How to Grow Cress – For Children & Adults!

Did you know watercress is one of the V8 veggies? This highly popular, slightly nutty tasting leafy veg adds a definite zing to our famous juice.

It’s also one of the easiest ingredients from V8 that you can grow yourself with little to no outside space. However, today we’re looking at growing watercress’s cousin, cress, as well as some micro watercress!

This microgreen is a favourite to grow for those with young children, as it’s simple to grow and doesn’t take too long to see results.

How to Grow Cress

Cress is one of the easiest vegetables to grow. There are a few ways that you can grow cress, some that look more fun than others!

What You’ll Need

Regardless of how you choose to grow cress, there’s a few things you’ll definitely need:

1. Seeds -You can get these from supermarkets and garden centres. Look for mustard cress if you can’t see any other types of cress.
2. Kitchen towel – You’ll either need kitchen towel or a similarly absorbent material like cotton wool. For a more sustainable option, try a small square of flannel.
3. Water
4. A windowsill or similar indoor place that gets some light but not direct sunlight.

Growing Cress in Soil

What You Need:

To grow cress in soil, you’ll need:

1. Soil – You’ll need no more than 20 grams. If you don’t want to buy any, or haven’t got outside space, you need such a small amount that getting some from a field is absolutely fine.
2. A container of sorts – An old food dish, such as a yoghurt pot, or even the bottom of a V8 carton is perfect! You’ll want it to be no more than 10cm deep.
3. A dish to sit your container in.
4. Cress seeds.

How to Grow Cress in Soil:

1. Prepare your container by piercing a few small holes in the bottom to allow for drainage.
2. Place the container in your dish so water doesn’t get everywhere.
3. Loosely sprinkle the soil to fill your container to the top.
4. Dampen the soil slightly.
5. Place your cress seeds on the top of the soil and spritz with water.
6. Cover with clingfilm, or a see-through cover of sorts, and leave to germinate for at least a day!
7. Wait until the cress stalks are around 5cm tall and trim as desired!

Growing Cress in Eggshells

Using eggshells is a great low waste alternative and makes growing cress easy for kids.

What You’ll Need:

1. Clean and dry eggshells – They need to be a good size and with no obvious cracks.
2. Cotton wool, Kitchen roll or a piece of flannel.
3. Cress seeds
4. An egg cup, or a container that can hold the eggshell upright.

How to Grow Cress in an Eggshell with Cotton Wool

1. Draw a funny face on the eggshells. Permanent marker should do the trick.
2. Place the cotton wool or equivalent in the eggshell and dampen it slightly. It shouldn’t be soaking, but it should feel moist to touch.
3. Put the eggshell in the egg cup or similar container.
4. Add the cress seeds on top of the cotton wool and press in gently.
5. Cover with clingfilm, or a see-through cover of sorts, and leave to germinate for at least a day!
6. Wait until the cress stalks are around 5cm tall and trim as desired!

Grow Cress with Old Tights

What You’ll Need

1. A pair of old tights that have been cleaned and cut to above the ankle.
2. Soil of any kind.
3. Cress seeds
4. Any decorations you want.
5. String, elastic band or hairbands.

How to Grow Cress with Old Tights

1. Place the cress seeds at the very bottom of the tights.
2. Carefully pour about two-three inches of soil into the tights.
3. Tightly tie the tights up, making sure to compact the soil and cress seeds together.
4. Place the tights on a dish or windowsill.
5. Decorate the tights as you wish!
6. Water until damp, and then wait for the cress to grow!

If You Don’t Want to Grow Cress, Drink it!

V8 Juice has watercress as one of its ingredients, so why not give V8 Juice a go today?

And, if you’ve grown cress using one of the methods in this blog, let us know on Facebook!

The post How to Grow Cress – For Children & Adults! appeared first on V8 UK.