When to plant Cress in Cool Australia

Cool zone — applies to Hobart, Canberra, Ballarat, Orange, Armidale and similar areas. Growing elsewhere? Temperate · Subtropical · Tropical · Arid.

Sow cress direct in any month, January through December, as it is one of the fastest and hardiest crops you can grow. Scatter seed thinly about 4 mm deep, or grow it densely as a cut-and-come-again microgreen. Germination takes just 6-12 days and you can be snipping peppery leaves in as little as 10-14 days. Space or thin plants to around 15 cm in rows 10-15 cm apart if growing to full size. In cool gardens around Hobart, Canberra and Ballarat, cress fills the hungry gap when little else is producing, and winter sowings can be brought under cover on a windowsill for an even quicker turnaround.

Sowing calendar — cool zone

Green months are your sowing window: January to December.

Growing notes

Cress is about as forgiving as edible plants get, which makes it perfect for beginners and for keeping a supply of sharp salad leaves through the cool-zone winter. It is fully hardy, so outdoor sowings tolerate frost, and its speed means you rarely wait long for a harvest.

The main thing that goes wrong is drying out. Cress has fine roots and germinates on or near the surface, so a single day of neglect in warm weather can kill a tray or scorch a row. The fix is consistent moisture: keep the seedbed or punnet evenly damp, and in summer position outdoor sowings in light afternoon shade rather than baking full sun, which triggers rapid bolting and bitterness.

For a steady kitchen supply, sow little and often, every week or two, either in the ground or in shallow trays indoors. Cut leaves young when the flavour is mildest and most pleasantly peppery. As plants mature and daylight lengthens they bolt and toughen quickly, so treat each sowing as short-lived and keep a fresh batch coming. Indoors on a Canberra windowsill through winter, cress will crop reliably even when the garden outside is frozen.

Cress at a glance

Common questions

how fast does cress grow

Very fast. Germination takes 6-12 days and you can harvest peppery leaves within 10-14 days of sowing. Grown as a microgreen for snipping, it is one of the quickest crops in the garden.

can you grow cress all year round

Yes. Cress can be sown in any month in cool districts. In winter it grows well indoors on a windowsill, and in summer it prefers a little afternoon shade to slow bolting and keep the leaves mild.

why does my cress taste too hot or bitter

Heat and age make cress sharper and bitter. Harvest leaves young, keep the soil evenly moist, and give summer sowings some shade to keep the peppery flavour pleasant rather than harsh.

how do you keep cress producing

Sow small batches every week or two, because each sowing is short-lived and bolts once mature. Cut leaves young and start a fresh tray before the last one runs to seed.

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