Growing watercress at home
 

Hi, folks,

A bunch of watercress that I bought at the supermarket several weeks
ago had roots. I had never seen that before. So I took several short
cuttings, and planted them in 4" plastic pots with porous potting
soil. I've watered well, and I keep them constantly moist by soaking
the pots in a shallow tub of water between waterings. The plants are
happy and growing!

I've got two questions.

First, I can see that the plants want to grow in a prostrate position.
Of the five cuttings I started, only one is forming a nice, upright
rosette. The rest of the plants are spilling out the sides of their
pots, dangling additional roots. So, should I plant watercress in
flats instead of 4" pots? Will the plants stop expanding if I don't
give those other roots a place to touch down?

Second, many of the plants are developing bronze, rather than green,
foliage. I'm growing these plants on my deck, which faces south.
Could they be getting too much sunlight?

Thanks for your help.

--
Rainforest laid low.
"Wake up and smell the ozone,"
Says man with chainsaw.
John J. Ladasky Jr., Ph.D.

John Ladasky wrote in message
om...
Hi, folks,

A bunch of watercress that I bought at the supermarket several weeks
ago had roots. I had never seen that before. So I took several short
cuttings, and planted them in 4" plastic pots with porous potting
soil. I've watered well, and I keep them constantly moist by soaking
the pots in a shallow tub of water between waterings. The plants are
happy and growing!

I've got two questions.

First, I can see that the plants want to grow in a prostrate position.
Of the five cuttings I started, only one is forming a nice, upright
rosette. The rest of the plants are spilling out the sides of their
pots, dangling additional roots. So, should I plant watercress in
flats instead of 4" pots? Will the plants stop expanding if I don't
give those other roots a place to touch down?

Second, many of the plants are developing bronze, rather than green,
foliage. I'm growing these plants on my deck, which faces south.
Could they be getting too much sunlight?


What about setting the pots into a larger (say, 2-foot) tub filled with
large stones, and then rainwater. The pots can rest on topof the stones
so the leaves are level with the water, and the roots can go down into
the water as they would do in a stream. It would be important to keep
the water sweet, with charcoal or whatever, as these plants grow in very
clean water.

They probably are getting a bit of sunburn, which will turn them bronze.

If this doesn't work, you can always consider American land cress.

s.

Bill wrote or quoted:

Could 'someone' expound on the American land cress? How/what/where/when?

Young land cress plants:

http://timtyler.freeshell.org/sprout...cress_land.jpg

Get seeds from (e.g.): http://www.cnseeds.co.uk/
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John Ladasky wrote or quoted:

A bunch of watercress that I bought at the supermarket several weeks
ago had roots. I had never seen that before. So I took several short
cuttings, and planted them in 4" plastic pots with porous potting
soil. I've watered well, and I keep them constantly moist by soaking
the pots in a shallow tub of water between waterings. The plants are
happy and growing!

I've got two questions.

First, I can see that the plants want to grow in a prostrate position.
Of the five cuttings I started, only one is forming a nice, upright
rosette. The rest of the plants are spilling out the sides of their
pots, dangling additional roots. So, should I plant watercress in
flats instead of 4" pots? Will the plants stop expanding if I don't
give those other roots a place to touch down?

My watercress in pots grows tall. Plants do also send out shoots from
the root stock in all directions, though - and keep doing it if they
are fed.

Second, many of the plants are developing bronze, rather than green,
foliage. I'm growing these plants on my deck, which faces south.
Could they be getting too much sunlight?

In watercress, old bronze leaves /can/ indicate nutritional problems -
usually mineral deficiencies:

``Wild watercress or crop that was cultivated in stream beds with no
additional fertilizer frequently suffers from potassium deficiency.
Phosphate and iron deficiencies are also common. Symptoms of potassium
deficiency are shown as marginal scorch of older leaves in this crop.
Iron deficiency is common in winter under cool temperature conditions
and shows as yellowing between the veins on the newer foliage.

- http://www.growingedge.com/community...p3?c=GH&q=1005
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