Watercress microgreens: benefits and harms, photo, how to grow, taste, how much it grows

Watercress is a fast-growing microgreen. The first harvest is taken three weeks after sowing. You can grow not only on the site, but also on the balcony. There is a way to cultivate a plant even without soil. Step-by-step instructions and useful tips are described in the article.

What does watercress look like

Commonly referred to as garden cress, watercress is an annual plant in the Brassicaceae family. In nature, it grows in warm countries – Turkey, the Middle East. North Africa. In the climate, watercress can be grown in the garden in the summer, or on the windowsill, in the greenhouse all year round (if the right conditions are created).

Watercress has a small thin stalk of light green color. In the upper part grow small leaves of a dark green color. They are numerous, form a “green carpet”. Flowers vary in color from white to pale purple. On the stems and foliage, a bluish coating is often noticeable.

The fruit of watercress is a small pod, has an oval shape. Seeds can be collected, placed in a cloth bag and stored until next year. Then, with the advent of spring, watercress can be planted in a greenhouse or on your windowsill.

What does watercress taste like?

Greens have an interesting taste. Watercress is quite spicy, refreshing and slightly spicy. The taste is peculiar, but if you compare it with other plants, you can call it radish, horseradish, mustard.

Unlike classic greens, watercress gives an interesting spiciness. It awakens the taste sensations, goes well with neutral foods, such as vegetables. It is worth remembering that fresh watercress has the most striking taste. If the plant is frozen, the taste is partially lost. After heat treatment, useful qualities also disappear.

Types and varieties of watercress

There are several varieties of the plant, they differ in appearance, taste, and also in terms of ripening. The most common types:

1. Whole-leaved – it is permissible to grow it all year round, planting watercress can also be done at home on the windowsill.
2. Curly – has a characteristic type of foliage, they have “curls”, which makes them look attractive.
3. Sowing – a group of varieties of fast maturation. They can be grown at home, in a greenhouse or outdoors.

Dansky – one of the most common watercress

The most popular varieties include:

1. Dansky is an early maturing variety. It has good germination, spicy and spicy taste.
2. Openwork – greens with large foliage, ripens in a month. The taste is more delicate, without sharpness, the aroma is bright, spicy.
3. Dukat – ripens even faster, within three weeks. It has a tart, juicy and at the same time delicate taste.
4. Spring – an early variety that can be planted in the first half of spring. It ripens up to three weeks, so it gives up to 4-5 crops in one season.

Composition and calorie content of watercress

Watercress is a low-calorie product, only 32 kcal per 10 g. Nutritional value for the same weight:

• proteins – 2,6 g;
• fats – 0,7 g;
• carbohydrates – 4,4

The main share is water, almost 90% of the mass. The remaining 10% is dry matter. The plant contains quite a lot of dietary fiber – more than 1 g per 100 g, which is 5% of the recommended daily allowance.

The plant contains quite a few valuable components:

• vitamins A, B1, B2, B5, B6, B9, C, E, K, PP;
• potassium;
• manganese;
• copper;
• iron;
• phosphorus;
• magnesium;
• calcium;
• selenium;
• zinc.

Watercress is especially rich in vitamin C (almost 80% of the daily requirement in 100), A (40%), K (450%), manganese (30%) and copper (20%). Even if you consume the plant in moderation, you can fill the body’s need for all these substances. But it is worth remembering that after heat treatment, many useful compounds decompose. Therefore, the salad is best consumed fresh.

Benefits of watercress for the body

The beneficial properties of watercress are associated with many aspects. The composition of greens includes various chemicals that have a beneficial effect on the body:

• strengthening immunity;
• increasing resilience to physical and emotional stress;
• treatment of cough, sore throat;
• strengthening the heart and blood vessels;
• pressure normalization;
• removal of toxins, toxins;
• help with losing weight;
• getting rid of parasites in the intestines;
• prevention of oncological diseases;
• normalization of hormonal balance;
• calming effect;
• treatment of insomnia;
• getting rid of depression.

The plant contains vitamins, trace elements and fiber.

This substance is involved in the processes of fetal formation. Therefore, the plant should be regularly eaten by pregnant women.

Contraindications and harm

The watercress plant contains substances that cause a spicy taste. Therefore, it should not be used in patients with gastritis and colitis. Sometimes people may have an individual intolerance to one or another component that is part of the plant. This is manifested by allergic reactions:

• itching;
• skin rash;
• swelling;
• redness.

The harm of watercress greens may also be due to the fact that when consumed in large quantities, especially on an empty stomach, irritation of the mucous membrane may occur. This is accompanied by pain, digestive disorders and other side effects. If such symptoms occur, lettuce is excluded from the diet. In extreme cases, seek medical attention.

How to use watercress

The watercress plant is best consumed fresh – in salads, as an addition to a side dish, vegetable, cheese, meat cuts. It can be put in a sandwich, hamburger and other dishes:

• omelet;
• soup;
• sauce;
• casserole.

Fried watercress is especially tasty – it retains its tenderness and spicy flavor. But in the stewed and boiled form, the taste is lost.

Greens are used as an addition to vegetable and meat dishes.

Application of watercress

The watercress plant is used not only in cooking, but also for other purposes, for example, as an additional remedy for the treatment of various diseases, as well as in cosmetology. The main use cases are described below.

In folk medicine

In medicine, the plant is used to treat various disorders:

• intestinal parasites;
• stomach upset;
• mouth disinfection;
• skin rashes;
• thyroid disorders;
• osteoporosis.

To get the maximum benefit from the watercress plant, it is recommended to eat 2-3 tablespoons of chopped greens daily, i.e. no more than 30-40 g. It is best to do this on a full stomach. It is not worth consuming greens in large quantities – otherwise side effects may appear.

In cosmetology

The watercress plant is also used externally. With its help lighten age spots, rejuvenate the skin. You can make cosmetic ice – chop the greens, add water and lemon juice, pour into a mold and refrigerate. So you get cubes that wipe the skin in the morning. This helps to tone and smooth wrinkles.

For the same purpose, lettuce-based oil is used. It is obtained independently on the basis of crushed seeds of the watercress plant and vegetable oil 1: 2. Insist for two days, filter. The finished composition can also be bought in the store.

How much is growing

Watercress ripens very quickly – in some varieties of the plant, the greens can be removed, for example, in the Flagman variety, it can be removed as early as two weeks after germination. Specific ripening times depend on the type of crop:

• Piquant – 16-18 days;
• Dukat – 19 days;
• Tempo – 21;
• Party – 21-22;
• Chord – 26-27.

When planting watercress, it should be taken into account that mass seedlings appear in a week. Thus, after sowing the seeds of a plant, it is possible to expect a harvest in a period of three to five weeks.

Plants mature about a month after planting

How to plant watercress

Watercress can be grown on a windowsill, as shown in the photo, as well as in a greenhouse. Cultivation is also allowed in open ground. To do this, you need to choose fertile soil and create suitable conditions, described below.

Growing watercress at home

Sprouting watercress can be done at home. To do this, it is enough to take shallow containers (up to 12 cm) and prepare the soil. It can be purchased at the store or made independently on the basis of garden soil, humus, black peat and sand in a ratio of 2: 1: 1: 1. Previously, the earth is shed with a bright pink solution of potassium permanganate or removed for several days in the freezer.

Watercress grows well at normal command temperatures. If the balcony is insulated and lighting is installed, you can grow a crop in any season, getting 8-12 crops per year. If there are no such conditions, it is better to start planting in early April, when there is already enough sunlight and heat.

Agrotechnics for growing a plant is quite simple:

1. Poke a few drainage holes in the drawers first.
2. Lay small stones in one layer on the bottom of the container.
3. Then lay out the soil, moisten, level the surface.
4. Soak the seeds of a watercress plant in water with a growth stimulant, such as Zircon, for 30 minutes.
5. Make small grooves up to 5 mm deep with an interval of 15 cm (if the variety is tall, the distance is slightly longer, if it is undersized, you can 12 cm).
6. Plant the seeds of the watercress plant at a distance of 2-3 cm, sprinkle with soil.
7. Cover with cling film with holes and place on a windowsill.
8. Grow at a temperature of 20 to 24 degrees, periodically ventilate and moisten with a spray bottle.
9. After the emergence of shoots of watercress plants, remove the film and transfer to a cooler room – 16 degrees.
10. A week later, return to room temperature 20-22 degrees.
11. If necessary, thin out seedlings, leaving only strong shoots.

Caring for watercress comes down to periodic watering from a spray bottle. If the soil is fertile, it is enough to feed only once. A week after the emergence of seedlings, you can add nitroammophoska – a teaspoon per 10 liters or 0,5 g per 1 liter. Particular attention should be paid to moisture, because even with the slightest drying of the soil, the sprouts begin to wither.

You can grow the plant in ordinary containers

If the balcony faces south or east, there is enough sunlight – you only need to periodically turn the watercress containers. If the crop is grown in winter, autumn, fitolamps or LEDs should be used. They are hung at a height of 50 cm. If there is not enough space, the lamps are mounted on racks, and boxes with plant sprouts are placed on the shelves.

Growing without land

Watercress on the windowsill can be grown without land. In this case, you should act like this:

1. Put the seeds of the plant at the bottom of a small plastic container at a distance of a few mm.
2. Spray plants with a spray bottle.
3. Cover with transparent lid. Put in a warm place (room temperature).
4. After a day, sprouts will appear, they need to be moistened daily or in the “day after day” mode.
5. Germinate the plants under the lid until the sprouts rise, after which the container is opened.
6. Harvest after two weeks.

Growing watercress outdoors

Plant seeds are planted in open ground from the end of March (in the south) to mid-April (Siberia, northern regions). The place is chosen illuminated (partial shade is allowed), dry (not in a lowland), while the soil should be fertile and loose. Previously, compost or humus is embedded in it (up to 10 kg per 1 m²).

Soil preparation and planting technology for watercress plants is exactly the same – the surface of the beds is leveled, several grooves are marked up to 1 cm deep, seeds are laid out and sprinkled with soil. If at night the temperature drops below 15 degrees, at first it is necessary to cover with a film. Periodically ventilate and moisten with a spray bottle.

Watercress in a greenhouse

In the greenhouse, plant seeds can be sown from late March to mid-April. You can make a small bed or use a seedling box. It is convenient to put it on the rack, so as not to take up extra space. The landing technique is the same. In the first week, the seeds are covered with a film, after the sprouts appear, it is removed and the greenhouse begins to ventilate to create cool conditions. The watercress plant is harvested after 2-3 weeks.

In the greenhouse, the greens of the plant ripen in less than a month

Terms and conditions of storage

The watercress plant can be stored in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. To do this, the sprouts are placed in a plastic container or in a bag, making several holes. Washing and spraying is not necessary, otherwise the greens will begin to rot.

Germinated plants are stored for the longest time in the substrate. Pots of watercress can be placed on a windowsill, sprayed periodically, and harvested as needed.

Also, the foliage can be frozen, pre-chopped. Then it will lose its taste, but the shelf life increases to 6-8 months. It is recommended to defrost at normal room temperature.

Conclusion

Watercress is quite peculiar in taste, it will complement vegetable and meat dishes well. It is necessary to use the plant in moderation so as not to disturb digestion. Growing it is quite simple – on the windowsill, with additional lighting, you can do it all year round.

Watercress Reviews