You can also start watercress from seeds, which you can find at a farmer's market, gardening store, or online. It can also survive winters through USDA hardiness zone 5. Watercress harvesting can commence about three weeks after emergence. ", Unlock this expert answer by supporting wikiHow, http://foodfacts.mercola.com/watercress.html, http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/heirloom-watercress-varieties-zewz1310zpit.aspx, http://www.thegardensuperstore.co.uk/acatalog/How-to-Grow-Watercress.html, http://homeguides.sfgate.com/grow-watercress-planter-68400.html, http://www.gardeningblog.net/how-to-grow/watercress/, https://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/publication/HG_Garden_2008-03pr.pdf, http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/how-to-grow-watercress/index.html, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. If you are a salad lover, as I am, it is more than likely that you are familiar with watercress. X Watercress is a perennial plant, so it will come back each year. Yes, but you risk getting then eaten by the fish, tadpoles, crayfish, and by a lot of insects. Container grown plants can be placed in a bucket filled with 2-3 inches (5-7.5 cm.) ", harvesting right away! Lauren has worked for Aurora, Colorado managing the Water-Wise Garden at Aurora Municipal Center for the Water Conservation Department. The leaves can be harvested anytime, just be cautious when harvesting not to pull up the delicate roots. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. What are the white stringy roots growing out of my watercress? It definitely helps me to get prepared prior to the planting. Thanks! ", "Awesome article! Cover the planter with plastic and place the container in a tray or a bucket filled with water. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. This guide on how to grow watercress includes everything you need to know about growing watercress in the garden. Thanks. Watercress can be grown from seed, transplants or cuttings. "I want to grow watercress at home, using cuttings from old stems with young roots. Periodic harvesting helps encourage new growth. I was wondering how to grow them on from that stage. Research source. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Check it daily to see if you need to add more water. In the garden proper, you can dig out a 6-inch (15 cm.) Overview Information Watercress is a plant. Watercress can also be grown in consistently wet soil with a soil pH of 6.5-7.5 in full sun, or you can mimic natural conditions by growing watercress plants in a bucket or other container. Use a scissors or snip and cut close to the ground once the stems are about 6 inches long or longer. ", and containers clean is also important to keep from transporting any unwanted viruses, bacteria and insects into your new bed/container. Now I will be able to grow at home. Love the stuff, thanks. 2. ", "Good instructions and explanatory pictures.". In the garden proper, you can dig out a 6-inch (15 cm.) You can also grow watercress in potting mix as long as it’s kept very, very wet. Sure enough, this article told me, "I only know harvesting watercress from running streams. Thanks. While considered an aquatic or semi-aquatic perennial plant that is often found near slow-moving water, you can also grow watercress in containers indoors or anywhere outdoors, as long as they are shaded from the hot afternoon sun and have plenty of water. Avoid taking more than a third of any plant when cutting to allow the plants enough foliage to continue growing. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/2\/26\/Grow-Watercress-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Grow-Watercress-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/2\/26\/Grow-Watercress-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid4144067-v4-728px-Grow-Watercress-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"