Is it possible to grow watercress without running water? Has anyone
tried, and if so how can it be done? Pieces of bought watercress will
root in water, but is there a way of growing them on? I often end up
wasting the last of a packet.

Pam in Bristol

"Pam Moore" wrote in message
...
Is it possible to grow watercress without running water? Has anyone
tried, and if so how can it be done? Pieces of bought watercress will
root in water, but is there a way of growing them on? I often end up
wasting the last of a packet.


To avoid throwing it away, I stuck a piece of rooting watercress in my
garden pond in the spring, with no soil, and it's been going all summer.
It's flowering now, and the leaves are really big as well. It will probably
last the winter and take over my pond.

someone

In message , Pam Moore
writes
Is it possible to grow watercress without running water? Has anyone
tried, and if so how can it be done? Pieces of bought watercress will
root in water, but is there a way of growing them on? I often end up
wasting the last of a packet.

Pam in Bristol

If I'm not mistaking some other white-flowered crucifer for water-cress,
then some of the localities that I've seen it growing wild are standing
water rather than running water.
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley

HI Pam

Pam Moore wrote:
Is it possible to grow watercress without running water? Has anyone
tried, and if so how can it be done? Pieces of bought watercress will
root in water, but is there a way of growing them on? I often end up
wasting the last of a packet.




If you like the taste of cress but don't have a convenient source of
water - then try 'Land cress' (seeds from Thompson & Morgan, and
probably other suppliers).

I'm not sure what it is botanically... but it looks like watercress
(leaves a little smaller), tastes the same, and likes moist soil, rather
than to be sat in water.
We have some in the polytunnel - and it overwinters nicely..

Grows roots along its stems, like cress, so taking cuttings is easy..

Adrian - South-west Ireland

"Adrian" wrote in message
...
HI Pam

Pam Moore wrote:
Is it possible to grow watercress without running water? Has anyone
tried, and if so how can it be done? Pieces of bought watercress will
root in water, but is there a way of growing them on? I often end up
wasting the last of a packet.




If you like the taste of cress but don't have a convenient source of
water - then try 'Land cress' (seeds from Thompson & Morgan, and probably
other suppliers).

I'm not sure what it is botanically...


Barbarea Verna, also known as American Land Cress, and, as you suggest, it
is available from more seed suppliers than T & M.

but it looks like watercress
(leaves a little smaller), tastes the same, and likes moist soil, rather
than to be sat in water.
We have some in the polytunnel - and it overwinters nicely..

Grows roots along its stems, like cress, so taking cuttings is easy..


I started growing this in my garden in 1977, and in my experience it is very
easy to grow as long as it is given plenty of water. It can be used in
exactly the same way as watercress, but is far more 'peppery' in flavour, in
fact, too strong for some tastes.

Returning to the original question, watercress 'offcuts' have survived over
the summer season in my fishpond, but I wouldn't like to eat it ...

HI BAC

BAC wrote:
"Adrian" wrote in message
...
HI Pam

Pam Moore wrote:
Is it possible to grow watercress without running water? Has anyone
tried, and if so how can it be done? Pieces of bought watercress will
root in water, but is there a way of growing them on? I often end up
wasting the last of a packet.



If you like the taste of cress but don't have a convenient source of
water - then try 'Land cress' (seeds from Thompson & Morgan, and probably
other suppliers).

I'm not sure what it is botanically...


Barbarea Verna, also known as American Land Cress, and, as you suggest, it
is available from more seed suppliers than T & M.

but it looks like watercress
(leaves a little smaller), tastes the same, and likes moist soil, rather
than to be sat in water.
We have some in the polytunnel - and it overwinters nicely..

Grows roots along its stems, like cress, so taking cuttings is easy..


I started growing this in my garden in 1977, and in my experience it is very
easy to grow as long as it is given plenty of water. It can be used in
exactly the same way as watercress, but is far more 'peppery' in flavour, in
fact, too strong for some tastes.

Returning to the original question, watercress 'offcuts' have survived over
the summer season in my fishpond, but I wouldn't like to eat it ...


g
I once worked with a chap from Hemel Hempsted, who had worked in the
watercress beds there (used to be able to see them from the train).
He told toe-curling stories of the creatures that used to lurk in among
the watercress... starting with leeches and getting rapidly more gruesome...

Think I'd rather stick to landcress g.
It can be a bit 'peppery' - but we find it good...

Adrian

On Mon, 23 Jun 2008 09:01:20 +0100, Adrian
wrote and included this (or some of this):

I once worked with a chap from Hemel Hempsted, who had worked in the
watercress beds there (used to be able to see them from the train).
He told toe-curling stories of the creatures that used to lurk in among
the watercress... starting with leeches and getting rapidly more gruesome...

Some years ago we (Path Lab) diagnosed liver fluke infestation in
about 14 patients. Turns out they had all eaten watercress from a
farm near Chepstow. Some way upstream from the farm the stream had
been contaminated by sheep's droppings from infected sheep.
As far as I remember the patients were all treated successfully but it
wasn't easy and it wasn't quick. And of course, worst of all, they
were all off alcohol for yonks.



--
®óñ© © ²°¹°-°²

®óñ© © ²°¹°-°² wrote:
On Mon, 23 Jun 2008 09:01:20 +0100, Adrian
wrote and included this (or some of this):

I once worked with a chap from Hemel Hempsted, who had worked in the
watercress beds there (used to be able to see them from the train).
He told toe-curling stories of the creatures that used to lurk in among
the watercress... starting with leeches and getting rapidly more gruesome...

Some years ago we (Path Lab) diagnosed liver fluke infestation in
about 14 patients. Turns out they had all eaten watercress from a
farm near Chepstow. Some way upstream from the farm the stream had
been contaminated by sheep's droppings from infected sheep.
As far as I remember the patients were all treated successfully but it
wasn't easy and it wasn't quick. And of course, worst of all, they
were all off alcohol for yonks.




How on earth do you go about identifying a common link? Sounds like
looking for a needle in a haystack that may not even be there.

I was fascinated by a TV programme I saw about periodic asthma outbreaks
in Barcelona where, only by assembling vast amounts of data from every
conceivable source, were they able to spot a common set of conditions.

Sorry, way OT, but I couldn't resist

On Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:19:30 +0100, stuart noble
wrote and included this (or some of this):


Some years ago we (Path Lab) diagnosed liver fluke infestation in
about 14 patients. Turns out they had all eaten watercress from a
farm near Chepstow. Some way upstream from the farm the stream had
been contaminated by sheep's droppings from infected sheep.
As far as I remember the patients were all treated successfully but it
wasn't easy and it wasn't quick. And of course, worst of all, they
were all off alcohol for yonks.

How on earth do you go about identifying a common link? Sounds like
looking for a needle in a haystack that may not even be there.

Public Health were quickly on to it.
Looked first for common link to food possibly contaminated by sheep
liver flukes (the usual source)
Found common link to a local water cress supplier.
Found fluke eggs contaminating the crop.
Found the sheep contaminating waters upstream from the beds
Found fluke infestation in the sheep
QED. Shut down the grower.

--
®óñ© © ²°¹°-°²

"Pam Moore" wrote ...
Is it possible to grow watercress without running water? Has anyone
tried, and if so how can it be done? Pieces of bought watercress will
root in water, but is there a way of growing them on? I often end up
wasting the last of a packet.


It roots and grows easily in a pond and is useful for removing nitrates from
the water, once growing away then pull bits off to keep it in check and
throw them on the compost heap. You may find it difficult to remove if it
really gets growing.
Warning! Do not eat watercress from stagnant water or from water containing
water snails, you could get Liver Flukes which are very nasty.
See...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fasciola_hepatica


--
Regards
Bob Hobden

Stewart Robert Hinsley writes
In message , Pam Moore
writes
Is it possible to grow watercress without running water? Has anyone
tried, and if so how can it be done? Pieces of bought watercress will
root in water, but is there a way of growing them on? I often end up
wasting the last of a packet.


If I'm not mistaking some other white-flowered crucifer for
water-cress, then some of the localities that I've seen it growing wild
are standing water rather than running water.

It's not the watercress that is fussy about the water.

It is an intermediate host for liverfluke, and it's thought that it is
less likely to be infected in running water than in still water.

Watercress is a useful way of decreasing the nitrogen level (and hence
blanket weed) in garden ponds - chuck a handful in, wait for it to grow
massivley, then heave most of it out and compost it. Repeat.
--
Kay

Adrian writes
I once worked with a chap from Hemel Hempsted, who had worked in the
watercress beds there (used to be able to see them from the train).
He told toe-curling stories of the creatures that used to lurk in among
the watercress... starting with leeches

Nothing gruesome about leeches. They're related to earthworms, and the
ones you are most likely to come across feed on detritus and rotting
vegetation at the bottom of the pond.

--
Kay

On Jun 23, 8:30 pm, K wrote:
Stewart Robert Hinsley writes

In message , Pam Moore
writes
Is it possible to grow watercress without running water? Has anyone
tried, and if so how can it be done? Pieces of bought watercress will
root in water, but is there a way of growing them on? I often end up
wasting the last of a packet.

If I'm not mistaking some other white-flowered crucifer for
water-cress, then some of the localities that I've seen it growing wild
are standing water rather than running water.

It's not the watercress that is fussy about the water.

It is an intermediate host for liverfluke, and it's thought that it is
less likely to be infected in running water than in still water.

Watercress is a useful way of decreasing the nitrogen level (and hence
blanket weed) in garden ponds - chuck a handful in, wait for it to grow
massivley, then heave most of it out and compost it. Repeat.
--
Kay

My Edward, not your's Kay, is always on about liverfluke and
watercress and he won't eat it!!!! I do and my liver is fine.

Judith

The message
from Pam Moore contains these words:

Is it possible to grow watercress without running water? Has anyone
tried, and if so how can it be done? Pieces of bought watercress will
root in water, but is there a way of growing them on? I often end up
wasting the last of a packet.

You can grow it in rows like most other vegetables - but keep the ground
moist.

Don't grow it in stagnant water as it can pick up nasties.

--
Rusty
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk
Separator in search of a sig

On Jun 23, 10:49 pm, Martin wrote:
On Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:27:33 -0700 (PDT), Judith in France



wrote:
On Jun 23, 8:30 pm, K wrote:
Stewart Robert Hinsley writes

In message , Pam Moore
writes
Is it possible to grow watercress without running water? Has anyone
tried, and if so how can it be done? Pieces of bought watercress will
root in water, but is there a way of growing them on? I often end up
wasting the last of a packet.

If I'm not mistaking some other white-flowered crucifer for
water-cress, then some of the localities that I've seen it growing wild
are standing water rather than running water.

It's not the watercress that is fussy about the water.

It is an intermediate host for liverfluke, and it's thought that it is
less likely to be infected in running water than in still water.

Watercress is a useful way of decreasing the nitrogen level (and hence
blanket weed) in garden ponds - chuck a handful in, wait for it to grow
massivley, then heave most of it out and compost it. Repeat.
--
Kay

My Edward, not your's Kay, is always on about liverfluke and
watercress and he won't eat it!!!! I do and my liver is fine.

Maybe your Edward read a long Guardian article about liver fluke & water cress
long ago. I didn't know anybody who read it at the time who ever ate watercress
again.
--

Martin

Edward is not a Guardian reader, he always read the Times until he got
a bit fed up with the politics and now, when in England, the
Independent and here, he reads a French Newspaper.

If I remember correctly it was something to do with some research that
was being done at IFR that disturbed him and he felt that buying water
cress was unsafe as he didn't know the origin. I presume he would be
quite happy to grow it himself provided there was continually running
water.

Judith