Garden Cress
Lepidium sativum
Family: Brassicaceae · Genus: Lepidium
Garden cress, also called peppergrass or kardamo in Greece, is a fast-growing cool-season annual in the brassica family, grown for its peppery, tangy leaves. Ready to cut in as little as three weeks, it can be sown thickly in beds or sprouted on damp paper indoors. Native to North Africa and West Asia, it is a classic Greek garnish for souvlaki.
Soil Temperature
10°C – 25°C
Spacing
5 – 15 cm
Harvest
3–5 weeks
Sowing
Easy to grow. Sow in garden.
Growing Schedule Zone 8b
Growing Notes
Very fast growing cool-season green with a peppery, tangy flavour. Ready to cut in as little as three weeks. Sow thickly in shallow drills and cut young - it resprouts for a second cut. Bolts quickly in hot weather, so grow in cool months and repeat sow every couple of weeks. Can also be sprouted on damp paper towels indoors year-round. Keep moist.
Culinary Hints
Eat raw in sandwiches and salads - a classic garnish for souvlaki (kardamo). Use sprouts and young leaves; the peppery flavour sharpens with age.