14 replies to this topic

[Chef Dave]

Hello All!

I'm a professional chef, hence the user name, "Chef Dave."

I have a 5000 gallon fresh water pond planted with cattails, water chestnuts, cress, and water mint.

All of these plants are edible. In Russia, peeled cattail shoots are served up as "Cossack Salad." They have a crisp cucumber like taste and may be eaten raw or pickled.

The bulbs from water chestnuts may be peeled and added to salads or used in Asian stir-fries.

Both cress and water mint may be added to salads. Cress also makes a wonderful soup when added to hot chicken broth. Water mint can be used to brew tea. It can also be cooked with meat or used to make sauces.

I'm looking for additional edible water plants to add to my garden. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[Meekaboo]

Hey Chef Dave,

I've been growing mint in my pond for a couple of years now. I like to use it in the water when boiling new potatoes. I grow it in the pond because it tends to be invasive when planted in the garden. I don't even "plant" it in the pond. All I do is take a sprig from my Moms house, lay it on the rocks of the waterfall and secure it with a rock. It grows very quickly this way...but is very easily controlled. :icon_smile:

[DrDave]

Parts of Taro are edible. It grows very well in or out of the pond. We buy Taro bread at the Asian store all the time.

[Fraxinus85]

my grandma always used society garlic in her breads and soups; society garlic (i think the botanical name is Tulbaghia) is more of a marginal plant than anything, but the leaves are very edible! others are basil (botanical name's ocimum...again more of a marginal plant) and ginger (also a marginal plant; the roots are what true ginger's made from. oh, botanical name zingiber officinale). hope that helps!

[pondlady]

What about watercress? It has a peppery taste wonderful in salad or just dipped in ketchup [grandkids love to eat it this way] grows wild around here. Very good marginal plant, needs no pot just up it in between rocks and away it goes.

[c2c7390]

you could try Taro they grow in basically rice paddys

[c2c7390]

http://en.wikipedia....wiki/Poi_(food)

[pondlady]

OK all I have a new one called Kangkong or water spinach. Well I have some seeds of the stuff. Impomea aquatica, Dont know how to grow it because the package if in Korean. Very goo to eat and has nice flowers. Invasive in warm climates but treat as an annual in cold climates. I like the look so I will figure it out. Ill keep you posted!

[Chef Dave]

pondlady said:

OK all I have a new one called Kangkong or water spinach. Well I have some seeds of the stuff. Impomea aquatica, Dont know how to grow it because the package if in Korean. Very goo to eat and has nice flowers. Invasive in warm climates but treat as an annual in cold climates. I like the look so I will figure it out. Ill keep you posted!

The instructions are in KOREAN?

Where did you get these seeds?

[pondlady]

On a seed exchange. I traded some vegie and herb seeds for them. The trader said the stuff is easy to grow good to eat and has beautiful flowers, and it loves its feet wet. So I thought "what the heck ill try it" So I made the trade. Now If I could only read Korean!!!

[DrDave]

There are many free translators available. Google translator and select Korean.

[pondlady]

I had not thought of that! Thanks DrDave! I give it a try

[leeannecastro]

If you can scan it into a picture, I can have my husband's cousin translate for you.

[c2c7390]

DrDave said:

There are many free translators available. Google translator and select Korean.

im not sure if you can use an online translator...cause the packaging is probably written with korean characters

[pondlady]

Hummmmm the picture thin might work. Ill see If Dh can do it. He's the puter whiz around here.