watercress flowers

[Madame Mucksprout]

Hello,

I am growing watercress in a bucket from a cutting - its growing rapidly :-), but I read that I must not let it flower or it will go very bitter? is this correct? and how do I keep it growing without flowers - it seems that every little leaf stalk is getting flowers, at this rate Ill have more flowers than leaves and if I keep pinching off the flowers Ill also have no leaves left.

thanks for your time.

Rachel

[chengjing]

What do you mean in a bucket? Do you have enough soil in it? Only thing I can think off is that they don’t have enough feed or too hot. I grow mine in compost; keep it very damp, they are ok. If you snip of flower head, they should send out loads of side shoots.

[Madame Mucksprout]

Its in a plant pot of compost sitting in a bucket of water - the idea was that I could change the water occasionally to stop mosquito eggs etc.

But just damp compost would do?

Ive got side shoots but each results in a flower head in a few days .

do you always nip off the flowers?

Thanks for the reply :-)

[chengjing]

I see what you mean about the bucket. No, the plant does not need to sit in water. Damp compost is fine and keeps it in a sheltered spot. I grow mine in a big concrete trough against west facing wall, it only get afternoon sun so the plant is tender.

You need to nip of flower heads otherwise they will stop producing tender shoots. It does sound like yours has not got enough nutrients. Mine has not flowered yet.

I would say pot it on into a big pot with loads of compost and keep it at a sheltered spot. And after you pick loads of shoots, give plant some liquid feed.

Hope this helps.