Watercress

[Sirius]

I love watercress but always assumed had to be grown in water (I didn't investigate it, just made the assumption!). Now I've come across Watercress Aqua which apparently is pretty easy to grow and I wondered if anyone has grown it before and could give me any tips?

In the same vein, before realising watercress was an option, it had been suggested to me to try American Land Cress as it is said to taste very much like watercress. Any of you grapes able to comment on this at all?

Thank ye

[momol]

I grow water cress Sirius, they are yummy, love the taste.
Mine are grown in pots, just make sure your water cress can enjoy boggy condition ( once in a while give them much more water). They hate dry soil ( if they were grown in dry soil, it will taste bitter).
I still have water cress growing outside now ( they over winter in a big box) and yes...they grow very easy. Sow them direct in their pot or in cells (then transplant), give them sunny area (but also some shade during hot midday such as under a tree).
You can grow them at a edge of a pond too.
Hope it help.

[milliebecks]

The american land cress is good and easy to grow. Probably wouldn't suit the watercress purists, but a worthwhile substitute if you don't have a tinkling chalk stream running through your plot or a bog at the end of your garden

[Dane End Dolly]

I have got some seeds for american land cress that is varigated ( I think thats how it is spelt). It is meant to taste peppery like watercress and can be a yearly plant if it is grown under cloches during winter. Could be a win win crop

[veg4681]

I may have grown the land cress many years ago but don't particularly recall it as thriving breed. It felt like it was still trying to grow & behave like the watercress, seeking boggy soil etc so when I bought my seeds last year, I chose the watercress over the land cress maybe from memory that I recall they didn't offer me any more benefit than the watercress .

BTW I'm growing my watercress in a window box as cut and come again and will water them liberally for their aqua needs.

[Sirius]

Great feedback folks, thanks again - shopping spree at the local garden centre on Sunday

[bluemoon]

I've been growing watercress for a couple of years. I use a bucket, in which I haven't put any drainage holes. It's fairly easy to keep the compost boggy in this, even if we ever have another good summer.