Garden Gleanings - Watercress as an accent

Posted Sunday, April 27, 2008, at 11:01 AM

Several years ago, we transplanted some watercress from our "lower 40" and put it in our goldfish pond and waterfalls. These pictures were taken a month ago and show the lower waterfall on the left with the watercress in the center. The upper waterfall, coming out of the filter, is on the right.

These plants do so well that we have to continuously pull it to allow the water to pass quickly enough to avoid overflowing the banks of the stream we made. Its' roots filter the water as it returns to the pond.

Our original intent was to use it as a decorative planting. It has turned out to be additives to our salad, our sandwiches and even a soup of its own.

Later in the spring it has pretty white flowers, but try to keep it from going to seed. It can be prolific.

If you have running water in your water feature, consider watercress. One comment of concern, be prepared to keep it cut back, eat it or thin it. It grows well!!!

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Thanks Cindy. We have put it on our calendar, hopefully we will make it.

-- Posted by stevemills on Tue, Apr 29, 2008, at 2:49 PM

The event is called the Middle Tennessee Plant Swap and takes places in the spring and in the fall. This year the event will be held May 17 starting at 9:00 a.m. at Henry Horton State Park. Get there early because a guest lecturer will start at 9 is my understanding. The website to visit and register is http://www.midtnplantswap.com/. There is no admission and you read under the questions and answers as to what to bring etc. This is my first year to attend and I have many plants to take and swap. I read a lot on the garden web and I believe they are expecting anywhere from 150 to 200 folks. Basically it sounds like a big family reunion with a bunch of gardeners.

Hope this helps and encourages folks to go. Free plants and a day with gardeners is a stress free day in my book. Hope this helps.

Cindy

-- Posted by msbasselope on Tue, Apr 29, 2008, at 2:00 PM

Cindy, do you mind sharing the date, time and location here? Some may be a little reserved about writing, and we would hate for them to miss the event.

-- Posted by stevemills on Mon, Apr 28, 2008, at 8:27 PM

You can always plant any kind of mint in a one gallon container or larger to keep it from being so invasive.

By the way, there is the Middle Tennessee Plant Swap coming up in May so if anyone if interested just email me at msbasselope@yahoo.com

This is for gardeners and their families and is free, all folks do is trade plants or any gardening item such as seeds, bulbs, birdhouses, etc (no money exchanges hands).

Cindy

-- Posted by msbasselope on Mon, Apr 28, 2008, at 3:38 PM

craftin-mom, what about Raphael's? They have that backroom area that seats a lot of people. It's not clossed off from everyone like at the Chinese place, but there are corners where everyone can just push together some tables?

-- Posted by cfrich on Mon, Apr 28, 2008, at 2:10 PM

Steve, I called Bocelli's, and they are usually packed Fri/Sat nites, so they don't take reservations for those days, or for lunch hour all week. They are closed Sundays. She said any other evening *might* work.

Well, since I seem to be the only one with a complaint of Asian food, I suppose I could try to go to a short meeting sometime at Hong Kong. If I start getting ill, I'm sure I could politely excuse myself.

I'm sure I could be at the COC for the Sunday meeting. That one shouldn't be a problem.

-- Posted by craftin_mom on Mon, Apr 28, 2008, at 1:27 PM

For those curious about the Ghost pepper http://www.samwilkinson.org/2007/03/01/t...

Usually no more than 15 attend unless we get someone like Garth Brooks to come. That might add a few more.

The Sunday group will be at the Chamber of Commerce on May 11th. I am teaching a class there earlier and can hold it for a 6:30 garden club meeting.

There are more flowers around the pond now and the lily pads are close to blooming as well. The picture is too small the see the goldfish under the water.

-- Posted by stevemills on Sun, Apr 27, 2008, at 2:26 PM

Just beautiful Steve. I wish my property was big enough for a small pond and fall.

On a couple of side notes... I got my garden tilled up today... yeee hawwww! Now, to go get the rake and get all the "trash" out, weeds, etc. Then it's melons, cukes, beans, squash and peppers... woo hoo! Hey, anyone know where I can get a couple of those "ghost pepper" plants? They're supposed to be the hottest in the world.

Side note #2... about how many people on average go to the gardening meetings? 20? 30? 15? I'm thinking of calling Bocelli's and see if we can meet there every now and then, if there's no cost or anything. I'll let you know what I find out, okay?

-- Posted by craftin_mom on Sun, Apr 27, 2008, at 1:20 PM

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Steve Mills

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Steve Mills and his wife have one daughter and live on a farm outside of Bell Buckle. They previously owned two coffee/ice cream shops, currently operate an internet sales company and teach classes, but his primary job involves the paper industry worldwide. Hobbies and interests lie in gardening, photography, recorded music and of course, their pets.

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