Just a few weeks ago I filled the grow bed of my aquaponics system with various seedlings; since then most everything that I planted has been growing with a vengeance.
I was excited to plant both cucumbers and watercress, as the irrigation of both has always escaped me.
In three short weeks four small clusters of watercress have taken over a roughly two square-foot area of the grow bed. No wilting, no drooping, no dried up dead watercress in sight. Success at last.
I’ve written about cucumbers before. The eight vines that I have planted in the system are positioned to make their way up a Brickforce trellis; hopefully creating a visually pleasing canopy of leaves, and cucumbers, over the grow bed.
The bed is elevated by about two feet, and I can only pray that my not-so-friendly neighbourhood monkeys won’t be able to access the fruits of my labour.
I have a friend who always reminds me that cucumbers are almost entirely water. Every time cucumbers come up he says, “Suzanne, cucumbers are 97 per cent water.”
I never verified that statement but I know that cucumbers, unlike watercress, are certainly not a superfood.
Superfoods, like superheroes, get the job done. Those with the designation are generally low in calories, high in nutrients, and thought to have excellent health benefits.
Watercress is a semi-aquatic plant; it thrives in wet conditions. Surprisingly it is a member of the crucifer family, alongside broccoli and cabbage.
As for it’s designation as a superfood, that’s pretty amazing. One serving has more vitamin C than an orange, more calcium than a glass of milk, and more iron than spinach.
A recent pilot study in Britain suggested that the consumption of one serving of watercress per day interfered with, and inhibited, the activity of the cells in the body that are thought to cause cancer.
Add the leaves of watercress to a tossed salad or soup, saute or steam it. Its bright green colour and slightly peppery taste make an excellent, and healthy, addition to any meal.
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