Best time to plant watercress in Australia
Nasturtium officinale
Water cress is a fast-growing perennial water plant from the cabbage family, eaten as a leaf vegetable and among the earliest known to people. Its hollow stems float on the water and reach up to 60 cm, while the flavour is piquant, like its relatives mustard and radish.
On a shared plot: can spread
Spreads along wet ground and waterways. Keep it in a tub, away from drains.
When to sow
| Zone | Months | How well checked |
|---|---|---|
| Cool | Sep to Apr | Not yet checked against a local guide |
| Temperate | Sep to Apr | Not yet checked against a local guide |
| Tropical | Mar to Sep | Not yet checked against a local guide |
| Arid | Mar to May, Sep to Nov | Not yet checked against a local guide |
Your local conditions can shift any months shown here, so treat them as a guide.
Growing details
- How to start
- Sow directly or raise seedlings
- Sowing depth
- 3mm
- Plant spacing
- 100cm
- Row spacing
- 20cm
- Height
- 50cm
- Germination
- 12-15 days at 8-15°C
- Time to harvest
- 50-60 days
- Frost
- Hardy, takes a light frost
- Sun
- Full sun
- Life cycle
- perennial
These are typical figures, and varieties differ. Your seed packet takes priority.