If pH wrong for watercress....

Gardening to 'grow your own food' from square foot to half an acre !!
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Freeranger
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If pH wrong for watercress....

Post by Freeranger »

I've been told watercress grows best in chalky/low pH areas, but have a vague memory that there's an alternative plant grown in a similar way for other areas.
I can't for the life of me remember - anyone know what it is I'm trying to remember? It's annoying me now.
lancashire lass
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Re: If pH wrong for watercress....

Post by lancashire lass »

a lot of pond forums indicate use of watercress to clear the water (it takes up the nutrients generated by fish poo and detritus and grows rapidly ... basically it deprives algae and blanketweed of available nutrients hence reduces the need to add algaecide chemicals) but can become a weed in itself if not controlled. Nearly all of them say they just buy watercress from the supermarket and toss it in (or plant it in pots of gravel to control it) and it roots itself. I haven't tried it myself so I wouldn't know how effective it is or how well it grows ... perhaps just give it a try and see how it does?
Freeranger
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Re: If pH wrong for watercress....

Post by Freeranger »

Thanks, LL - I'll try that when it's a little warmer.
If you have any idea what the alternative is, I'd really appreciate knowing because it's turned into a brain worm now!
Mo
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Re: If pH wrong for watercress....

Post by Mo »

[u=https://www.gourmetsleuth.com/articles/detail/grow-watercress]This site[/u] suggests growing it in the garden by planting the roots of a supermarket bunch. And says
Substitute for Watercress
Arugula, nasturtium leaves or radish sprouts

Which, of course sent me back to google and wiki
Arugula or rocket is an edible annual plant in the family Brassicaceae used as a leaf vegetable for its fresh peppery flavor. Other common names include garden rocket, and eruca. Some additional names are "rocket salad", "rucola", "rucoli", "rugula", "colewort", and "roquette". Eruca sativa...

Were any of those what you were thinking of?
Dance caller. http://mo-dance-caller.blogspot.co.uk/p/what-i-do.html
Sunny Clucker enjoyed Folk music and song in mid-Cheshire
Mo
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Re: If pH wrong for watercress....

Post by Mo »

My granddaughter was fascinates to learn that you can eat nasturtium leaves and flowers. I have a self sown patch invading my patch, so she likes 'harvesting' and chewing them. Bit too spicy for my taste.
Dance caller. http://mo-dance-caller.blogspot.co.uk/p/what-i-do.html
Sunny Clucker enjoyed Folk music and song in mid-Cheshire
Freeranger
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Re: If pH wrong for watercress....

Post by Freeranger »

Mo, thanks for your suggestions. The alternative is an alternative for growing rather than things you could eat instead, so it isn't any of the more well-known in your list but I'll google the ones I haven't heard of in case it's one of them.
I like the idea of edible flowers, and also of mixing flowers & veg and of feeding the bees, so I'm intending to grow nasturtiums, pansies, borage and others this year too.
HedgeHugger
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Re: If pH wrong for watercress....

Post by HedgeHugger »

I've grown watercress in my pond. Like Mo says, buy a bag of watercress from the supermarket. You see little roots on it. Drop it into some water and away it goes.
I had newts laying eggs on it at my old house. I don't actually eat what I grow, i just keep thinking of the fish streamers lol.
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