Water Cress feedback please.

[KimA.]

Good morning! My neighborhood nursery carries the usual pond plants and I noticed water cress floating in a tub. It was cheap, so I bought three bunches about 1 1/2 feet long each. I took the rubber band off and scattered it across the top of my 500 gallon stock tank. It looks nice and provides more shade between the lilies and lettuce.

Have any of you used it in your ponds? The fish seem to really like it.

 

[Jhn]

Yes a lot on here use it as well as myself. Most of us just stuff it between rocks at the edge of the pond and off it goes growing like crazy.

 

[Lisak1]

Yup! Love the stuff! It's one of the first things to start growing in my bog and waterfall in the spring... then I spend the rest of the season harvesting it by the bushel!

I hope you didn't pay too much for it. You can actually buy it from the grocery store in the produce section, stick it in the pond and it will grow.

 

[KimA.]

Yup! Love the stuff! It's one of the first things to start growing in my bog and waterfall in the spring... then I spend the rest of the season harvesting it by the bushel!

I hope you didn't pay too much for it. You can actually buy it from the grocery store in the produce section, stick it in the pond and it will grow.

It was about #3 per bunch and they're closer to two feet long with great roots.

 

[mrsclem]

Wasn't able to find any this year due to Covid but its my first plant to pick up in the spring. Just buy the bagged salad stuff and within days it roots and then takes over!

 

[Crimedog]

I bought some from the grocery store - it took off and did great for a month - now it has died down and is only in one area

 

[KimA.]

Wasn't able to find any this year due to Covid but its my first plant to pick up in the spring. Just buy the bagged salad stuff and within days it roots and then takes over!

Do they bloom?

 

[Lisak1]

@Crimedog - watercress isn't crazy about the heat, so it may die back a bit if it's hot.

@KimA. we've had blooms on ours. Small white flowers... not really impressive for blooming.

 

[poconojoe]

Yup! Love the stuff! It's one of the first things to start growing in my bog and waterfall in the spring... then I spend the rest of the season harvesting it by the bushel!

I always wanted to get some of that. The more plants, the better!
I have to check the produce department.
I dont think I've ever eaten watercress.
Is it Winter hardy in zone 6a, cold freezing Winters? I like plants that come back in the Spring. Less work and saves money too!

 

[mrsclem]

It does die back in hot weather but will come back in the spring. I grew up eating it from the spring that fed our water supply.

 

[Lisak1]

Mine comes back about 85% of the time in zone 5B. This year I didn't see a single bit of it in the bog and suddenly it was everywhere. Fast growing and a great filtering plant!

 

[TheFishGuy]

I have a bunch in my pond, and it is great stuff, cheap, fast growing and hardy, although I havent overwintered with it yet.

 

[Lisak1]

I grew up eating it from the spring that fed our water supply.

We juice it or add it to salads. It has an interesting flavor unlike any other greens I've ever had.

 

[ReneeFLL]

If you bought watercress from the store wouldn't it only be the leaves with no roots and already have been chilled. I thought if a plant has already been chilled it won't grow.

 

[mrsclem]

Leaves and stems, yes but put stems in water and watch the roots grow!