Many garden owners wonder why cress doesn't grow back like other herbs do. These can be harvested continuously and still form new stems. Cress, on the other hand, has to be re-sown after the harvest.
Why doesn't cress grow back after harvest?
Cress does not grow back after harvest because its growth point is directly under the leaves. If this is removed during harvesting, the plant loses its growth center and can no longer grow back. Instead, new cress should be sown regularly.
Why is the cress unable to grow back?
- Growth point is too high
- Removed at harvest
- Plant can't grow back
Whether a plant grows back after cutting depends on where its growing point is. This point is the center of growth, where the cells divide particularly intensively.
If the growing point is cut off when harvesting, the plant cannot grow back.
Where is the growth point of the cress?
The growing point of most herbs, grasses and flowers is very low, just above the ground.
It's different with cress. Here cell division takes place directly under the leaves. When harvesting, the leaves are cut off just above the ground, thereby removing the growing point.
As a result, the cress stops growing, simply because its growth center is no longer there.
When it comes to cress, should you only harvest the leaves?
The reason why the entire stem of cress is cut is because the leaves have the best aroma and the most ingredients directly at the growing point.
If only the upper leaves were harvested, the cress would not be as tasty or as he althy as the leaves that form at the growth center.
Even if the leaves are picked off very carefully, the growth center is destroyed and prevents the cress from growing back. Apart from that, this form of harvesting would be very complex.
Simply sow new cress
If you always want to have fresh cress in the house for eating or seasoning, you should simply sow small amounts of cress every few days.
However, too much cress should not be planted at once. You can only store cress for a very limited time.
The herb should be harvested before flowering as the taste changes after flowering.
Tips & Tricks
There is a type of cress that you can keep for several years. The pepper herb (Lepidium latifolium) can be harvested for several years, but should be planted in the garden in a container because of its strong growth.
