GIY Nation - Project 1 - Eggy Cressheads

We know you're daunted by the idea of growing your own, but we promise, this is the ultimate starter project, Project 1 of Operation GIY Nation 1st Project, Eggy Cress Head.  Cress is an absolute cinch to grow - you don't even need soil or potting compost, since cress will grow in kitchen paper or cotton wool.  You don't need a pot or container because for this month's project we will be using an empty egg shell as the container!  

Cress seeds germinate (appear) within a day or so, and you will be able to pick some for your "egg and cress" sarnies within a week to ten days.

Your kids will LOVE creating an Egg Cress Head - get them to paint a face on the egg and mother nature will grow some funky green hair on its head!  Don't forget - as soon as you sow some seeds, you're a GIYer! 

What you will need

• Packet of Cress Seeds
• Eggs
• Cotton Wool
• Markers and Googly Eyes

How to do it

First comes the yummy bit - cook and eat the eggs!

Place the eggs in cold water, bring to the boil then simmer for 3 to 4 minutes for soft boiled or 6 to 7 minutes for hard boiled. When the time’s up, drain the water, running the eggs under cold water until they’re cool. Carefully slice the top of the egg off with a sharp knife, remove the cooked egg with a spoon, leaving an empty shell.

Half fill the bottom of the egg shell with cotton wool and dampen with tap water, taking care not to swamp it.

Sprinkle a few seeds on top of the cotton wool (about 10 – 20).
You can either stand the egg heads in an egg carton or in an egg cup while they grow.

Aftercare

Check your cress head daily to see if it needs water – don’t overdo it though as you can drown the little seeds if too much is added.

You’ll start to notice the little seeds germinate (appear) within a few days. Once they reach about 5cm in height you can harvest them. The easiest way is to snip through the stems with scissors. They taste lovely in egg sandwiches!

Handy Things To Know!

You might want to grow a little bit more cress than will grow in an egg shell.  If so, you should know that cress seeds will grow in cotton wool, kitchen roll or in pots of potting compost.  Simply dampen the cotton wool, kitchen roll or compost and sprinkle the seeds as above.

For Little GIYers

Children can paint faces and stick googly eyes onto the egg shells giving them funny faces with mad green hair!

An alternative to egg heads is to place a layer of cotton wool or kitchen towel into a tray, water, and then sprinkle the cress seeds into your child’s initial and watch them grow!

Now It's Your Turn!

We want to see your Eggy Cressheads!  Send in a picture of your final Cresshead and we'll share them!

Have you grown cress before with your child or any other easy GIY crops?  Tell us all about it in the comments below

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