Garden cress (Lepidium sativum) Flower, Leaf, Care, Uses

Sand, Loam

Sunlight

Full sun

Hardiness Zones

6 to 9

Planting Time

Fall, Winter, Early spring

Harvest Time

Mustards, capers, and allies

Mid spring, Late spring, Summer, Early fall

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Garden cress

Sunlight

Full sun

Hardiness Zones

6 to 9

Planting Time

Fall, Winter, Early spring

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Questions About Garden cress

Watering

Pruning

Sunlight

Temperature

Fertilizing

What is the best way to water my Garden cress?

Not only does the Garden cress have certain preferences regarding how much water it receives, but it also cares deeply about how you provide that water. In fact, if you don't use the proper watering technique, you risk harming your tomatoes. The best way to water Garden cress is to apply the water directly to the soil in a slow and gentle manner. You should not pour all of the water into the soil at once, and you should not do overhead watering for your Garden cress. Although you should water slowly, you should also water deeply to ensure that all of the soil in which your Garden cress grows is sufficiently moist.

What should I do if I water my Garden cress too much or too little?

If you find that you have overwatered your Garden cress and you are concerned about the associated risk of disease, you should intervene immediately. Often the best approach for an overwatered Garden cress is to uproot it from its current growing location. Once the plant is out of the ground, you can allow its roots to dry a bit before planting it in a new growing location. Ensure that the new growing location has soil with good drainage. If you grow in pots, you may also want to move your plant to a pot with more or larger drainage holes. In the case of underwatering, all you will need to do is increase the frequency with which you supply water to your plant.

How often should I water my Garden cress?

Overall, Garden cress requires a significant amount of water throughout the growing season. To meet that high water need, you'll need to water early and often throughout the spring and summer. During the earlier parts of the growing season, you should water your Garden cress about once or twice per week. As the season progresses, you should increase your watering frequency. You may need to water it twice per day or more during summer, depending on the weather. After your Garden cress have gone through their major seasonal growth phases, you can reduce the frequency of your watering to about once per week until the end of the growing season.

How much water does my Garden cress need?

Since Garden cress are incredibly popular, with many professional and amateur gardeners growing them successfully, we have a pretty clear idea of how to care for these plants. That understanding includes specific knowledge about the precise volume of water an average Garden cress should receive. Generally, Garden cress will require about 1 - 1.5 inches of water per week. That volume should be dispersed evenly through your weekly watering. As the weather gets warmer, you may need to supply more water, but in most cases, two inches per week is a good baseline amount.

How can I tell if i'm watering my Garden cress enough?

Underwatering and overwatering can both occur as problems for your Garden cress, and both these problems can manifest with similar symptoms. For example, foliage discoloration and wilting can both result from either overwatering or underwatering. When your Garden cress is underwatered, its leaves will be curling and drooping at the beginning. You will see a bunch of leaves turn less vigorous. Underwatering is also likely to cause stunted growth and poor overall development as both the flowers and this plant require a high amount of water. Overwatering is more likely to lead to disease, including rot. Overwatering may also lead to unpleasant smells rising from your plant's soil. The symptoms of underwatering will show up quicker than overwatering. Overwatering can also be evident in soil conditions. Mainly, if you notice a lot of standing water or waterlogged soils, overwatering is likely to occur.

How should I water my Garden cress through the seasons?

As alluded to above, your Garden cress's water needs will repeatedly change throughout the seasons. During most of spring and summer, you should water your Garden cress about once every week. As the heat of summer arrives, you should plan to increase your watering frequency to once or twice per day. In the late summer and fall, towards the end of the harvest period, you can reduce your watering frequency to about once per week. After harvest has ended, you can cease watering as your Garden cress has reached the end of its life cycle and will require no further soil moisture.

The maintenance schedule of Garden cress will require you to alter the amount of water you provide depending on the plant's current growth stage. Early on, especially if you grow your Garden cress from seeds, you'll need to provide water often enough to maintain consistent soil moisture, which encourages root development. When the plant becomes old enough to produce flowers, it will likely need even more water. During the fruit development growth stage, your Garden cress will likely need the most water out of any growth period, at times requiring water more than twice per day. Following that phase, the water needs of Garden cress will decline significantly.

What's the difference between watering Garden cress indoors and outdoors?

Whether you grow Garden cress indoors or outdoors can also play a role in how you water them. Garden cress that grows outdoors may receive water from natural rainfall, which will reduce the amount of supplemental water you should supply. However, it is incredibly rare for rainfall to adequately replace your watering entirely. Plants that grow indoors, along with any Garden cress that grows in a container, will need to be watered more frequently than those that grow in the ground outdoors. If you choose this route, please make sure that the plant gets enough water by checking the soil moisture within your pot often to keep your Garden cress healthy.

Is pruning necessary for my Garden cress?

Garden cress is a kind of annual plant so it doesn't need much pruning. You only need to cut off and clean the diseased, yellow or dropped leaves and stems during its growing period. This will help your Garden cress to stay away from pathogens infection.

How do I prune my Garden cress?

During the growth of the plant, yellowing, drying and spotted leaves are produced, and these spotted and discolored leaves need to be trimmed off. If the whole piece of leave is discolored or infected, you will need to cut it off completely. In other situations, you will only need to cut off the discolored or infected part on certain leaves. Garden cress above the ground will die and dry up in the winter, and the dead plants need to be cleaned up.

Are there any cautions I should be careful with when pruning my Garden cress?

Garden cress leaves are delicate, so take care not to score or bruise them. Unless the leaves are withered or heavily discolored, do not prune the leaves from the lowermost branches unless they’re damaged. They typically grow the largest, so they supply the plant with critical energy to keep it growing right. Please prevent the wounds from water after pruning until they are fully recovered. Remember always sterilize the tools before pruning. When the pruning is finished, please throw all the waste leaves and stems into the trashbins to avoid diseases and bugs.

Are there any tips for pruning my Garden cress?

Sterilize all the tools before pruning; unclean tools will pass pathogens to the plant through wounds;
Prune on sunny days because the new cuts will be infected by pathogens if they're distained by rain or water.
Throw all the waste leaves and stems into trashbins, they will easily rot and attract diseases and bugs

When should/shouldn't I prune my Garden cress?

Expect to prune your Garden cress every week if it’s growing well or every two weeks if it grows slowly. It is always good to prune it on sunny days because if you prune it on rainy days, the rainwater will distain the cuts and cause the whole plant to be infected.

What should I look for when pruning my Garden cress in different seasons?

Because Garden cress is an annual plant, the pruning should take place basically during the seasons that the plant grows rapidly. During the growth of the plant, yellowing, drying and spotted leaves are produced, and these spotted and discolored leaves need to be trimmed off.

How much sunlight does Garden cress need to grow?

Exact needs vary, but a minimum of 6 to 8 hours per day is a good rule of thumb for Garden cress to grow and produce fruit.

What type of sunlight does Garden cress need?

Garden cress requires full sun, meaning that it should be grown in a location that gets direct sunlight that isn’t blocked by obstacles such as trees, fences, or buildings. In general, the faster the plant grows, the more hours of sunlight it will need. Morning sun is best for photosynthesis.

Should I protect Garden cress from sun exposure?

Garden cress should not need to be protected from the sun in most climates. Those who live in a desert or near the equator may find that the sun is too harsh for the types of plants they want to grow, but this is the exception.

What will happen if Garden cress doesn't get enough sunlight?

All plants need sunlight to convert into energy. Plants that have a short growing season need even more light and energy than those that grow slowly, as they need to complete all their processes to grow and produce fruit within just a few months.

The first symptoms of insufficient sunlight in Garden cress are pale and yellow leaves that are not able to generate enough chlorophyll to keep their healthy green color. The leaves may eventually fall off, and new growth is small and weak. The plant may become leggy and sparse as it stretches toward the available light.

Finally, without enough light the plant will not be able to produce large, high-quality edible leaves or fruit. Garden cress needs to devote a lot of energy into growing leaves and fruits, so if there isn’t enough light available for it to convert, the harvest will suffer.

What will happen if Garden cress gets too much sunlight?

Garden cress can get sunburned from intense sunlight, especially when coupled with high temperatures and not having enough water. Afternoon sun tends to be most likely to burn plants. Scalded leaves develop faded patches of light brown to white on the areas at the top of the plant that are exposed to the most sun. They are especially vulnerable to this right after being transplanted from a shadier location to being in full sun. Transitioning plants gradually or providing them with a barrier while they are adjusting can help prevent sunscald in young plants.

In many cases, Garden cress develops leaves that are large enough to protect fruits from the strongest rays of the sun. However, if intense sunlight is in contact with fruits, they can also be damaged. Avoid over-pruning those protective leaves so that the fruits don’t get burned.

Are there any cautions or tips for sunlight and Garden cress?

Garden cress may become unbalanced if it gets significantly more light on one side than the other. Ideally, you can plant your Garden cress in a location away from obstacles that might block light, and where the distribution of sunlight is even on all sides.

Be careful about planting tall species next to those that grow closer to the ground. It may not be obvious when the crops are first planted, but over time the taller plants may begin to block the amount of sunlight that can reach the shorter plants.

Morning sun helps to dry dew and precipitation, which helps prevent infection from diseases that can develop when water sits on the plant. If you are watering or irrigating your Garden cress, this should be done in the morning.

What is the optimal temperature for Garden cress?

There is an ideal temperature range that makes Garden cress feel at home. Under these temperature conditions, it's unlikely that you’ll have any issues with cold or hot damage to the foliage, but changing leaf colors can absolutely be a sign that Garden cress isn’t happy. Try to keep your Garden cress well within its preferred range of 70-85℉(21-30℃), but don’t panic if the temperature creeps up past 85℉(30℃) during the day or down to 70℉(21℃) at night.

How can I protect Garden cress from extreme temperatures outdoors?

If your Garden cress happens to be planted outside, then there’s not much you can do to try to move it indoors. However, you can certainly provide cover in ways that will help it survive any extreme temperatures that may arise unexpectedly. For instance, you can always use a few stakes and some cloth to put together a shade tent that will block out much of the sun’s intense heat from direct sunlight exposure.

Similarly, Garden cress can be protected from the extreme cold and especially chilly winds by building a small greenhouse around the plant, which will create a greenhouse effect and warm the plant up. This can be done using garden stakes and any sort of clear or translucent plastic you may have around; if you have greenhouse plastic such as polycarbonate laying around, this works perfectly. Remove the greenhouse once temperatures warm up to 40℉(10℃) at night.

Does Garden cress need different temperatures in different seasons?

Generally speaking, Garden cress needs to stay within its preferred temperature range all year long. However, that doesn’t mean that care should stay the same all year long. During the warmest months of the year, Garden cress will need a little extra shade and a bit more of a breeze to help it cope with the hottest days. On the other hand, it may need to be moved away from chilly windows and doors during the cooler months in climates where temperatures drop below 40℉(10℃) at any point in the year.

What is the best way to maintain the right temperature for my Garden cress?

Keeping your Garden cress at the right temperature can be fairly simple. Depending on where you grow it, Garden cress can be fairly easy to accommodate. For indoor growing, you can easily move the plant to different locations within your indoor space that best meet its temperature requirements. Avoid placing it near air conditioning vents, heaters, doors that open frequently, or drafty windows.

It is a little more difficult to control the temperature around your Garden cress if it’s grown outside. Of course, if it’s planted in a pot, you can simply bring it indoors when the temperatures outside get too hot or too cold for Garden cress, but otherwise, you may need to take different measures to protect it from extreme heat or cold that may damage it irreversibly. Try placing Garden cress under cover to protect from both the harsh sun that can overheat it and any cold wind that could be potentially deadly for your plant.

Why do I need to fertilize my Garden cress?

Garden cress is grown for its edible leaves and shoots, so it needs sufficient nutrients to provide great flavor and a large harvest. If this plant is grown in soil that does not have enough nutrients, its leaves and stems will be underdeveloped, and flavors are likely to be inferior to a plant that is grown in more favorable conditions. Stems are likely to be thin and the taste may be bitter.

Fertilization is especially important if this plant is grown in a container, since container plants don't have as much access to organic matter as those grown in the ground. Supplement your Garden cress with a balanced liquid fertilizer if it is grown in a pot.

When is the best time to fertilize my Garden cress?

There are several points during the growing season that you should apply fertilizer to benefit your Garden cress. The initial application occurs when you prepare the ground to be planted, at least 2 to 8 weeks before planting, amend the soil thoroughly with nutrient-rich organic material such as compost or manure.

Amend the soil again at planting time, using the same method. After your seedlings emerge, wait until they reach around 2 inches tall before applying the next dose of fertilizer. After that, you can continue to regularly feed your Garden cress with rich organic matter or a commercial fertilizer until you harvest. A typical schedule would be to fertilize every two to three weeks. It is also a good idea to add a layer of compost or manure around the plant to provide a continuous supply of nutrients.

When should I avoid fertilizing my Garden cress?

Avoid Fertilizing Garden cress when soil conditions are dry. This plant requires plenty of water, and will not be able to properly absorb nutrients if there isn't enough moisture in the soil. Also avoid using chemical fertilizers on this plant outside of the growing season, since that risks introducing more fertilizer than the plant can use. Excess chemical fertilizer ends up in groundwater and can contaminate soil, so be sure to fertilize only during the active growing periods.

What type of fertilizer does my Garden cress need?

Garden cress should be provided with a balanced fertilizer, although it may not need much fertilization if the soil is rich enough. Organic fertilizers such as fish emulsion, well-rotted manure, and compost or compost tea work very well for growing Garden cress.

You may prefer to use a fertilizer with a slightly higher nitrogen ratio compared to other macronutrients, as nitrogen supports strong foliage development. The NPK number on the fertilizer label will be the best way to understand the ratio of the three macronutrients nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in the mixture. The best way to determine what kind of fertilizer works best for Garden cress in your garden is to perform a soil test and then compare the results against the requirements for successfully growing the plant.

How do I fertilize my Garden cress?

Mix compost or other organic fertilizers into the soil prior to planting. This provides seedlings a great start so they can develop a healthy root system.

At the beginning of the growing season, layer compost or other organic fertilizers and soil amendments around the bed so they can release nutrients into the soil over time. A slow-release granular fertilizer can also be sprinkled onto the soil if needed to supplement nutrients and support leaf development. Liquid fertilizers could be used during the regular watering cycle, but be careful when using chemical fertilizer products that you do not use too much and burn your Garden cress.

What happens if I fertilize my Garden cress too much?

Overfertilization of Garden cress can cause the plant to become stressed and burned. Garden cress may die altogether, especially if excess fertilizer is combined with dry and/or hot conditions, so always remember to water thoroughly when fertilizing this plant.

Excess fertilizers cause a condition called fertilizer burn, which happens when too many salts build up in the roots or other parts of the plant. This is less common when using organic fertilizers compared to chemical fertilizers, so it is always recommended to use natural materials if possible.

Too much fertilizer causes the plant to become stressed, resulting in yellowing and wilting foliage. It is easier to avoid this condition than to treat it after it has already happened, but you can flush the soil with a lot of water if you have accidentally overfertilized. Garden cress is resilient and can come back from unhealthy conditions once the problem is rectified.

Get tips and tricks for your plants.

Keep your plants happy and healthy with our guide to watering, lighting, feeding and more.

Common Pests & Diseases

Common issues for Garden cress based on 10 million real cases

Flower withering

Flowers may dry out due to a sudden change in environment or because the plant has completed its normal flowering period.

Solutions: If flower withering is a natural progression due to age, there is nothing that can be done to slow or stop the process. Once hormones within the plant begin the process of senescence, it’s irreversible. For lack of water, immediately water the plant using room temperature rainwater, bottled spring water, or filtered tap water. Water container plants until excess water drains out the bottom; water in-ground plants until the soil is soaked but there isn’t standing water on the surface. In the event of nutritional deficiencies, the best solution is to use a granular or water-soluble liquid fertilizer, and apply it to the soil at about half the recommended dosage. Keep it off the leaves and make sure granular products are watered into the soil well. If the plant is infected with a bacterial or fungal pathogen, there is no course of treatment that cures the diseased plants. The best solution is to remove the infected plants and dispose of the plant material off-site. Do not put in a compost pile.

Underwatering

Leaves may wilt for a variety of reasons.

Solutions: The easiest (and most obvious) way to address underwatering is to fully hydrate the plant. However, this must be done carefully. A common mistake that many gardeners make is to douse their underwatered plants with water. This can overwhelm the roots of the plant and shock its system, something that can be even more damaging than the lack of water to begin with. Instead, water thoroughly and slowly, taking breaks to let the water slowly saturate through the soil to get to the roots. Use room temperature water, as cold water might be too much of a shock. In the future, shorten the time between waterings. A good rule of thumb is to check the soil around each plant daily. If it’s dry to at least two inches down, it’s time to water. If a container plant is repeatedly drying out very quickly, repotting into a slower-draining container might be a good idea, too.

Thrips

Thrips are 1 to 2 mm bugs with slender black or translucent-yellow bodies. They move quickly and feed on the plant's sap.

Solutions: Thrips can be controlled in several ways. Spray plants with Pyrethrin, which is an organic pesticide derived from marigolds (follow label instructions) or Permethrin, the synthetic version of Pyrethrin. Introduce beneficial insects to the garden that eat thrips, such as minute pirate bugs and green lacewings. Remove heavily infested plants from the area and discard. Address viral diseases that may have been transmitted by the pests. For less serious cases -use a hose to spray the thrips off of the plants.

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Distribution Map

Habitat

Gardens, old fields, vacant lots, disturbed areas, railroad embankments, waste grounds, roadsides, cultivated areas

Native

Cultivated

Invasive

Potentially invasive

Exotic

No species reported

More Info

Plant Type

Herb

Flower Color

White

Scientific Classification

Phylum

Vascular plants

Class

Dicotyledons

Order

Family

Cruciferae

Genus

Peppercresses

Species

Garden cress

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Add to My Garden

Garden cress

Lepidium sativum

Also known as: Gardencress pepperweed, Upland cress, Pepper cress

Lepidium sativum is a fast-growing, edible herb that's referred to as the garden cress, distinguishing it from similar plants that are also called cress. It's genetically related to mustard and watercress, and it shares their peppery, tangy flavor. It's commercially grown in Europe.

Fall, Winter, Early spring

Planting Time

Care Guide for Garden cress

Harvest Time

Mid spring, Late spring, Summer, Early fall

Know the light your plants really get.

Find the best spots for them to optimize their health, simply using your phone.

Download the App

Questions About Garden cress

Watering

Pruning

Sunlight

Temperature

Fertilizing

What is the best way to water my Garden cress?

What should I do if I water my Garden cress too much or too little?

How often should I water my Garden cress?

How much water does my Garden cress need?

How can I tell if i'm watering my Garden cress enough?

How should I water my Garden cress through the seasons?

What's the difference between watering Garden cress indoors and outdoors?

Is pruning necessary for my Garden cress?

How do I prune my Garden cress?

Are there any cautions I should be careful with when pruning my Garden cress?

Are there any tips for pruning my Garden cress?

When should/shouldn't I prune my Garden cress?

What should I look for when pruning my Garden cress in different seasons?

How much sunlight does Garden cress need to grow?

What type of sunlight does Garden cress need?

Should I protect Garden cress from sun exposure?

What will happen if Garden cress doesn't get enough sunlight?

What will happen if Garden cress gets too much sunlight?

Are there any cautions or tips for sunlight and Garden cress?

What is the optimal temperature for Garden cress?

How can I protect Garden cress from extreme temperatures outdoors?

Does Garden cress need different temperatures in different seasons?

What is the best way to maintain the right temperature for my Garden cress?

Why do I need to fertilize my Garden cress?

When is the best time to fertilize my Garden cress?

When should I avoid fertilizing my Garden cress?

What type of fertilizer does my Garden cress need?

How do I fertilize my Garden cress?

What happens if I fertilize my Garden cress too much?

Get tips and tricks for your plants.

Keep your plants happy and healthy with our guide to watering, lighting, feeding and more.

Download the App

Common Pests & Diseases

Common issues for Garden cress based on 10 million real cases

Flower withering

Flowers may dry out due to a sudden change in environment or because the plant has completed its normal flowering period.

Learn More

Underwatering

Leaves may wilt for a variety of reasons.

Learn More

Thrips

Thrips are 1 to 2 mm bugs with slender black or translucent-yellow bodies. They move quickly and feed on the plant's sap.

Learn More

Treat and prevent plant diseases.

AI-powered plant doctor helps you diagnose plant problems in seconds.

Download the App

Distribution Map

Habitat

Gardens, old fields, vacant lots, disturbed areas, railroad embankments, waste grounds, roadsides, cultivated areas

Map

Native

Cultivated

Invasive

Potentially invasive

Exotic

No species reported

More Info

Plant Type

Herb

Flower Color

White

Scientific Classification

Phylum

Vascular plants

Class

Dicotyledons

Order

Mustards, capers, and allies

Family

Cruciferae

Genus

Peppercresses

Species

Garden cress

Find your perfect green friends.

Plan your green oasis based on your criteria: plant type, pet safety, skill level, sites, and more.

Download the App

Related Plants

Ram's Horn

Proboscidea louisianica

# Useful Tips