Watercress

[gojiberry]

Just wondered if anyone is growing watercress. I grew it for the first time last year and was suprised how easy it is to grow. I always thought it needed flowing water to grow. I am picking my first lot already so a good early croper. I sow the seed in multi purpose water well and then stand the pot in a deep saucer of water. The saucer is always kept topped up with water so the compost is always kept very moist. Have sown a second lot and it has just germinated. It is high in iron and I just love to snip a bit off for a quick snack while I'm working in the greenhouse. The watercress is nor actually in the greenhouse but is under an open covered area.Well worth having a go at.

Ian

[Sonata]

Oooh yum, I didn't realise it was so easy. Where do you get the seeds from?

[crichmond]

I sow the seed in multi purpose water

LOL, When I first read your post I read it as above and thought EH! But I have only just got up..

[BarleySugar]

Mine grew really well last year, and has self seeded all over the place. I just dug clumps up and replanted them for this year. They have even come up in the gravel base of the greenhouse!

[Florence Fennel]

I thought I was a bit mad trying watercress, as like you I thought it needed flowing water. However, I put kitchen towel, stones and newspaper in the bottom of a storage box (no holes in the bottom) and filled with compost. The watercress is really healthy and tastes divine. I'm making wc soup and wc mayonnaise with it this week.

[selfraising]

Mines doing really well too!

[gojiberry]

Nice to know other grapes have found out how easy it is to grow. Sorry it is grown in multi purpose compost not water. Will have to sack the proof reader. At least a couple of the seed companies sell watercress seed.

Ian

[BumbleB]

This sounds very interesting. I will have an excuse to look for seeds :-)

[divvy]

If you can't get seeds you can root bits from shop bought watercress in water and then plant it .

[blackkitty]

I've grown it for years, its very hardy and will happily keep going in the cold greenhouse right through winter. My biggest problem is to stop it growing, its self seeded all over the place.

[Llamas]

Neat-o. Do you think it would do okay in an old trough with goldfish? Say if I sunk a pot of netted compost in one end?

[julesapple]

In the Pond

Firstly - Hello! I'm new, just signed up yesterday and already been inspired to buy some yellow alpine strawberry seeds after reading through the posts.

Our watercress is growing in the pond. The pond is 2 metres or so in diameter and the watercress often covers more than half of that. We end up dragging huge swathes of it out and putting it in the garden waste bag (we'd love to compost, but no room yet)

We started the watercress when we heard that it helps keep algae at bay, and can also stop blanket weed. We bought a few bags from the supermarket salad selection when it was on reduced, and just tossed it into the water. It doesn't have any soil, just fish...er...guano and doesn't take root anywhere, just floats.

It grows all year, supplies loads for soups & salads and keeps the pond water crystal clear.


Jules

[indigox]

I've grown some american land cress this year, similar to watercress, but without the need for so much water. I guess the 'land' bit gives that away.

[Alison]

We've sowed some by our pond but as far as I know it hasn't come through yet. The seeds were a freebie from a mag last year - thought it was from the GYO mag but not 100% sure.