How to grow watercress?

[Susan]

Hi y'all, I've been given some watercress from a stream recently.  I would like to provide an environment for it to continue growing here at home.  Has anyone done this successfully?  

I can utilise running water from off the roof.  This is not a consistent flow however - depends on rainfall.  

[Susan]

Hi all, thank you for sharing what you know. I have tried growing it in a pot of soil under a dripping tap, but I can't say it grew very vigorously. There's a spot in our garden near where I collect rain water that I've now thought of. The area gets flooded if I don't clear the earth drain thing, and it's near enough for me to throw water at it when I collect water for drinking. It's new next door neighbours will be celery and lemon balm. Hope they like each other :)

[Isabell Strange]

I have it growing in the ditch that runs down the side of my garden, I have to clear the ditch once or twice a year and every thing goes on the compost heap and I have had seedlings come up at the side of the heap. We have fairly good rainfall here. I would try digging a trench down to clay (or ground water level) and growing it in there. Thats as long as you dont have to dig too far and have great free draining soil, its very naturally clayee? here.

[Richard Watson]

Doesnt have to be grown in water only,i haven't grown it myself but i have known people to grow in a very wet soil

[Kali]

I bought some seed once and the suggestion on the packet was to sit the pot in a pot of water and change the water weekly, or have a tap dripping into it, just so it doesn't go stagnant. unfortunately I wasn't successful at getting it to grow, but then I found lots growing nearby....but its in a ditch next to the road so not sure I should eat it.