Dang, sorry to hear that Jenny, I havnt forgot about you, Ive just been having a nigthmare over here with the pond so I havnt invited you over.

Boy, I don't know how you do it. I can't get it to grow!!! But the WH in the skippy is looking great, so I'm happy.
Anne

Sorry for the problem Jenny. My problem is the opposite. I can't get that to grow for the life of me. I toss it in and that is the last I see of it. I've only tried it when the water is cooling down and the other plants are settling down for the winter.

Yep, I guess you have the touch. I buy several bunches each spring, anchor them in the stream, and they do great....until we get some temps in the 80-90's. Even if I trim them up when they get leggy, they just peter out.

What am I doing wrong? Maybe not enough sun, too much? They get at about 1/2 a day of full sun.

S

Awww.....what a sight to come home to. Glad it turned out OK. After I read this I had a dream in which my pond drained overnight. lol

Growing Watercress isn't hard but the plant can be contrary sometimes or some seasons. From my observations Watercress will do the best in part shade with visibly moving water. It will do great in full sun if by a waterfall until the temps get into the 90's in which it will seem to become submerged under the water. The worst growing condition I have seen is in water without very much movement. I really think water movement is the key when growing it. Hope that helps.

Lisa

Lisa, has it in spades, watercress can be a finicky plant.
It is really a cool water temperature plant and grows naturally, by spreading it's roots out into fast flowing water, from the banks of streams.
If I put it in my waterfall, it can become a bit of a pest very quickly.
Strong sunlight will knock it back and it becomes straggly, but usually the roots are still doing their job, by pulling out the excess nutrients in the water.
Be sure you are buying "True Watercress" not pepper cress or one of the other garden cress, they don't do well in water.
"Horton"

Lisa and Horton are right on the mark. When a fellow ponder gave me my first watercress 18 years ago I put it in the waterfall of my front pond. It did nothing and after the first it was just about dead. I moved to my back pond and put it in a stream. By fall it was growing great and parts of that plant was planted in the waterfalls and filter and has done great wear ever I put it. Every winter and spring I throw away over a hundred pounds of it. During the summer most of it is gone but it is back every fall. The difference between the two ponds is the front pond gets more sun.
Mike