What Is the Quickest Herb to Grow? Try Garden Cress

Garden cress is one of the quickest culinary herbs you can grow indoors: its seeds often sprout within a few days, and you can usually snip the young leaves in about one to two weeks. It has a peppery flavor that works well in sandwiches, salads, and as a garnish, so it’s a practical choice when you want something to eat soon rather than a plant to tend for months.

Check the listed dimensions for for the quickest harvest, grow garden cress against the available vehicle space before use.

Scatter cress seeds over moist seed-starting mix in a shallow container with drainage, then cover them lightly according to the seed packet’s directions. Keep the mix evenly moist, not waterlogged, and place the container where the seedlings will get bright light; if they stretch and look pale, they need a brighter spot or a grow light.

Basil is a good choice if you want a longer-lasting kitchen herb, but you’ll wait longer to harvest useful amounts of leaves than you would with cress. Cilantro and parsley can also earn a place in an indoor herb garden, though neither is the best pick when your priority is the first possible harvest.

For a beginner-friendly setup, we’d sow cress for a near-term harvest and start basil separately for leaves later on. Our Easy Herbs to Grow Indoors: Your Simple Checklist is a useful companion when you’re deciding which herbs to include in your kitchen garden.