Cress Planting Guide
May cress essentials
Everything below applies to cress broadly. For a plan that's dialled into your county's frost dates and soil, tap your location.
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How to water cress
About an inch of water a week keeps cress happy. Check your weather forecast before watering — skip if rain is coming.
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Where to put cress
cress wants at least 6 hours of direct sun. Less than that and you'll get leggy plants with weak yields.
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Check your local forecast before planting
Your zone determines the exact week to plant cress. Pick your county below and we'll line everything up against your frost dates.
Garden cress is one of the fastest-growing edibles, producing peppery sprouts in as little as two weeks. It is excellent for microgreens and garnishes.
Lepidium sativum · Vegetable · Brassicaceae family · 14–21 days to maturity
Get Your Personalized Cress Planting Dates
Enter your ZIP code to see exact planting dates, soil compatibility, and growing tips specific to your county.
Where Can You Grow Cress?
Cress Growing Regions
Click any state to see the Cress planting schedule for that location.
Planting Dates by Zone
| Zone | Start Indoors | Direct Sow | Transplant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 2a | Apr 18 | May 23 | May 30 | Jun 13 – Jul 4 |
| Zone 2b | Apr 10 | May 15 | May 22 | Jun 5 – Jun 26 |
| Zone 3a | Apr 3 | May 8 | May 15 | May 29 – Jun 19 |
| Zone 3b | Mar 29 | May 3 | May 10 | May 24 – Jun 14 |
| Zone 4a | Mar 25 | Apr 29 | May 6 | May 20 – Jun 10 |
| Zone 4b | Mar 20 | Apr 24 | May 1 | May 15 – Jun 5 |
| Zone 5a | Mar 21 | Apr 11 | Apr 25 | May 9 – May 30 |
| Zone 5b | Mar 14 | Apr 4 | Apr 18 | May 2 – May 23 |
| Zone 6a | Mar 6 | Mar 27 | Apr 10 | Apr 24 – May 15 |
| Zone 6b | Feb 27 | Mar 20 | Apr 3 | Apr 17 – May 8 |
| Zone 7a | Feb 18 | Mar 11 | Mar 25 | Apr 8 – Apr 29 |
| Zone 7b | Feb 11 | Mar 4 | Mar 18 | Apr 1 – Apr 22 |
| Zone 8a | Feb 1 | Feb 22 | Mar 8 | Mar 22 – Apr 12 |
| Zone 8b | Jan 21 | Feb 11 | Feb 25 | Mar 11 – Apr 1 |
| Zone 9a | Jan 13 | Jan 20 | Feb 10 | Feb 24 – Mar 17 |
| Zone 9b | Dec 28 | Jan 4 | Jan 25 | Feb 8 – Mar 1 |
| Zone 10a | Dec 4 | Dec 11 | Jan 1 | Jan 15 – Feb 5 |
| Zone 10b | Dec 4 | Dec 11 | Jan 1 | Jan 15 – Feb 5 |
| Zone 11a | Dec 4 | Dec 11 | Jan 1 | Jan 15 – Feb 5 |
| Zone 11b | Dec 4 | Dec 11 | Jan 1 | Jan 15 – Feb 5 |
Why are some columns showing "—"?
Transplant shows "—" because Cress is best direct sown where it will grow. Transplanting can disturb the roots and slow growth.
How to Plant Cress
🍂 Fall planting: Sow 10 weeks before your first frost date for a fall harvest.
Growing Conditions
☀️ Sun
Partial Shade (3-6 hours)
💧 Water
Moderate — regular watering
Water when the top inch of soil feels dry. Consistent moisture produces the best results.
🧪 Soil pH
6 – 7
Prefers neutral to slightly acidic soil — ideal for most garden beds.
🗺️ Hardiness Zones
Zone 2a – 11b
📅 Days to Maturity
14–21 days
One of the fastest crops — harvest in under a month!
👪 Plant Family
Brassicaceae
Rotate with other families yearly to prevent soil-borne diseases. Don't plant in the same spot where Brassicaceae family crops grew last year.
Succession Planting Cress
Cress matures in just 14–21 days, making it ideal for succession planting. In a typical 180-day growing season, you can get up to 16 successive plantings by sowing every 1.6 weeks.
Your actual succession count depends on your local frost dates. Enter your ZIP code to get personalized succession planting dates for your area.
Companion Planting for Cress
✅ Good Companions
Check more combinations with our Companion Planting Checker →
Growing Tips for Cress
Sow seeds thickly on moist soil or paper towels. Keep moist and harvest when 2-3 inches tall. Succession sow every few days for continuous supply. Grows well indoors year-round.
Saving Cress Seeds
Recommended for Your Garden
Start seeds indoors with reusable cell trays and humidity domes.
Test your soil pH, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium levels before planting.
Keep your garden organized with durable, weather-resistant plant labels.
Seed Saving & Storage Guide
Most saved seeds go bad before next season. This shows exactly when to pick, how to dry, and where to store seeds from 200 plants so yours don't.
- 200 plants, step-by-step: life cycle, pollination type, isolation
- Exact temperature + humidity ranges that keep seeds viable
- Bonus: searchable Google Sheets tracker + custom GPT assistant
Cress by State
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to grow Cress?
Cress (Lepidium sativum) takes 14 to 21 days from planting to harvest. Exact timing depends on your variety, growing conditions, and USDA zone.
What zones can Cress grow in?
Cress can be grown in USDA zones 2a through 11b. Use the planting calendar above to find the exact dates for your zone.
How much sun does Cress need?
Growing Cress requires Partial Shade (3-6 hours), Moderate — regular watering, and soil pH of 6 to 7.