Will I die if .....?

tui34

...if I grow water cress in my newly resurrected pond and eat it?  I have ordered a solar fountain for it and it is newly washed and scrubbed. I already have nasturtium growing around it so I would prefer to put something edible to keep it looking nice.  I have read that the water could contain some nasties.  Here is a photo - it is not big and not filled yet. 

pansyface

The danger that is often associated with eating watercress that grows in the wild is the possibility of ingesting a fluke that uses freshwater snails as its host.

https://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/resources/vector337to356.pdf

I would think that the chances of your eating a freshwater snail, infested with fluke or not, are fairly slim.😊

GemmaJF

I eat veg that grows in dirt.

Unless there is some reason you don't trust the water, like rats pee in it or something, I would eat it. There are various ways to easily cultivate in the garden also.

tui34

Ah yes, rats.  It can be their motorway along the wall.  There are also mice and frogs who will probably use it as a toilet.  The rats are country rats - does that make a difference or do they still carry vermin?

tui34

@GemmaJF I live in the Mediterranean, so it is dry and arid in the summer.  I am astonished at the growth of my nasturtiums!

GemmaJF

Rats and water are no no, due to Weil's Disease

https://www.rospa.com/leisure-safety/Water/Advice/Weils-Disease

Plenty of safe way to grow in the garden though. 

tui34

Thank you @pansyface for the link.  

Dovefromabove

Some rather nasty worm/leech thin gummy is parasitising the pond snails in our pond.   I do a lot of foraging but there’s no way I’d eat water-cress from a pond or stream (and I grew up almost running wild in the countryside and eating wild food ). but but I grow watercress in pots of compost standing in deep saucers of  water ... outside in the summer and a smaller pot on the kitchen windowsill in the winter. Seeds available online. mr google is your friend 😉 

herbaceous

The baby sparrows and baby starlings destroyed my cress, pulled it out of the little pond and tossed it about   

tui34

Point taken.  No, we have rats here.  There is a man-made stream right next to our property that takes the water from up further.  They're a damn nuisance as I have one hen (left) and any food for her (and her bird friends) has to be eaten smartly.  I put out rat bait under roofing tiles around the garden - it's not always taken - but they are present, so I even hesitate to put dried cat food out for the hedgehogs!  Jolly nuisance. 

Thank you @Dovefromabove and @herbaceous  I may try in the garden @GemmaJF as I am going to try and grow wild garlic, so I could grow the cress next to them - coolest part of the garden! We have been having super hot summers -yuk!!

If you are interested.......
We are out of lockdown here - it's a mess.  On Monday, people in their droves went to the Spanish border "Le Perthus" for their ciggies and alcohol.  Most people wearing masks but supermarket carparks chokka.    Beaches to open today for sport activities - walking in the water and along the beach etc.  no picnics or sunbathing, no dogs.  The flora and fauna has excelled during the 2 months of spring so the mayors wish to let the fledglings fly the nest first.  Cafés & restaurants to open but with restrictions.  Kids back to school - half classes or 10 to a class.  No fun in the playground!    Diesel and petrol are cheap -1.23€ petrol and 1.09€diesel.

tui34

Well @pansyface - it certainly made good reading - very interesting - and to @GemmaJF - Leptospirosis could certainly surface - I'm not so sure I want to fill the pond now!!  But I will!  Last Autumn there were cases (in England too) of dogs dying from splashing in shallow lake water infested with weed.