Water is the secret to growing watercress (Nasturtium officinale). In the wild, watercress grows in slow-moving streams. So recreating its natural surroundings is the best way to grow this plant, or you’ll be able to grow it in moist soil, though the plant’s taste is hotter that way. A perennial vegetable, watercress is hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 10 and trails up to 39 inches long and 20 inches wide.
Ponds and Streams
Watercress grows best at the borders of ponds or slow-moving streams. In case you’ve got a stream flowing through your garden, you can grow watercress on its banks if no domestic animals soared upstream and the water isn’t otherwise polluted. Animal parasites such as liver flukes can infest the plant. Grow watercress where land of any soil type slopes slightly toward the water’s edge in a sunny website. Submerge watercress plants so that their stem foundations are approximately 1 inch below the water surface, and space them 6 inches apart.
Growing Beds
A submerged, wet growing region is all that is needed to grow a little amount of watercress. Dig a hole that is 6 inches deep and one foot wide in a place of the garden which receives six or more hours of sunlight every day, and the hole using a polyethylene sheet 4 to 6 millimeters thick. Spread a 2-inch-thick layer of potting soil, garden compost or peat moss atop the polyethylene at the hole’s bottom, and add enough water to make the soil wet. A hole which size can hold two watercress plants. Water the basin often so the soil remains wet.
Bloom Removal and Fertilizer
Removing applying and flowers fertilizer are both main gardening chores when growing watercress. Watercress’ little, white flowers appear from late spring through the summer in flat clusters at the tips of stems. Removing the flowers any time they appear promotes the watercress to produce more leaves. So pinch each flower between your thumb and forefinger and eliminate it. Fertilizer may be needed if the watercress begins growing gradually or turning yellowish before cold weather settles. Dilute a water-soluble 24-8-16 fertilizer at a rate of 1 tablespoon per 1 gallon of water, and implement the resulting solution into this watercress’ growing medium every two weeks, or scoop and apply the fertilizer according to its manufacturer’s directions.
Harvest Time and Storage
Watercress is ready for harvesting about three weeks after it bananas. Sterilize pruning shears or scissors by wiping the blades with rubbing alcohol, grasp one handful of watercress stems and cut through the stalks about 6 inches beneath the leaf tips. Excess stems must be cut off as well as the watercress washed thoroughly. Store the leaves in a plastic bag in a refrigerator should youn’t want to use them straight away. Watercress includes vitamins C and A, iron and other vitamins. Harvest watercress regularly to support it to produce more leaves.