Watercress

This is one of my favourite vegetables.

When I dug my pond, a couple of years back, a friend told me you could grow watercress just by throwing it in the pond. So I got a bunch out of the fridge and threw it in. They were right, it completely took over!

Watercress

But I’ve never eaten my watercress, for fear of the danger. No cows or sheep live by my pond (it’s a town garden) so there’s little danger of the deadly liver fluke. My garden is also free from industrial or agricultural pollution. All the same, watercress is supposed to grow in free running water, and (although a solar pump cyles it) the water in my pond isn’t really fresh.

Then I ran across a post at The Cottage Smallholder, which described how you could grow watercress in pots, from seed. I also found this description of growing it in a plastic paddling pool! So if you can do that, maybe my watercress is alright after all?

Now I’ve harvested a few stems, soaked them in brine, and left them in fresh water overnight. My friend (who knows about these things) and I have consumed them.

Watercress Salad

If I don’t survive, I’ve asked for a warning to be appended to this post, so others may learn from our foolishness. But it was delicious.

About Simon Wood

Lecturer in medical education, lapsed mathematician, Doctor Who fan and garden railway builder. See simonwood.info for more...

19 thoughts on “Watercress

  1. Will have to move house to be accessible to broadband as can’t download watercress salad on my dial-up – would have been the perfect hors d’oeuvre before dish of local lamb!!! When will Apple wake up to the software to download freshly prepared dishes?

  2. I am so pleased to have read about your watercress growing. I’ve always wanted to grow it. How deep is your pond? did you have to line it with plastic sheet and so on to keep the water in? It looks delicious on the picture.

    Thank you for sharing your experience.

  3. I am so pleased to have read about your watercress growing. I’ve always wanted to grow it. How deep is your pond? did you have to line it with plastic sheet and so on to keep the water in? It looks delicious on the picture.

    Thank you for sharing your experience.

  4. I am so pleased to have read about your watercress growing. I’ve always wanted to grow it. How deep is your pond? did you have to line it with plastic sheet and so on to keep the water in? It looks delicious on the picture.

    Thank you for sharing your experience.

  5. Hi Cookinghead, thanks for your comment. I’ve only just approved it because I’ve only just seen it – having been away from the internet for a few days (these days that means not even a mobile signal!)

    The pond is about 18″ deep, I think. It’s actually a preformed pond with a special “wildlife” edge along one side, formed by sort of bog container along the edge. I believe the frogs appreciate that this is a pretty cool way to get in and out of the pond, as well as looking better than artificial edging. Liner detail here.

    Unless you want a deep pond in a small area, line the pond with flexible liner. If you want a pond, rather than just a watercress bed, don’t go for the cheap stuff. Butyl was the in thing when I researched this about five years ago. Concrete is a lot of hassle, and from experience, I can tell you it’s quite hard to repair, though I do think it can look great.

    However if you just want to grow the watercress, I have to report it does seem to grow anywhere, as long as you keep it pretty wet. Just do be careful where you grow it and be mindful of the health risks!

  6. Hi Cookinghead, thanks for your comment. I’ve only just approved it because I’ve only just seen it – having been away from the internet for a few days (these days that means not even a mobile signal!)

    The pond is about 18″ deep, I think. It’s actually a preformed pond with a special “wildlife” edge along one side, formed by sort of bog container along the edge. I believe the frogs appreciate that this is a pretty cool way to get in and out of the pond, as well as looking better than artificial edging. Liner detail here.

    Unless you want a deep pond in a small area, line the pond with flexible liner. If you want a pond, rather than just a watercress bed, don’t go for the cheap stuff. Butyl was the in thing when I researched this about five years ago. Concrete is a lot of hassle, and from experience, I can tell you it’s quite hard to repair, though I do think it can look great.

    However if you just want to grow the watercress, I have to report it does seem to grow anywhere, as long as you keep it pretty wet. Just do be careful where you grow it and be mindful of the health risks!

  7. Hi Cookinghead, thanks for your comment. I’ve only just approved it because I’ve only just seen it – having been away from the internet for a few days (these days that means not even a mobile signal!)

    The pond is about 18″ deep, I think. It’s actually a preformed pond with a special “wildlife” edge along one side, formed by sort of bog container along the edge. I believe the frogs appreciate that this is a pretty cool way to get in and out of the pond, as well as looking better than artificial edging. Liner detail here.

    Unless you want a deep pond in a small area, line the pond with flexible liner. If you want a pond, rather than just a watercress bed, don’t go for the cheap stuff. Butyl was the in thing when I researched this about five years ago. Concrete is a lot of hassle, and from experience, I can tell you it’s quite hard to repair, though I do think it can look great.

    However if you just want to grow the watercress, I have to report it does seem to grow anywhere, as long as you keep it pretty wet. Just do be careful where you grow it and be mindful of the health risks!

  8. Hi foodguide. What is the food guide you want to use the picture in? You are welcome to use it provided you credit me (Simon Wood). Let me know if you would like the picture in a different format/resolution.

  9. Hi foodguide. What is the food guide you want to use the picture in? You are welcome to use it provided you credit me (Simon Wood). Let me know if you would like the picture in a different format/resolution.

  10. Hi foodguide. What is the food guide you want to use the picture in? You are welcome to use it provided you credit me (Simon Wood). Let me know if you would like the picture in a different format/resolution.

  11. I like this one picture of vegetable.It is a type of aquatic vegetables of pepper flavor.It is brilliant cress antioxidant properties can help protect cells and DNA . which is indicator of cancer risk.Watercress rich in vitamin a and c, iron, iodine, phosphorus, etc.

  12. This one is really one of the best of information regarding Watercress. As you said that watercress is supposed to grow in free running water, and you also said that the pond water is not fresh, So this one is really the big reason behind that. So you should to vacuum your water. Thanks of the sharing your knowledge to here.

  13. This one is really one of the best of information regarding Watercress. As you said that watercress is supposed to grow in free running water, and you also said that the pond water is not fresh, So this one is really the big reason behind that. So you should to vacuum your water. Thanks of the sharing your knowledge to here.

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