Looking For Watercress

[Nyboy]

I was told watercress roots easy from plants in supermarket. But none of supermarkets near me have fresh. I know it can be invasive, will be contain in plastic perform pond. Can pay postage or trade plants. Thank you

 

[Nyboy]

Never mind I found some on line cheap

 

[lcertuche]

Let us know how it works out.

 

[Nyboy]

Suppose to be easy to grow if enough moisture. I am looking to grow in water garden

 

[digitS']

It does root easily from supermarket watercress!

I grew it in a small garden pond fed by a leaky irrigation valve. That thing leaked whenever it was turned off. While on, it didn't leak, instead the pressure tightened the pipes and the water was carried to the sprinklers. My little 4' by 6' by 8" pond would actually drain if the sprinklers ran for several hours.

If the water was being carried to a distant alfalfa field for 8 or 12 hours, the watercress pond drained but the plants were just fine.

Steve

 

[dickiebird]

Around here it grows wild in many slow clear running streams.
Not too far from me there is a spring called Cress Spring. Forty years ago there was a green house over the spring branch and they grew the stuff commercially for St Louis restaurants.
When I was a kid I'd go camping with my grand parents in Alley Spring St Park. My grandma had a wooden box she put the things in that needed to be refrigerated, and dropped the box in the spring branch attached to a rope, tied to a tree. When I was sent to retrieve something for dinner I had a standing order to pick a bunch of watercress for salads that evening.
I ate a lot of watercress in my youth.

THANX RICH

 

[so lucky]

Nyboy, If I remember correctly, watercress likes the water clear, running and cool. I am wondering if your pond will give it what it needs.

 

[Nyboy]

@lucky at $3 a plant I am going to try. How did your garden make out, you thought neighbor might have sprayed again.

 

[digitS']

I'm wondering if a slow trickle may be sufficient depending on the size of the pool.

Perhaps overflow could serve to keep the soil moist beneath something that appreciates those conditions. Of course, a large plant could make use of a trickle of water.

Something I was pleased to learn was that watercress does not require standing water on a continuous basis. The soil surface could become quite dry beneath the plants, which maintained an upright position. I felt that this should result in more sanitary conditions than a continuous, stagnant pool.

Drying out didn't happen too often. The garden received water more often than the alfalfa fields. So, if water was not leaking into my pool, it was often falling from the sprinklers.

Steve

 

[Carol Dee]

Around here it grows wild in many slow clear running streams.
Not too far from me there is a spring called Cress Spring. Forty years ago there was a green house over the spring branch and they grew the stuff commercially for St Louis restaurants.
When I was a kid I'd go camping with my grand parents in Alley Spring St Park. My grandma had a wooden box she put the things in that needed to be refrigerated, and dropped the box in the spring branch attached to a rope, tied to a tree. When I was sent to retrieve something for dinner I had a standing order to pick a bunch of watercress for salads that evening.
I ate a lot of watercress in my youth.

THANX RICH

Ahhh Rich thanks for the memories. Mom and Dad had a friend that owned a farm in Jackson Co. Iowa. They had the perfect spot for watercress. We enjoyed a lot of it. We would camp in the cow pasture! LOL and put the watermelons in the spring to cool. YUM.