Content
Horseradish multiplies very quickly. Therefore, experts recommend digging up the perennial every year and then planting it again in the ground in a way convenient for the gardener.
When to plant horseradish
Horseradish reproduces throughout the spring-autumn period:
- In spring, the plant begins to grow at a temperature of +5ᵒС. It is necessary to propagate the perennial and sow its seeds not immediately after the snow has melted, but when the soil warms up. The second half of April is considered the best time for breeding. If you carry out the procedure earlier, the roots will not take root in case of return frosts.
- Horseradish propagation in summer is carried out during a period when there is no drought and air humidity remains at 70% or higher. The plant should be provided with systematic watering. In the first week, shade from direct sunlight.
- In the fall, horseradish can be grown in the garden as follows: planted two weeks before the onset of daily frosts. During dry seasons, the soil is well watered, the roots are embedded in the soil to a depth of 13-14 cm.
The perennial herbaceous plant is unpretentious and can withstand temperatures down to -45ᵒC.
Regardless of the timing of propagation, horseradish produces a good harvest of roots and leaves
How to propagate horseradish in a garden at the dacha
To plant horseradish, it is recommended to choose an area where nothing has grown for several years. It is better to prepare a place in the corner of the garden or vegetable garden so that the perennial does not “clog” the cultivated plants.
It is not recommended to propagate horseradish near the road. Roots and leaves have the ability to accumulate harmful organic compounds and heavy metals.
If the soil is acidic or poor, you cannot count on a large harvest of roots. To enrich depleted soil, it is filled with humus or fresh manure. Wood ash is added to acidic soil.
Seed method
If you do not dig up the horseradish and do not pick off its leaves for 2-3 years, it will bloom and produce seeds. But perennials are rarely propagated in this way. During pre-winter sowing, they are embedded in the ground to a depth of 3 cm. Planting material is laid out at a distance of 10 cm, and the row spacing is maintained within the range of 70-90 cm.
If horseradish is propagated in the spring, then the seeds are first mixed with soaked sand in a ratio of 1:3, then sown. The container is sent to the bottom shelf in the refrigerator or taken to the basement. The period of seed stratification is at least three months. If the sand in the box dries out, moisten it with a spray bottle.
After the specified period, the container with the seeds is brought into a warm room, the temperature in which is not lower than +21ᵒC. When the seedlings form 2-3 true leaves, they are planted in a separate container. In the phase of 4-5 leaves, the bushes are transplanted to a permanent place. With this method of propagating horseradish, it will begin to actively grow only after a year.It will be possible to dig up roots for preparing culinary preparations only in the fourth year.
Rooting the tops
With this method of propagating horseradish in open ground, green tops with sprout buds from the side or main shoots act as planting material.
Work algorithm:
- Make grooves 5-7 cm deep in the beds.
- The tops of the plant are planted, maintaining a distance of 10-15 cm.
- The seedlings are watered and then completely covered with soil.
If horseradish propagation is carried out in the fall, the harvest will be ready the next year. When the tops are rooted in the spring, the roots are ready by the fall.
Propagation of horseradish by cuttings (rhizome)
To propagate horseradish on a plot, cuttings are used
Cuttings for propagation are obtained by dividing the rhizome into branches. Procurement of planting material is carried out in the fall. This is done when digging out the roots.
Preparation and storage of cuttings
To obtain high-quality cuttings for propagation, a number of conditions must be met:
- To harvest seedlings, take annual roots of perennials.
- Cuttings with a diameter of at least 1 cm and a height of 20-30 cm are separated from the main root. For propagation, it is better to choose shoots located closer to the main root.
- If the cuttings for propagation are too long, they are divided into several parts.
- On each shoot for propagation, a cut is made on the lower part at an angle of 45ᵒ, the upper edge is formed straight.
Cuttings prepared for propagation are placed in a container and covered with sand or sawdust. The box is taken to the cellar for storage until spring.
Preparation of cuttings
A month before planting in the ground, the cuttings are transferred to a warm place. The shoots intended for propagation are wrapped in burlap so that the edges (approximately 5 cm each) are exposed to the street.This is necessary so that growth points awaken on the sides of the cutting. In a warm room, the shoots will be ready for reproduction in two weeks.
Planting scheme
Horseradish can grow in one place for up to 10 years. The plant feels normal on fine-stony soil and is not afraid of wetlands.
How to properly propagate a perennial:
- The width between rows of horseradish should be at least 70 cm.
- Cuttings are planted at a distance of 30 cm from each other.
- Planting is carried out as follows: holes are made with a peg at an angle of 45ᵒ. Cuttings are inserted into them with an oblique cut down. Seedlings are buried in the soil to a depth of 4-5 cm.
The beds are watered and covered with a 5 cm layer of mulch. Mown grass and sawdust are suitable for this.
Care after landing
Horseradish does not require special care, but before planting it is recommended to add organic or mineral fertilizers to the soil.
Watering, fertilizing
Horseradish is a drought-resistant crop, but if the summer is too dry, the taste of the root deteriorates, it loses its pungency and piquant aroma. With a lack of watering, many thin roots are formed. Excess moisture leads to rotting of the rhizome, and horseradish tastes like rotten hay. Therefore, it is enough to moisten the plant once a week. If the roots need more moisture, they will find it at depth.
Feeding horseradish with complex fertilizers improves the chemical composition of the product. They must be applied in the spring. Gradually, under the influence of morning dew, rain and watering, they will dissolve.
Loosening, weeding
If the plant is planted on heavy soil, it is regularly loosened to provide the roots with constant access to oxygen.This increases productivity and improves leaf growth. To make the rhizome more powerful, the shoots are hilled.
Horseradish does not need frequent weeding, as its leaves prevent weeds from growing
Harvesting and storage
Leaves for preservation can be plucked at any time. They can be stored for a long time in a plastic container in the refrigerator. To harvest the roots, choose dry, sunny weather. Horseradish roots are stored canned or pickled. Another way is to leave the peel on and place it in damp sand.
Prevention of diseases and pests
Horseradish is used to prepare infusions and decoctions that repel harmful insects, but it itself is susceptible to parasites. The main condition that must be observed so that fungal and viral infections do not multiply in the beds and pests do not appear is to maintain cleanliness and not allow weeds to grow.
Conclusion
Horseradish reproduces quickly and intensively on any soil. Experts recommend cultivating it as an annual plant so that it does not clog the area with its roots.
