Watercress [Nasturtium officinale]

The perennial watercress is a vegetable and medicinal plant and one of the four sacred plants of the Druids and provides numerous vitamin-rich leaves that are used as vegetables. The herb has numerous uses in medicine. Ideal for pre-cultivation, pot culture possible, sowing spring-autumn, unsuitable for mixed culture, harvest the leaves.

 Description 
Watercress is a leafy vegetable and a perennial wild and medicinal plant that was already consumed in ancient times. It is one of the four sacred plants of the Druids. As early as the 16th century, the special evergreen plant was cultivated on a large scale in Europe and was part of the bourgeois cuisine as a vitamin-rich vegetable. The herb prefers to grow in moist locations with gently flowing water and in cleaner surface sources. It is found wild in sunny or partially shaded areas on stream banks, in ponds and springs.
The taste of the succulent leaves is pleasantly peppery and slightly spicy and can be eaten cooked or raw. The medicinal herb can reduce fever, relieve gingivitis and digestive problems and helps externally as a tincture against eczema.

 General information 
Plant family: Brassicaceae
Life cycle: Perennial
Days to harvest: 80 days
Plant height approx.: 50 cm
Root type: Shallow rooted, runner-forming
Nutrient requirements: Low
Water requirements: High
Winter hardiness: Up to -10°C
Location: Sunny until semi shady
Soil: Survives permanently only in open water areas, in water pots or permanently moist mud beds

pH value: 6 to 7.5

 Sowing and planting information 
Germination type: Light germinator
Sowing depth: 0 cm
Optimal germination temperature: 9-13 °C
Germination time: 7-21 days
Plant and row spacing: 15x20 cm

Germination ability of seeds: 4-6 years

 Mixed culture 
Optimal mixed culture: -
Unfavorable mixed culture: -

 Sowing by climate zone 
Subtropic climate (Mediterranean) (e. g. B. Portugal, Spain, Italy)
Pre-cultivation is only recommended from December to March. The ideal location for the plants is sunny to partially shaded.
Moderate climate (e. g. B. Germany, Switzerland, Poland)
Pre-cultivation is only recommended from August to September. The ideal location for the plants is sunny to partially shaded.

 General recommendations 
Direct sowing is not ideal because the seeds could float away, so pre-cultivation in water pots with a humus-like substrate is the only sensible option. To do this, sow the seeds directly in small pots and keep them moist during the germination period. Simply plant watercress seedlings in water pots so that they float directly on a clear, cool and clean water surface. To cultivate the plant permanently in the garden, it is necessary to place it near open water surfaces, in water pots or permanently moist mud beds.
Watercress prefers a clear, cool and clean water surface. Does not tolerate drought.

 Additional tips 
The plants thrive best in shallow or flowing and slightly alkaline waters. When grown purely in pots, the plant is usually quite short-lived.

 Type of propagation 
Propagation occurs via seeds and root division.

 Plant care 
Fertilization is not absolutely necessary, but compost accelerates the growth of the plants in the bog bed considerably. To encourage bushy growth, older shoots of the watercress should be cut off from time to time.

 Other names 
Botanical names: Nasturtium officinale
English names: Watercress
German names: Brunnenkresse, Wasserkresse, Bachkresse
Portuguese names: Agrião
Spanish names: Berros de agua
French names: Cresson

 Origin 
Country: Germany