level the planting surface with a rake.

Select a sunny area of the garden to grow upland cress. If you live in a hot climate, select a growing area that offers some shade to provide protection from the hot afternoon sunlight. Dig a trench that is about 1/2 inch deep in the soil, using a garden trowel for the task. Sprinkle upland cress seeds evenly in the trench. Fill the trench with soil. Dig additional trenches for additional rows of upland cress if desired, spacing the rows about 12 to 14 inches apart, and plant the seeds in those trenches as you did in the first trench.

Water the soil immediately after sowing the seeds and throughout their germination period. When seedlings emerge above the soil surface, remove some so the remaining plants are 3 to 6 inches apart. Water the site regularly, keeping the soil moist -- not wet -- throughout the growing period.