Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I was having some difficulty getting hold of good old fashioned watercress .. But I noticed that Bunnings (Maddington) just got some in. (Expensive at $ 3.40 for a small pot) .. but hopefully it will be virtually indestructible when I get it cultured. Tastes so nice on a salad!. mmmmmmmm

The next water loving plant I might try is "vietnamese corriander" .. this is much more pungent than the regular stuff.

is that related to the nasturtiam (spelling?0 that grows like crazy and has peppery flavoured flowers?

Yep .. it is a related species - but not the same as watercress... ... I use nasturtium flowers in salads.

Here's a nice informative link with many references.

Watercress

Excellent reference!

I put watercress into the top of my tower and into one of my small growbeds 3 days ago - Coles has a tiny pot of it which had been grown hyroponically... I flushed the root ball first before planting it in my system... never tasted it till I nicked a leaf in coles and decided that it tasted good...
I grew nasturtium a long time ago, good to have as a food and as medication - minor grazes and insect bites , just rub with a leaf from nasturtium and it eases the discomfort. and you can pickel the seeds!

mmm mmm pickle
add cheese it becomes

MMMMM MMMMM.

I grew up with the stuff .. leaves the size of a penny!

Too hot for me as a kid .. but Now ... Yummmmm!

I'm keen on some of this. It is a very light feeder and quite particular about it. It would be a nice plant for the ends of rows, or take a heavy feeding beds runoff and send it through the watercress then to the fish for extra clean water.

This is a very real plan for Koi keepers. Double filtration. Though they are Carp in every respect they want the cleanest water possible to reach prize winning health and size. Green pond cultures are nowhere near as dirty as they sound. All that algae constantly strips nutrients from the water.

But I think well designed aqua could do even better for Koi..

Heavy feeding plants -> light feeders -> algae sump -> pond.

hmmm, good idea, I like the idea of growing nasturtiums again - have a special spot for them in my life as they have always been around for as far back as I can remember!

Well ..

two weeks in worm compost / pots in aerated water and they are going beserk .. but they don't taste peppery?

strange... perhaps let them age further - have they floered yet?

I think you are correct in that they have to mature a little more for the flavours to develop.

give them a month or so, then let us know.. if you have a lot growin then you could give us a wekk by week taste test

Sorry but the best way to have them is in a soup. Does wonders for your system (very cleansing if ya know what I mean). And your right, they taste pretty dame good.