All the details of growing horseradish

Horseradish is grown on almost every summer cottage in our country.This culture does not require special care, so it is actively spreading, filling the unoccupied places and spaces. Completely remove horseradish from the site where it grows - it is not an easy task. This culture has a lot of useful properties and is an indispensable component of pickles and various snacks. Even beginning gardeners can cope with growing horseradish, as it is very unpretentious.

The choice of horseradish varieties should be treated with special attention, since both the yield of the plant and its taste properties will depend on it.

The most popular currently are the following varieties:

• Volkovsky - this is a late-ripening look, inside is white, juicy, ideal for planting in almost any region;
• "Atlant" - it is frost-resistant mid-season type, which is suitable for planting in any terrain, inside is milky white;
• "Suzdal" was bred by Vladimir scientists; it is juicy, pleasant to taste, no longer than 30 cm, the color of the leaves is saturated green, the lateral processes are absent;
• "Latvian" recommended to grow in the regions of the middle band;
• Malinsky was bred by Czech breeders.

The best time to plant a plant is March or April. Horseradish is resistant to low temperatures, so the crop can be planted even in late autumn. In advance, the material for planting is transferred to a heated room and covered with a damp cloth. In some cases, horseradish is dripped with earth in greenhouses or in boxes. When the first sprouts begin to appear, the cuttings should be “blinded” by manually removing the buds. This method helps to get rid of excessive branching of the seedling and contributes to good yields.

Horseradish is a perennial that does not need special care, and is also resistant to cold. But it is the young rhizomes have a bright and pleasant taste, as well as juiciness. Type of soil for planting fit any. It is recommended to choose a non-heavy soil saturated with humus, for example, black earth soil or well-moistened loam. Growing on heavy soil, the culture has increased branching, which significantly complicates the harvest. Soil, characterized by dryness and lightness, contributes to the development of roots with a tough, woody structure, their flesh has a slight taste.

The vegetable does not tolerate shady areas, so it is recommended to plant a crop where there is a lot of sun, at least in only slightly shaded areas. In advance, it should be borne in mind that the culture refers to organic fertilizers extremely positively. It should be regularly feeding. Do not forget about the need to carefully dig up the soil after making the feeding. Mineral-based fertilizers are often used, such as urea, superphosphates, ammonium nitrate and potassium chloride. The best time to make them is autumn.

Usually, this culture is propagated by cuttings. Dig the plant should be in late autumn or early spring. This crop has good frost resistance and undemanding to weather conditions when grown in open ground, tolerates both winters with a large amount of precipitation in the form of snow, and without it.

Propagation of horseradish occurs vegetatively. For planting, cuttings of annual plants measuring 20–30 cm in length and 1 cm thick are usually used. It is also possible to grow a crop from plant stems, but only from the top ones, which have an apical bud. The blanks are cleaned in the cellar or basement, for this horseradish is tied up in bunches and covered with sand or sawdust. To transplant the crop in the garden, the soil is dug up beforehand. Then feeding is made: humus, compost, wood ash or mineral dressing. Abundant watering is carried out after planting.

It is recommended to plant the plant at a sufficient distance from other crops; a remote place should be chosen, for example, near the fence, so that horseradish grows freely. It is easy to plant a plant with the help of a planting peg. The formation of the holes should be made, keeping the slope of 35–40 degrees. The cutting is placed in the recess, the apical bud is sprinkled with earth to a height of 3.5–5 cm. About 35 cm should be maintained between the varieties, and 70 cm between rows, respectively. Per 1 sq. M. m will grow only a few bushes. The land is compacted so that the rooting of the cuttings takes place sooner.

Growing conditions for this plant are not an important factor; therefore, the time and labor resources required for caring for them will be minimal. It is necessary to weed in time in the area and loosen the soil. Drying of the soil in a drought should not be allowed. The plant should be watered in sufficient volume. When the plant is planted, it is necessary to loosen the soil, going deeper by several centimeters. If the first shoots have already appeared, then a depth of 7.5–8 cm should be observed. When the young process is at least 20–25 cm high, then the procedure should be repeated, going 10 cm deep.

Feeding is recommended once every four weeks. A solution prepared in the proportion of 50 g of mineral mixture per 10.5 l of water is used as a fertilizer. It is recommended to irrigate the cultivated plant on dry days, using about 3.5–4.5 liters of fluid per square 1x1 m. Culture is prone to the spread of various pests, including horseradish can be affected by powdery mildew and cruciferous fleas.

Biennial cultures in the future need breaking out peduncles. The root system of the plant, remaining to winter in the ground, subsequently grows thickly, which can significantly complicate crop rotation. Since this culture is different branching root system, a few years is enough that this culture has become a common weed grass. To avoid such consequences, root thinning should be carried out in a timely manner.

The easiest way to perform this procedure is with the forks, which do not cut the roots. Excess plants can be removed from the garden, isolating them from sunlight. To do this, it is enough to cover the bed with overgrown horseradish material that does not let the sun's rays, for example, roofing material.

When the lower leaves of the plant turn yellow, it is recommended to start harvesting. The easiest way to get the roots with garden forks. Remove the leaves from the horseradish extracted from the soil and clean the roots; side processes are also better to clean. It is not necessary to wash the roots, because they are stored better in their own earthy coma. The leaves of horseradish, when the harvest is gathered, should be pruned. After a careful visual inspection, the roots should be left to dry in a well-ventilated room. Do not leave rotten vegetables, they should be eaten immediately.

The roots are recommended to leave in a room with a low temperature, a good option for this is a basement room. Air temperature should be no higher than +3 degrees. The room in which the cultivated plant will be stored must be prepared.

After preparing the basement or cellar, horseradish is laid. Required to take the boxes at the bottom of which is recommended to fall asleep sand or soil. The first layer is put so that their rhizomes touch each other. Wet sand is used for sprinkling layers of horseradish, it should contain soil and other impurities.

Vegetables need to be checked regularly. The decaying rhizomes are promptly removed, and the rest are treated with a composition against fungus and mold. Drying horseradish should not be allowed, will help eliminate this problem wet sand added to the box. You can also keep this culture in the fridge. Roots should be no more than 30 cm, they should be cleaned from lumps of soil and twisted with cellophane film in which to make several holes for better oxygen flow. On the bottom shelf of the refrigerator you can store horseradish for three weeks. If long-term storage is required, then a freezer is suitable for this, keeping the vegetable fresh even after 6 months.

A popular method of storing this plant is drying. Dry roots are suitable for making sauce, seasoning and soup. Drying the roots is recommended in the oven, heated to +60 degrees. Sliced ​​horseradish is put on a baking sheet and dried for about 1.5 hours. When the vegetable hardens, it is rubbed on a grater or chopped using a food processor.

Store dry seasoning is recommended in a glass or porcelain container, tightly closed. For two years, it can be added to food, soaking beforehand. The plant will well retain its beneficial properties in pickled form. To do this, chop horseradish and pour marinade. The container should be screwed on and stored in a cool, dark place.

It is necessary to adhere to the following tips from experienced gardeners when growing horseradish:

• if the diameter of the roots is from 0.5 to 1.5 cm, they are recommended to be left as planting material, and less than 0.5 cm should be discarded;
• the leaves of the plant, necessary for pickles and marinades, should be cut off at the end of July;
• In the summer, horseradish should be weeded several times so that the roots of the plant could get oxygen;
• flower shoots that appear in horseradish should be immediately removed;
• the best predecessors on the bed for horseradish are tomatoes, cucumbers, beets, early potatoes;
• at the first signs of late blight infection, treatment should be carried out with fermented kefir, taken in a proportion of 0.5 liters per 5 liters of water.

All the details of growing horseradish you can learn from the video below.