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(Lepidium sativum 'Curled')

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1 8 $1.00 - $6.40
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Curled Cress is an annual herb that is native to Europe and the Middle East but can be commonly found growing throughout the northern United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 12-20” and features branching stems, 2” bright green peppery flavored leaves, and clusters of white to pink 1/16” flowers. This plant can be grown in a container, tolerates light frost, is both edible and medicinal, and self sows! 

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Family: Brassicaceae

Genus: Lepidium

Species: sativum

Variety: Curled Cress

Also Known As: Garden Cress, Garden Pepper Cress, Pepperwort, Pepper Grass, Poor Man's Pepper.

Native to: Afghanistan, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Central European Rus, Czechoslovakia, East European Russia, Egypt, France, Greece, Gulf States, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Kriti, Krym, Lebanon-Syria, Lesser Sunda Is., Netherlands, Northwest European R, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Portugal, Romania, Sardegna, Saudi Arabia, Sicilia, Sinai, South European Russi, Spain, Switzerland, Tadzhikistan, Turkey, Turkey-in-Europe, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, West Himalaya, Yemen, Yugoslavia.

Introduced into: Alberta, Algeria, Argentina South, Assam, Azores, Bangladesh, British Columbia, Burkina, Canary Is., Central African Repu, Chad, Chile Central, China North-Central, China Southeast, Connecticut, Cuba, Cyprus, East Aegean Is., Eritrea, Ethiopia, Germany, Guinea, Idaho, Illinois, India, Iowa, Jamaica, Jawa, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Korea, Leeward Is., Libya, Madeira, Maine, Mali, Manchuria, Manitoba, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Morocco, Nepal, New Caledonia, New Hampshire, New York, Newfoundland, Niger, Nigeria, Northwest Territorie, Nova Scotia, Ohio, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Primorye, Prince Edward I., Puerto Rico, Qinghai, Queensland, Québec, Rhode I., Rwanda, Saskatchewan, Sudan, Tasmania, Tennessee, Tibet, Transcaucasus, Tunisia, Uzbekistan, Vermont, Victoria, Washington, West Siberia, Wyoming.

​Ease of Growing: Easy

Grown as: Annual

Days to Maturity: 40-45 days

Hardiness: Hardy. Cress is hardy down to about 20˚ F and will often survive snowy conditions.

Crops: Spring, Fall.

Growing Season: Short, Long.

Growing Conditions: Cool, Warm. Cress grows best in moist soil with cool temperatures. In warmer temperatures Garden Cress can flower before leaves are large enough to harvest, so it should be grown in partial shade during the summer.

Outdoor Growing Temp: 45°F - 80°F.

Min Outdoor Soil Temp: 50°F. Seeds can be sowed once the soil can be worked. Germination may take up to 14 days at temperatures below 50˚ F.

Start Indoors: No.

Start Outdoors: Yes.

Light: Full sun in cooler climates or partial shade in warmer areas.

Water: Moderate. Keep soil evenly moist.

Feeder: Moderate. Prefers rich soil.

Suitability: Tolerates light frost, Needs summer shade.

Small Gardens?: Yes.

Containers?: Yes. Any potting soil will work for container growing, in fact, you barely need any soil for these shallow rooted greens. Cress is often grown indoors in a sunny window or during the winter without soil.

Attracts Beneficial Insects?: No.

Plant Height: 12-20".

Spacing: 3-6".

Sow Depth: 1/4"

Produces: branching stems, 2” bright green peppery flavored leaves, and clusters of white to pink 1/16” flowers. 

Hardiness Zone: 1-14.
Soil Preference:
Soil pH:
4.9-8.0, Ideal 6.0-6.7. Garden Cress will tolerate most soil types, but will do best in fertile, moist soil that drains well.

Soil Preparation:
Standard Mix, 5 pounds per 100 sq. ft., in top 8" of soil, 1 time: 
A standard mix will supply all necessary nutrients. This is a mix of various amendments intended to supply all of the nutrients plants may require. It is usually incorporated into the soil prior to planting. The mix consists of:

  • 4 parts cottonseed meal (this is high in nitrogen and relatively inexpensive)
  • 2 parts colloidal phosphate or bone meal (for phosphorus)
  • 2 parts wood ash or 3 parts greensand or granite dust (for potassium)
  • 1 part dolomitic limestone (to balance pH and add calcium and magnesium)
  • 1 part kelp meal (for trace elements)

Mix these together thoroughly. You can do this all at once, or you can store them separately and mix as needed.

Compost (Nitrogen), 2" in top 8" of soil, 1 time: Incorporate 2" of compost into the top 8" of soil.
When Cool, Warm: Garden Cress grows best in moist soil with cool temperatures. In warmer temperatures Garden Cress can flower before leaves are large enough to harvest, so it should be grown in partial shade during the summer.

When outdoor temp: 45°F to 80°F, optimal temp 60°F to 70°F

When min soil temp: 50°F. Seeds can be sowed once the soil can be worked. Germination may take up to 14 days at temperatures below 50˚ F.

Seed Depth: 0.125"-0.25". Cover seeds with about 1/8 to 1/4" of soil.

Spacing: 2.0"-4.0", 16 plants per sq ft. Give plants a final spacing of 2 to 4" apart.

Spring Crop:
2-4 weeks before Last Frost Date: 
Garden Cress grows so quickly that it's best to start it outdoors directly in the garden.

Sowing Directly: Sow seeds 1/8 to 1/4" deep about 1" apart and keep moist. 

Containers: Garden Cress has shallow roots and does not need to be grown in deep containers - 4" tall flats are perfect. Sow seeds 1/8 to 1/4" deep about 1" apart and keep moist.

Fall Crop:
10-12 weeks before First Frost Date: 
Garden Cress grows so quickly that it's best to start it outdoors directly in the garden. Garden Cress needs cool weather, so wait until the summer temperatures drop and fall temperatures begin. Wait until its about 70˚ F outside.

Sowing Directly: Sow seeds 1/8 to 1/4" deep about 1" apart and keep moist. 

Containers: Garden Cress has shallow roots and does not need to be grown in deep containers - 4" tall flats are perfect. Sow seeds 1/8 to 1/4" deep about 1" apart and keep moist.

Support: No.
Garden Cress is pretty easy to grow, but it doesn't last long before it bolts. In hot weather it bolts pretty quickly.

Water Needs: Moderate. Keep soil evenly moist.

Fertilizer Needs: Moderate. Prefers rich soil.

Watering, regularly: Water, 0.5 inch(es), regularly, 2 times a week. Keep soil moist at all times. If the plants do not receive adequate moisture they will be far less productive.

Weeding, regularly: regularly, every 2 weeks. Keep Garden Cress free of weeds, especially while young.

Thinning, when 3" tall: Before plants crowd one another, thin plants to stand 2 to 4" apart. Eat your thinnings - they're delicious!

Support: No
Store cress in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for a few days.

Storage Req: Refrigerator 
Storage Temp: 35-40°F 
Storage Length: 1-5 days
The flowers have both male and female parts and produce seed readily (often too readily as premature bolting can be a problem). Put the ripe plants in a paper grocery bag to dry out and then crush them to release the seeds.

Seed Viability in Years:
​4 - 5 Years

Culinary

Taste:
Young leaves have a mild peppery taste. As the plants mature they become very hot.

Culinary Use:
Leaves can be used in salads, sandwiches, or in soups and sauces as a potherb. Fancy leaves make a fancy garnish.

Medicinal

The leaves are antiscorbutic, diuretic and stimulant. The plant is administered in cases of asthma, cough with expectoration and bleeding piles. The root is used in the treatment of secondary syphilis and tenesmus. The seeds are galactogogue. They have been boiled with milk and used to procure an abortion, they have been applied as a poultice to pains and hurts and have also been used as an aperient.
Source
Project Purity Seeds can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
​Bunching onions, chives, peppermint, spearmint, and wintergreen. Cress can be inter-planted with other small crops.

Nutrition

Garden Cress is rich in iron, calcium, and Vitamins A and C.

The Health Benefits of Cress

Potential Anti-Cancer Effects:
A study funded by Australia's Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) assessed the anti-cancer potential of a number of Brassica vegetables, including garden cress. For each tested vegetable, an anti-cancer score was calculated based on the vegetable's glucosinolate content. While glucosinolates themselves have limited biological activity, their metabolites – particularly isothiocyanates – appear to have significant cancer-fighting potential due to their ability to promote the elimination of potential carcinogens from the body. However, many Brassica species, including garden cress, contain epithiospecifier protein (ESP), a compound that promotes the conversion of glucosinolates into nitriles (which have no anti-cancer properties) rather than isothiocyanates.

However, despite containing ESP, garden cress still had significant anti-cancer potential relative to many other vegetables tested. Even when the potential effects of ESP were take into account, garden cress still appeared to have as much or more anti-cancer potential than radishes, turnips, cabbage, kohlrabi, Chinese broccoli, mizuna, komatsuna, or choy sum.

A Powerhouse of Carotenoids (Good for Your Vision and Eye Health):
If you're still not impressed by the nutritional value of garden cress, then consider this: by eating just one ounce of garden cress you'll be supplying your body with nearly 40% of the Daily Value of vitamin A (in the form of carotenoids). As you may already know, vitamin A and carotenoids are considered one of the best nutrients for the eyes due to their ability to reduce the risk of impaired night vision, cataracts, retinitis pigmentosa, and even age-related macular degeneration, a common cause of blindness in older people.

Garden Cress Contains Even More Vitamin C Than Oranges:
So you thought oranges are the ultimate vitamin C champion? Well, guess what, fresh garden cress contains much more vitamin C than fresh oranges! Just one ounce of garden cress delivers a whopping 32 of the Daily Value of vitamin C – that is 7% more than what you would get from an equal amount of fresh orange. Vitamin C is crucial to keeping you skin, bones, and gums strong and healthy, but it also helps prevent iron deficiency by improving your body's capability to absorb iron from foods.

Eating Garden Cress May Provide Cardiovascular Benefits:
Scientific research suggests that vitamin C may also help keep your cardiovascular system healthy, so adding garden cress to your diet may be a smart thing to do if you're trying to improve your cardiovascular health. A study published in the April 2004 edition of the Journal of the American College of Nutrition reported that the study participants who received a daily supplement containing 500 milligrams of vitamin C experienced a 24% drop in their plasma CRP levels after just two months. Recent evidence suggests that CRP levels (C-reactive protein levels) are a good measure of a person's heart disease risk, potentially even better than cholesterol levels.

In addition, garden cress is supercharged with vitamin K, another nutrient that is thought to play a key role in maintaining cardiovascular health. By adding just half an ounce of garden cress to your salad you'll be covering almost 100% of the Daily Value of vitamin K!

Smile, Garden Cress May Be Good for Your Teeth, Too!:
Glucotropaeolin, one of the main glucosinolates found in garden cress, is a pre-cursor to benzyl isothiocyanate (BIT), a compound that may help fight dental caries. A study published in Microbios Letters in 1988 found that BIT inhibited the growth and acid production of Streptococcus mutans, a bacterium that has been linked to the development of dental caries.
Source
The seed yields up to 58% of an edible oil that can also be used for lighting.

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      • Billy Buttons
      • Black-Eyed Susan
      • Blanket Flower
      • Blazing Star
      • Boneset
      • Burning Bush
      • Calendula
      • Camass
      • Canterbury Bells
      • Cardinal Flower
      • Catchfly
      • Celosia
      • China Asters
      • Chinese Houses
      • Clarkia
      • Clover
      • Coleus
      • Columbine
      • Compass Plant
      • Coneflower
      • Coral Bells
      • Cornflower
      • Cosmos
      • Dahlia
      • Daisy
      • Dame's Rocket
      • Dusty Miller
      • False Goats Beard
      • Five Spot
      • Four O'Clocks
      • Foxglove
      • Gas Plant
      • Gazania
      • Gilia
      • Hibiscus
      • Ice Plant
      • Iris
      • Irish Moss
      • Joe Pye Weed
      • Lacy Phacelia
      • Lamb's Ear
      • Larkspur
      • Lupine
      • Marigold
      • Milkweed
      • Moonwort
      • Morning Glory
      • Moss Rose
      • Nasturtiums
      • Obedient Plant
      • Pansy
      • Penstemon
      • Petunia
      • Pheasant's Eye
      • Pink Nodding Onion
      • Poached Egg Plant
      • Polka Dot Plant
      • Poppy
      • Poppy Mallow
      • Purple Rock Cress
      • Queen of the Prairie
      • Red Hot Poker
      • Rose of Heaven
      • Sedum
      • Snapdragon
      • Spider Plant
      • Spiderwort
      • Strawflower
      • Sunflower
      • Sweet Williams
      • Tobacco
      • Winged Everlasting
      • Zinnia
    • Our Fruits Seeds >
      • Strawberries
    • Our Herb Seeds >
      • Angelica
      • Anise
      • Balm: Lemon
      • Basil
      • Bee Balm
      • Borage
      • Caraway
      • Catnip
      • Chamomile
      • Chervil
      • Chia
      • Chives
      • Coriander
      • Cress
      • Cumin
      • Dill
      • Fennel
      • Fenugreek
      • Heal All
      • Hyssop
      • Lavender
      • Lemongrass
      • Lovage
      • Marjoram
      • Mint
      • Monkshood
      • Motherwort
      • Oregano
      • Rosemary
      • Sage
      • Savory
      • Skullcap
      • Sorrel
      • Tarragon
      • Thyme
      • Toothache Plant
      • Valerian
      • Yarrow
    • Our Vegetable Seeds >
      • Amaranth
      • Artichoke
      • Arugula
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      • Beets
      • Broccoli
      • Brussels Sprouts
      • Cabbage
      • Carrots
      • Cauliflower
      • Celery
      • Collards
      • Corn
      • Corn Salad
      • Cucumbers
      • Eggplant
      • Ground Cherry
      • Gourd
      • Kale
      • Kohlrabi
      • Leeks
      • Lettuce
      • Melons
      • Mustard
      • Okra
      • Onions
      • Parsley
      • Peas
      • Peppers
      • Pumpkin
      • Radish
      • Rhubarb
      • Salsify
      • Spinach
      • Squash
      • Swiss Chard
      • Tomatillo
      • Tomato
      • Turnips
    • Microgreens & Sprouts
  • Special Access
  • Point System
  • Interactive Gardening Tools
  • Get More, Here's How
  • Contact Us