Tips for Growing Watercress
After you find out how beneficial growing watercress is, you’re sure to be happy to consume every one of your veggies just as Mom always said you should.
Watercress (or Nasturtium officinale) isa part of the cabbage family. It is a vegetable noticeable because of its zesty pepper flavor.
Perhaps you haven’t heard much about growing watercress, but it is one of the oldest vegetables consumed by human beings. Known as the original super food because of all the important health advantages watercress can provide.
In 400 BC, Hippocrates, the father of medicine, was growing watercress in order to aid his subjects. Greek soldiers had to consume watercress immediately before battle in order to increase their agility. (Not by their Mothers.!) Emperors of Rome said that it helped.
At the time of growing watercress from seeds, sow the seeds indoors around two weeks just before the last frost arrives. Lay a piece of paper towel in a small bowl , then lightly dampen it. Put a handful of the seeds on the moist towel and add about a quarter inch of standing water.
If the seeds remain damp and warm, they should hopefully start to sprout after about seven to ten days. Three weeks after germination, the watercress will be ready for transplanting ~outside~outdoors}.
You can plant the watercress in pots or in the ground, but you should make sure that the soil remains soggy. Use a rich mix of moist soil, limestone, and organic compost for growing watercress.
As its name implies, it thrives in water. This perennial plant grows naturally along streams and creek beds. Naturally, the plant is partially below shallow water, the base of the plant in the water, and the top half above the water. Not to worry, you do not have to go out and buy a lake or pond to grow your watercress on.
This speedy growing plant can easily be grown inside in plant pots that are placed carefully into a tray of shallow water. Make sure to keep the plants damp constantly when growing watercress. The best technique is keeping the plants damp not soaked, as too much water can kill it. Watercress enjoys full sun, but grows faster not reach by direct sunlight. An place in partial shade is best when growing watercress.
As watercress can generally only be kept in the refrigerator for one week, leaves and stems should only be cut just before using. When growing watercress, harvest leaves and young stems before flowers bloom.
Health benefits of growing watercress—
Watercress is full of nutrients named “photochemical”, which is a group of compounds that fight cancer cells. These potent antioxidants can help to strengthen the immune system, which in turn can protect from heart disease.
Because of the large amounts of lutein found in the plant, this becomes an extra advantage of growing watercress. Lutein is well known to be helpful in stopping heart disease.
Watercress is also chocked full of vitamins. It also has a very low calorie count (only four calories per cup!). When consuming watercress, you’ll notice the peppery flavor of the leaves acting as stimuli to your digestive system.
Serving suggestions for watercress—
How about adding watercress to your next smoothie, to give it that extra kick? You can eat watercress in salads, or sandwiches. Cut watercress into little pieces and mix it with cream cheese and chives. Watercress adds taste to most types of salad.
Watercress can add a delicious flavor to soups. Slice the watercress into fine pieces and simmer it with chicken or vegetable stock. Add watercress to omelets or stir-fry.
You may have thought watercress was only the greenery on plates served in fancy restaurants. Actually, watercress is one of the main ingredients in V8 Vegetable Juice.
To sum up, it is definitely recommended to start growing watercress. Go have a try.
growing watercress for healthy food
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