WATERCRESS (Nasturtium officinalis) is an ancient potherb grown for thousands of years and which has naturalized beside and in streambeds. I simply LOVE this green and its flavorful, slightly pepper, little round leaves. Spring just isn't Spring without my watercress sandwiches with the crusts cut off and a cup of Earl Grey. This green can be fussy to grow but not if you remember what its natural requirements are -- plenty of clean water, consistently provided in some form. It is definitely worth the trouble because it is a powerfully nutritious, tasty and versatile green. 25-30 days. 100 seeds.

ABOUT WATERCRESS: A truly amazing powerhouse of nutrition, 80 grams of watercress (about 3 ounces) provides 83% of your Vitamin C and 42% of your Vitamin A daily requirements. It is also rich in Vitamins B1, B6, E, as well as Folate, Vitamin K, Calcium, Iodine, Iron, Beta-carotene, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc, Lutein and Zeaxanthin, Selenium, Quercetin -- all important cancer and heart protectors. A recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that a daily dose of watercress is important in fighting free radical damage.

GROWING TIPS: I have grown this successfully in the garden by growing it in a clay pot immersed in a bucket of water which I changed twice daily. (Also important these days to discourage mosquistos that might carry West Nile Virus too!) Grown this way, you will need to ensure it has sunshine but cool roots. OR, grow it indoors in a hydroponic system like an Aerogarden - much easier, and then you can have it all year 'round. Germinates in 10 days and ready to munch in 25-30. Keep it pinched back and bushy and it will perform all season long. Start another pot when one is waning so you are never without this important green!

EATING WATERCRESS: In addition to my favorite sandwiches, watercress is traditionally used by many cultures in soups, green sauces for meats, salads, and all sorts of recipes. You are limited only by your imagination, and any meal is vastly improved by the addition of this delicious potherb!

CHERRYGAL HEIRLOOM GARDEN SEEDS & PLANTS is a small family supplier of heirloom seeds. Our vegetables, herbs, flowers & other garden ornamentals are offered in small, inexpensive packets with only identifying information on them (no growing information). We do, however, offer as much growing information as we have available within this listing for each variety, so if you need it please print now because when a variety sells out the listing will disappear from our site.

All seeds offered are FRESH stock, with high germination rates, tested by the growers and myself. Varieties are specially selected for home gardeners. If you want the flavor you remember from grandma's kitchen garden or the beauty of her cottage flowers, or if you are seeking that rare medicinal herb or ornamental but don't want to pay nursery prices, choose CHERRYGAL HEIRLOOM SEEDS.

All CherryGal Heirloom Seeds are heirlooms (dating at least 100 years) or vintage (mid-20th Century or older) varieties, with an occasional modern variety included which I believe merits special attention. All CherryGal Heirloom Seeds are OPEN-POLLINATED. This means saved seed will be true to the parent. Don't be dazzled by the never-ending array of hybrid seeds promoted by gardening suppliers. First, such seeds will not produce seeds that grow true to the parent -- you have to keep buying the hybrid seed (get the picture?). Second, most hybrids are developed for market – not home -- growers with an emphasis on extended shelf life, storage and shipping qualities -- NOT flavor, texture, fragrance and all those other elements that home growers seek. So if you are tired of flavorless tomatoes or crunchy strawberries, give heirlooms a try.

All CHERRYGAL HEIRLOOM SEEDS come from reputable growers (with a preference given to small independent farms) and wherever possible ORGANIC suppliers (so noted). We do not knowingly offer any genetically modified seeds, and customers should understand that in order to be designated “certified organic” a seed is by law not genetically modified. By buying CHERRYGAL SEEDS you are supporting the growing worldwide movement of SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE and with a little practice you will be able to save even more money in the future by growing these open-pollinated varieties and saving seed for next year.

IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ: CherryGal Heirloom Seeds are guaranteed to be fresh to the year indicated on the listing and packet but are NOT guaranteed as to results. Sorry, but there are too many variables in gardening that can impact germination so please do not ask for a refund, replacement or to return unused seed. I always recommend that if you are new to gardening, or to a particular type of plant or variety, that you grow just a few at first to test your germination method. Email with any questions - I always respond promptly. Having said all that, we think you will be pleased and would like to hear about your gardening success!

SPECIAL NOTE TO MARKET GROWERS: We market to the home gardener, but we are happy to fill your order for multiples of any variety available. We do not offer bulk discounts – our seeds are already heavily discounted. Also, we will not accept responsibility for crop failures, so please keep that in mind as purchase constitutes acceptance of 100% of the risk involved in growing any seed offered at CherryGal.com.

SHIPPING: This is important! Practiced gardeners know that the best time to order seeds is as early as possible in the season. I do not list varieties for sale that are not in hand, unless it is noted as "coming." I also add/subtract varieties all season long as inventory fluctuates, so check back often. We are constantly improving our fulfillment procedures to decrease the amount of time from order to shipping. We have added a SHIPPING BANNER to the front of the site and on every listing page which will give you the current time frame for shipping seeds. In off-season, seeds ship very quickly - usually the same or next business day. But as the prime season comes on, shipping can slow. Please consult this shipping banner before you purchase, so there will be no disappointments! We fulfill orders in the order received. Choosing priority or express shipping does not influence the speed with which your order is processed, only the speed with which it moves through the postal system. I package my seeds for shipping in a manner appropriate to the amount and type of seed - larger orders and larger seeds require more packaging. Whether you choose first class mail or priority shipping, your seeds will ship using a delivery confirmation number which will be supplied to you. Our checkout system is keyed to the US Postal System. For small seed orders, I recommend choosing FIRST CLASS mail at checkout. Larger orders (over 13 ounces) can ship either parcel post, or you may find PRIORITY MAIL to be less expensive, depending on your zipcode. (I gave up trying to figure out the US Postal System rates a long time ago). Please enter your shipping address correctly and if you can add the Plus Four Zip Code extension, that is extremely helpful.

I appreciate all my CherryGal.com customers, but have a special affinity for my seed customers. If you have a problem, please email me, using the contact links that are all over the website. Calling is likely to be a frustrating experience, as I do not have the staff to answer the phone, and depending on the time of year, I often don't even have the time to listen to messages. But your email will be promptly responded to.

Lastly, keep an eye out for my end of season sale which starts in June until all inventory is sold. It is always a bargain and helps us clear the shelves each season so that I am offering you only the freshest seeds year to year. Happy Gardening and don't forget to share your garden surplus with your local food bank. (There are just so many bags of zucchini you can leave on your neighbors' porches in the dark of night before they they catch on LOL.)