Watercress

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Watercress
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jamanda
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35057
Location: Devon

Posted: Sun Mar 25, 18 10:30 pm Post subject: Watercress
Has anyone here ever grown water cress? Apparently you can put a bucket of peat in your pond to create a small bog and grow it in that.

Slim

Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6612
Location: New England (In the US of A)

Posted: Sun Mar 25, 18 10:39 pm Post subject:
I've had it from a cool spring-fed stream. I don't think it needs bog conditions, does it?

frewen

Joined: 08 Sep 2005
Posts: 11405

Posted: Sun Mar 25, 18 10:51 pm Post subject:
Can it be grown in still water?

Jam Lady

Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2573
Location: New Jersey, USA

Posted: Sun Mar 25, 18 11:33 pm Post subject:
Has to be grown in potable water. Does not need bog / peat moss. Watercress purchased in shop and stuck in jar of water will root and can then be "planted" in slow moving water. Alternative is buy seed for mustard and cress, peppery taste to sprouts. But not watercress.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Mon Mar 26, 18 1:19 am Post subject:
I think you can just plant it in a pot and keep it wet. Ie soaking. I keep meaning to try it.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15991

Posted: Mon Mar 26, 18 6:11 am Post subject:
As Jam Lady says, it has to be potable water. If you grow it in a stream, you need to watch out for liver fluke. Killed by cooking, but a danger if eaten raw.

Fee

Joined: 21 Mar 2005
Posts: 15922
Location: Earth

Posted: Mon Mar 26, 18 8:04 pm Post subject:

We grew it in the top of our little pond a few years ago, little top pond that led down to the main pond. It grew pretty well but HT wasn't convinced about eating it given the state of our pond, in wasn't the cleanest.

I've always wanted to do a herb spiral with watercress at the top in a little pool and a stream running alongside the spiral as it goes down, another pond at the bottom and a pump sending it back to the top.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46244
Location: yes

Posted: Mon Mar 26, 18 8:30 pm Post subject:

clean water, beast free or cook it.

i planted some shop stuff in a spring run off that did pretty well

water that never dries up or gets too deep for long or fast enough to scour seems about right.
full sun is good in a sheltered place.
some say chalk streams , some like me prefer it on gritstone filtered water but it will grow in either.

next to a pumped water feature it might survive in pond but it wont be likely to thrive or be super to eat. from water to mouth is awesome when it is growing in the right place.

Fee

Joined: 21 Mar 2005
Posts: 15922
Location: Earth

Posted: Mon Mar 26, 18 8:43 pm Post subject:
Mine was a shop bought sprig, too. Hmm, maybe we ought to bring a bit of Hampshire to Cheshire and plan for some sort of watercress bed. Or maybe finally do that herb spiral!

jamanda
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35057
Location: Devon

Posted: Mon Mar 26, 18 9:18 pm Post subject:
Well, I don't have a stream. I don't suppose the pond water is too evil - the main beasts it has are frogs and newts. I'll give it a go.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15991

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 18 6:32 am Post subject:
I have never thought about growing it in our garden pond, but as it isn't stream fed, I would never be sure about it anyway. Not too keen on watercress either. The best in this area grows in chalk streams, but the stuff I know nearest to us isn't safe to eat. Not sure why, but probably run off from something like the road.

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35935
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 18 8:40 am Post subject:
I've got a rainwater-off-the-roof runnel I was going to try to grow it along. I've got seeds I was going to chuck down.

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9887
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 18 11:12 am Post subject:
my parents have a stream at their place and watercress grows in it readily - so much so it chokes the stream and they have to pull it up by the armful. The chickens love it. I will only eat it cooked though, as there are sheep further up, and I don't want liver fluke. Don't think I would fancy it if it was in standing water either... running water is the best way.

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9887
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 18 3:30 pm Post subject:

Jamanda wrote:

Well, I don't have a stream. I don't suppose the pond water is too evil - the main beasts it has are frogs and newts. I'll give it a go.

it's the teeny beasties you need to be wary of - the parasites and bacteria - liver fluke is a parasite that lives on watersnails, IIRC

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46244
Location: yes

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 18 4:16 pm Post subject:

if i was set on growing it and did not have a spring or suitable stream i spose scrap heap hydroponics might provide a suitable grow table.

corrugated roofing or siding sheets, charity shop net curtains as spreader mats/ anchors, a light proof tank of some sort. the only bits to buy are a pond pump and some mylar to plant through and a few fittings.

getting the pH, EC, O2 levels etc sorted can be done with hi tech kit or by a bit of knowledge, maths and the use of a measuring jug

i recon less than £50 if you can scrapheap the big bits and are clever on the techy stuff.

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