In professional cultivation, watercress is usually harvested in the winter months; the season begins in September and ends in May with the start of flowering. Since the watercress is quite sensitive to pressure, it is cut by hand.
When and how is it best to harvest watercress?
Watercress can be harvested by hand or with a scythe from September to May. Cut young shoots 5-7 cm long, leaving the roots and enough plant material for regrowth.
In some companies a scythe is also used for harvesting. The shoots are cut about 10 to 15 cm long and bundled according to weight. The weight varies depending on the buyer between 70 and 120 grams.
The private harvest of watercress
If you have watercress in your garden, you can also harvest it from September. By cutting regularly, the plant keeps sprouting, so there are ready-to-harvest shoots even during the summer and you always have fresh watercress available.
Cut young, tender shoots about 5 - 7 cm long, they taste particularly delicious. Be careful not to accidentally pull out the roots and do not prune the entire plant. This gives the herb the opportunity to quickly recover and sprout again and you can harvest again soon.
How to use watercress?
Watercress has many uses. It was even a staple food in 19th century England. You can consume watercress both raw and cooked. The easiest way to use it is to sprinkle the chopped herb on a sandwich or mix it into a salad. Watercress can also be prepared as a vegetable like spinach. Their hot and spicy taste also goes very well with eggs.
Processing tips for watercress:
- traditionally chopped on buttered bread
- as a salad addition
- like spinach as a vegetable
- with poached egg on toast
He alth Benefits of Watercress
Watercress is very rich in vitamins and minerals and is therefore of course very he althy. It has a diuretic, blood-forming and appetite-stimulating effect. For these reasons it is often used for spring treatments and for detoxification, but also against rheumatism and kidney disease. Because watercress also stimulates labor, it should be consumed with caution during pregnancy.
Tips & Tricks
If you have a sensitive stomach, let the chopped watercress sit in the air for a few minutes before eating or processing, this will make it a little easier to digest.
