Creating cress heads happens to be a very easy activity to do. It can be done throughout the year. It happens to be a great way to show seed to food transformation that too in a short period of time. It will be smart move to get the kids involved in it.
They can see and learn the whole growing process from start to finish and be involved every step of the way. It is undoubtedly one of the easiest things to grow. The best part about it has to be the fact that you can grow cress indoors with the help of cotton wool. They go great in salads and sandwiches and can bring a burst of mustardy taste to any dish.
Using cotton wool is one of the easiest ways to grow cress. In such method, you won’t be using nutritious soil to grow. Unlike other vegetables and herbs, this herb can grow without any soil. Just because you won’t be using soil, that does not mean that it does not need sunlight, water and warmth to grow. It will take about 10 days to germinate. After a week or so, you will be able to enjoy them with your meal.
What Do You Need To Grow Cress Indoors?
You do not need a whole lot of things to grow cress in cotton wool. The things which you will need are the following:
- 1. Eggshell
You will need the shell of an egg. If you are planning to do multiple planting, then you will need more shells. You can use a used yogurt pot as well. Crack the top of the egg and take out the uncooked egg from the shell. Wash and dry the shell and it will be ready to be used. If you are not confident enough to do this, then you can take the shell of a boiled egg as well. Past experience has shown that shell of boiled egg works the best.
- 2. Cotton Wool
Cotton wool are found in every household. You can say that it is the staple of every household. You will need a bit of cotton wool for this growing project. There is no need to buy any special type of cotton for this project.
- 3. Cress Seed
The next thing you will need is cress seeds. They are available in plenty in both online and offline stores. All you need to do is order some cress seeds. You can visit a nursey and buy them as much as you need. You also have the option to order them online. They are available in different sized packets.
- 4. Colored pen
You need to keep a space of 3 cm for the herb to grow. You can use colored pen to mark the length so that you can know for sure that you are giving ample space for the herb to grow naturally. You can use colored pen to decorate the shell as well. If you are growing it indoors as a kid’s project then you can let the kids draw on the eggshells to make the process more fun.
- 5. Eggbox
You will need something to stand them in. You have a plenty of options to choose from. Egg cartons works the best. You can place the eggshell with the seeds inside the compartment and they will stay steady and do its job well.
How To Grow Cress Indoors?
You just have to follow some simple steps in order to grow cress with the help of cotton wool indoors. These steps have been mentioned next for your better understanding:
- Prepping the egg
As mentioned before, you can either drain out the inside by pricking hole at the top of the egg or use shell of a boiled egg. For beginners, it will be sufficient to have 3 eggshells prepared for the planting process. You do have to make sure that you clean out the egg thoroughly. If bits of egg are still left on the shell, then they will start to smell after few days. Do you best to wash out the shell as much as possible. Dry them up with the help of natural air and light. When prepping the egg, do make sure not to crack too much off the top of the egg. Mark the egg up to 3cms from the top. You also have the option to decorate the egg as you please.
- Filling the egg up
Once the shell is ready, you need to put some wet cotton wool inside the shell. You can place some wet kitchen roll and then add the wet cotton. If you are placing kitchen roll, then make sure it is not too much. You have to leave a space for the herb to grow. You need to leave a 3cms gap between the wet cotton and the top of the eggshell or pot.
- Adding the seeds
Now all you have to do is sprinkle some seeds on top of the wet cotton. You can sprinkle a teaspoon of the seeds inside the eggshell. Once you have added the seeds, use a mister to mist spray the top with some water. Most household does not have a mister, but they have call syringe lying around. You can use a call syringe to water the seeds as well. You need to press them down gently with your finger to ensure contact.
- Enough water and sunlight
It is best to keep them in a warm, light place. For this reason, most cress grower like to keep the shells by the windowsill where they can get enough sunlight. You have to water the herb even if you see that they are growing wonderfully.
A small amount of water every couple of days will be just fine. You can use a spray gun for this. If not, then try to use a Calpol syringe.
These devices are advisable as you can get to the area where the roots are with such devices. If you have them by the windowsill under full sun, then you might need to water it a bit every single day.
In just 7 to 10 days, you can see that the cress heads have grown perfectly in the cotton wool. Then all you need to do is sip them and add them as an ingredient in salads and sandwiches.
So, now you know how easy it is to grow cress indoors. What are you still waiting for? Use the information provided here and start growing them indoors just with the help of cotton wool.
