Cress (Lepidium sativum) is an important leafy vegetable grown in Nepal. It is originated from Europe but is widely cultivated in the Kathmandu valley and hills of Nepal. Cress grows best in loamy soil with adequate organic matter and a pH between 5.5 to 6.5. It needs cool temperatures between 10 to 25°C to grow. The variety commonly grown in Nepal is Kathmandu Local cress which is harvested 45 days after sowing when the plants reach 20-25cm in height. Land preparation includes deep plowing followed by fertilizer and manure application before sowing by making small furrows and covering seeds with soil. Cress is ready for harvest 20-25

1. Bijay Shrestha
Leafy vegetables
Cress

2. Leafy Vegetables
English Name Nepali Name Scientific Name Family
Broad Leaf Mustard रायोको साग Brassica campestris var.
Rugosa
Brassicaceae
Spinach पालुंगो Spinacea oleracea Amaranthaceae
Swiss Chard स्विस चार्ड (ससाग) Beta vulgaris var Clicla Chenopodiaceae
Cress चम्सर Lepidium sativum Crucifarae

3. Cress

4. Introduction and uses
 Nepali Name: चम्सर
 Scientific Name: Lepidium sativum
 Family: Brassicaceae
 One of the most important and famous leafy vegetable in Nepal
 Cool season crop
 Widely grown in Kathmandu valley and Hills of Nepal
 Originated in Europe
 Benefits:
Rich inVitaminA, and C
Rich in calcium and iron
Higher amount of protein
Considered to have ayurvedic importance

5. Climate and Soil Requirement
 Climate:
Needs cool climate to grow well.
Seed germinates at 4°C..
For good vegetative growth, optimum temperature is 10° to 25°C in
general.
 Soil:
Can be cultivated in various types of soil
Grows best in loamy soil with adequate amount of organic matters
Requires slightly acidic soil with pH range 5.5 to 6.5
Waterlogged condition of field is detrimental to its growth

6. Variety
 Kathmandu Local is the variety of Cress in Nepal
 Less branching with small and prickly leaves
 Harvesting can be done after 45days after sowing
 As the plant reaches height of 20-25cm, harvesting can be done.
 It gives about 400kg of green leaves per ropani.

7. Land preparation and Manure Application
 Land Preparation:
A clean and well pulverized soil with good tilth - for better germination of
seed.
1–2 rounds of deep corrosive plowing followed by 2–3 rounds of light
plowing
 Manure Application:
25-30 bamboo baskets (600-800 kg) of well decomposed FYM or compost
manure
To supplement the FYM, apply 8 kg of nitrogen, 4 kg of P2O5 and 3 kg of
K2O per ropani.
Apply all manure and fertilizer except half dose of nitrogen before bed
preparation.
Apply the remaining half dose of nitrogen as top dressing after 15–20 days
of sowing

8. Seed rate
 For one ropani land, 500 g of seeds are required depending on
germination percentage and seed vigor.
 Healthy 70,000 to 80,000 seedlings per hectare are required including
for gap filling.

9. Sowing and Spacing
 In the raised beds or sunken beds, 0.5–1 cm deep small furrows are
made at a spacing of 20 cm and seed is dropped in the furrow at a
distance of 2-3cm from one seed.
 Then cover the furrows with wooden hand planker.
Irrigation
 Cress seed requires good moisture for germination.
 Since cress is a shallow-rooted crop, subsequent irrigations are required
at 10–15 day intervals.
Weeding
 One weeding is sufficient for the cress.
 Weeding is done after field observation, preferably at the time of top
dressing.

10. Time for sowing, transplanting, and harvesting
Area Sowing time Transplanting
time
Harvesting
time
Low hills August - November October - December November -April
Mid-hills July,August-November August - December September - May
High-hills March - June April - July June -April

11. Harvesting
 Cress becomes ready for harvest in 20–25 days after germination.
 Harvesting should be done when the stems are tender.
 Yield ranges from 10–12 tonnes/ha.

12. Thank You