British owned with farms in the UK, Spain and the U.S for year-round supply. To get rid of these pests, immerse your plant in water for an hour. Growing conditions. • 1 bottle of mineral rich, spring water. Cover over with a thin layer of Vermiculite – seeds often prefer this than heavy compost. So why is it not a good idea to harvest watercress from the wild? Land cress is suitable as a 'cut and come again' salad as regularly cut plants will continue to provide fresh, new growth. It is possible to grow a small amount of watercress in potting compost at home. It needs to be kept moist all year round, so grows well in damp or wet soil or a container that sits in a deep saucer filled with water. Watercress grown in ponds or stagnant water should never be consumed as it may pose a risk to health. If your watercress is starting to turn yellow it's normally due to being kept somewhere too warm or being past its best before. Seeds can be ordered online or from gardening supply stores and nurseries. Sprinkle the fine light brown seed evenly over the surface of the compost. Outdoor watercress crops should be sown directly into the pot you wish to grown them during March or April - once average day temperatures reach 8-15°C it will be warm enough to encourage germination within 14 days. Welcome To Sunbeam Watercress . When to grow watercress Don t go chasing hard to find watercress plug plants - growing watercress from seed requires no specialist skills or equipment. In order to thrive, watercress must be kept permanently wet. All registered in England and Wales. TWC produce a range of baby leaf salads, watercress and fresh wasabi for retail, food service and sandwich manufacture based on technical excellence and farming in harmony with the environment. When it has germinated, place the pot so the top of it is 5cm below the surface of your pond. Watercress plants like a shady spot to grow when indoors; they do best with approximately four hours of sunlight early in the day and then shade in the afternoon during the hottest, most intense hours of the afternoon. Watercress is typically found growing along the shallows of creeks and streams. When to Sow, and Grow Watercress. Watercress is referred to as a long-day (or more accurately short night) flowering plant. I read on here that watercress (with roots) can be used in a pond to help to help keep the water clear and control blanket weed. GROW IT IN A POND OR BOG. In the UK as we move into the spring watercress starts to flower.Flowers, although perceived as an issue are perfectly edible and do not affect the quality or taste of the watercress. We grow watercress, very quickly and easily, in plastic plant pots. It’ll self-seed easily, and may spread to other patches of damp ground. You can also start growing from mature watercress purchased at a supermarket or farmer’s market. Watercress needs to be kept cold. The Watercress Company is the UK's leading watercress grower. It’s actually jam-packed with goodness, too, with vitamins K and A for bone and eye health high on the list. Take a look at our top tips below on cultivation. Using a large container, fill it to the top with good multi-purpose compost, and pat down evenly. The radishes will attract the bugs away. Over the winter production moves overseas in order to ensure year-round quality supply. Unlike a lettuce which can become bitter when they run to flower or “bolt”, watercress flowers are delicately peppery and a flowering plant is still delicious. This means it takes a reduction in the number of hours of darkness in each 24-hour period to induce flowering. Sign Up to our newsletter for recipes and news straight from the farm. You might also consider growing a few radish plants near your watercress. It’s so prolific, and can be grown in all manner of containers – even just a glass of water! Put your pot into a deep tray and fill it with water, and keep it filled up at all times. I now have said watercress (with roots) and was wondering how to put in the pond. We are British farmer with farms overseas run.... by British farmers. Once purchased, place your bag in the coldest part of the fridge and ideally eat on day of purchase to get maximum health and nutritional benefits. You can also start growing from mature watercress purchased at a supermarket or farmer’s market. But it also mostly does not grow in ponds. The bugs will drown, and your plant won’t the mind getting dunked. Send us your questions about growing watercress, Email us your question about watercress and one of our experts will email a response. It can … When it has germinated, place the pot so the top of it is 5cm below the surface of your pond. By buying our watercress in the winter you are helping us to stay independent and British. Since the 1980s we have invested in farms overseas to provide great quality watercress, year round, especially useful during the depth of the winter to keep coughs and colds at bay...a warming bowl of watercress soup or perfect for a January detox. Popular varieties of watercress include English Watercress and Broad Leaf Cress. There are additional methods to grow watercress indoors including using capillary mats and cotton.