How do you keep watercress from going limp?

Primrose

I normally buy the bunched watercress but find I can't keep it from going limp quickly. What's the best way of keeping it fresh?

Skint_Catt

stand it in a cup of water in the fridge I think - unless that's for something else!

zippychick

I think that might make it sprout roots? Although I could be wrong....

yes apparently I'm wrong - clicky

tandraig

stand it in a glass in a couple of inches of water - it will be fine out of fridge!
my mum does this with bunches of mint too - if she has to buy them not pick her own out of the garden!

JillS_2

I stand parsley in an inch or two of water both in and out of the fridge - though do keep it out of the sun. It keeps better in the fridge. Trouble is it keeps so well - for weeks - but gradually does get dehydrated - remains green but leaves go very crisp and brittle. But it's fine for a few days.

foxgloves

This might not help if you don't like growing things, but watercress is really easy to grow. It also stands quite well through the colder months so that you can pop outside & pick a bunch completely fresh. My water cress 'farm' is outside the back door in an old washing-up bowl. I've got 3 large plant pots standing in the bowl and I just fill them with ordinary potting compost & sow the watecress seeds. I do this in March. It soon grows & you just cut it when you want it and it keeps regrowing. The trick is that you must keep the washing-up bowl at least half full with water as it likes to be really wet. My packet of seeds has done 2 years worth of watercress and I've picked lots for salads, cream of watercress soup, etc, so it's certainly worth it in terms of money. Obviously I don't know what space you've got, but thought I'd post this in case it's helpful to anyone.

Icey77

I thought watercress needed to be in running water to grow?

MissHiggerty

No, I think that the 'running water' is safety advice to stop people harvesting it from stagnant ponds (particularly ponds contaminated with run-off from fields with livestock), as you can pick up liver flukes very easily that way.

Growing it in a bowl of very wet compost should be fine.

Primrose

Thanks foxgloves. This is one salad leaf we like to eat a lot of so might try this next year. Can you actually put the compost into an undrained washing up bowl and then keep it soaked once the seeds have germinated or is it better grown in pots with their feet in the water?

katieclampet

I love watercress, and used to find it went limp quite quickly. The best tip I found was to put some damp kitchen roll in a bowl, and put the watercress on that, and another damp piece of kitchen roll scrumpled on top. I found it does keep it fresher for longer.

katiex

foxgloves

Sorry I couldn't answer earlier. No, I used to think you needed running water to grow watercress but you don't. It does need to be very wet though. Primrose, I've thought about your question & I don't think I would personally try sowing the seed on top of the compost and then keeping the container very wet. I think the amount of water it likes might be in danger of washing the seed away. I get such good results from my 3 old plastic posts in an ancient washing-up bowl method, I'm going to stick to it. It's the middle of November, but I still have enough ready-to-pick watercress at the moment to make at least 3 good-sized bunches. The bowl is now full to the top with rain, but the watercress just loves it. Do try it in Spring & let me know how you get on x