Can a Blue Eye Rock Cress Flower Be Kept as an Indoor Plant?

Benefits & Drawbacks of Growing Indoors

• Growing the blue cress plant indoors helps to ensure that it cannot take over your garden. Its spreading nature means that if you let the flowers drop their seeds in the fall, the plant can choke out any surrounding plants the following spring when all of the seeds germinate. Growing indoors also ensures that you can fully control the water intake of the plant; blue cress is extremely susceptible to damage from improper watering. However, growing indoors limits the number of blooms and the amount of luscious evergreen foliage the plant can produce, since it won't have any room to spread out at all.

Germination

• Regardless of whether the cress grows indoors or out, many growers decide to start the seeds indoors to control germination. Sow the seeds in seed trays or small plants filled with vermiculite and keep them in temperatures between 65 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep the soil consistently moist, but always water from below, through a watering tray or specialized pot. Watering from above often results in over-watering and can dislodge the seeds. Seeds germinate within three to four weeks.

Replanting

• If you decide to keep the cress indoors, replant the young growth when it reaches 3 to 4 inches high. Plant it in any container you like; if you use larger containers such as barrels, the plant will have more opportunity to spread out. No matter what type of container you use, plant only in quick-draining soil that contains vermiculite or peat moss to ensure that the plants do not become waterlogged. These plants can withstand extremely hot temperatures, and grow in any condition above 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

Indoor Care

• Even if you are growing indoors, the cress plant needs at least five hours of sunlight daily to produce the characteristic beautiful blue blooms. You can place the container in a well-lit window, or move it to the porch or deck during the day to achieve this sunlight. Remember that if you are able to expose the plant to direct sunlight, it will likely need more regular watering. Water only from below using specialized trays or plants to avoid damaging the sensitive foliage with overhead watering, which can attract mold and disease and can potentially physically harm the sensitive flowers.