Cress, Dutch Broadleaf (Organic)
Lepidium sativum. 30 days.
Very large, broad leaves for a garden cress, with nice wavy edges. Fairly slow to bolt. Good hot mustard flavor reminiscent of wasabi without too much spice. Makes a substantial addition to salad mix. Dutch Broadleaf cress is great on sandwiches, and we especially enjoy its peppery addition to BLTs. An old variety from the Netherlands, we sourced it originally from Shepherds Garden Seeds in 1999. Commercially unavailable for a decade, we are happy to have reintroduced it in 2009.
As required by the Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Washington Crucifer Quarantine, all Brassica family seed lots have been tested and found negative for blackleg (Phoma lingam) by an approved, certified lab.
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Sow in pots for transplanting or direct sow in spring or fall. Summer plantings can get very spicy and are attractive to flea beetles. Peppery flavor is less pronounced when plants are very young and/or in cooler weather. Winter hardy and easy to grow. Flower shoots are also edible.
Seed Saving
Collect seeds from dry seed heads. Cut seed heads when dry, thresh by hand or by dancing, winnow or screen to clean. Will cross-pollinate with other cress of the same species.
Janet Pihlblad (verified owner) –
Where did you grow this variety? Northeastern US
This Dutch Cress tastes a lot like watercress, which I love but it’s hard to find here. Dutch Cress isn’t too hot and the leaves are a decent size (not so tiny that it doesn’t seem worth it, like claytonia). I planted it in the early spring, we loved it in salads, then when it went to seed it was really easy to gather the seeds. I had a great fall crop of it from those plentiful seeds, and now a winter crop under a plastic cover. It’s feeble right now because we’re in the coldest part of the winter (central NJ). But I’m sure it will take off again in March or April, and we’re looking forward to having more for our salads. If you like watercress or mild mustard greens for salad, then I highly recommend!
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