Geranium_gem's Garden
American/Land Cress
Botanical name: Barbarea verna.
Other names: Land cress, Winter cress, Upland cress, Peppergrass, Early yellow rocket, American cress.
B. verna is a biennial (often grown as an annual herb or salad) whose young leaves have a hot, spicy watercress flavour and are delicious in salad.
Vitamin, iron and calcium rich cress which tastes almost like watercress but has a smaller leaf providing a continuous supply over a long period. It is easy to grow and does best in a cool moist soil in part shade.
Sow thinly in late summer and autumn broadcast or in drills 1cm deep spaced 30cm apart. Thin out to 10cm apart and keep weed free. Cut the cress regularly while it is still fresh and young and this will encourage more growth. It is very hardy and if covered with a cloche will provide pickings through the winter. Sowings can be made also in the spring but the plants will need to be watered regularly.
2013 - seeds from T&M.
