In the wild, you’ll usually spot watercress hanging out in semi-shady, super damp spots—think riverbanks or the edges of a babbling brook. But here’s the good news: you don’t need a river in your backyard to enjoy this peppery green! Growing watercress at home in your garden or even in a pot is totally doable, and it means you’ll always have a fresh supply on hand for salads and sandwiches.
Different Ways to Get Growing
If you’re ready to start your own watercress patch, you’ve got two main paths to choose from:
- Planting established seedlings
- Starting from scratch with seeds
Finding the Perfect Spot for Your Watercress
Whether you’re planting in a garden bed, directly in water, or in a container on your patio, the ideal conditions remain the same.
Keep It Wet
Watercress is a total water-lover and needs constant moisture to stay happy. If you’ve got a garden pond, that’s the absolute best place for it. However, heavy, clay-rich garden soil that holds onto water also works great. The golden rule for any method is: the wetter you keep it, the better it’ll grow!
Avoid the Scorching Sun
As long as the soil never dries out, watercress can handle some sun. That said, it’s best to avoid spots with intense, direct midday sun to prevent the leaves from getting scorched. Your watercress will be much happier in a shady or at least semi-shady spot.
How to Plant Watercress
The best time to get your watercress in the ground is during the spring or early summer. This gives the plants plenty of time to establish a strong root system before the year ends. If you’re planning on growing watercress in a pot indoors or in a greenhouse, you can pretty much start whenever you like!
You can pick up starter plants at your local nursery, or if you know someone with a patch, you can simply divide an existing plant. You can also grow them from cuttings, though that takes a bit more effort.
Sowing Watercress Seeds
If you’d rather start from the very beginning, sowing seeds is a great alternative. You can buy watercress seeds at most garden centers or harvest them yourself from mature plants.
When sowing, just lightly press the seeds into the soil rather than burying them deep. Watercress seeds are “light germinators,” meaning they need a bit of light to wake up and sprout. The only exception is if you’re planting directly outdoors—in that case, a very thin dusting of soil can help hide the seeds from hungry birds.
