Consider some of the secrets of growing watercress on the windowsill. A plant called watercress is often found in European cuisines. A thin stem, small leaves do not look attractive, but hide the taste and good. Growing watercress on the windowsill is possible in winter and summer. To do this, use the earth, napkins or cotton wool.
Content
Selection of soil, seed
Specialized shops offer numerous varietal types of vegetable crops. Plants differ in leaf shape, color, and taste. Examples of popular varieties are easy to find in specialized forums.
As for other crops, watercress is suitable for cultivation in a land enriched with additives (specialized mixtures for cultivating flowers, seedlings), and a substrate that is of artificial origin.
Landing
For sowing seeds of a vegetable crop, a specialized mixture of Biogrunt or soil, prepared with your own hands from garden soil with the addition of peat, is recommended.
Important - garden soil is pre-roasted using an oven. This will eradicate those pests that are believed to inhabit the soil. Another way to reduce the risk of infection is treatment with boiling water, a solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate).
The depth of the nutrient soil for planting, as the photo shows, is up to 5 cm. The bottom is covered with drainage materials - expanded clay, crushed stone. Before planting, the earth is moistened. Seeds are distributed evenly over the surface and covered with a layer of moistened earth. The depth of the layer is 0.5 centimeters.
Landing in an artificial substrate
Some apartment gardeners do not like the process of preparing natural soil. Experience shows that growing watercress on a windowsill is possible without land. For this, a substrate of non-natural origin is suitable, which is easy to find at every person at home.
Sowing seeds in the soil of artificial origin is produced according to this scheme:
- lay the substrate on the bottom of the container;
- mix the seeds with water (30 ml is enough);
- distribute wet seed to the substrate.
In cotton, landing is easier. This is because the material retains moisture longer without losing its appearance.
Germination Features
There is no difference between the germination of the selected planting material in natural or artificial soil. Initially, a container with planted seeds is covered with a film and installed where direct sunlight does not fall. After the appearance of the first sprouts, seedlings are transferred to the windowsill of the balcony - it is easier to provide temperature conditions for the proper development of the plant.
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Secrets of Proper Care
The watercress growing season is short, so the plant does not have time to absorb the amount of useful additives from the soil.
Important! When growing watercress on a windowsill in a napkin or other artificial substrate, it is recommended to mix the water with which the seeds are moistened with fertilizers. Some gardeners dispute the need for fertilizing, explaining the short growing season.
Watering a vegetable does not differ from moistening the land of other crops - vegetable, salad. The soil is moderately moistened.
Watercress is not demanding on lighting.The plant grows fully and gives green mass even in winter natural light. The video shows bushes of a vegetable grown in summer and winter. As you can see, there is no difference between them.
Greens of the plant are collected when the height of the shoots reaches 10 cm. Use the upper part of the stem with leaves.
