How to grow the horseradish in a biological way

How to grow the horseradish in a biological way

Horseradish, also known as beard, horseradish, Spanish horseradish or oriental horseradish (Armoracia rusticana L.) is a perennial herbaceous species of the Cruciferous. In this sheet we will see how to grow the horseradish, which is a very well known vegetable in Northern Europe and a little less in Italy.
This plant uses the root, which has a very strong and spicy flavor and in fact is used in the preparation of sauces to flavor them. However, the horseradish can also be consumed fresh and in small doses (as it is very spicy) to flavor meats or sauces. It can also be kept dried as well. In addition, the root of the horseradish is rich in vitamin B1 and C, so it can be indicated as a natural remedy for breathing problems; some attribute it to digestive properties. Also for these reasons his interest can be increasing; it is in fact easy to cultivate, improves the soil and helps the synergistic vegetable garden in the natural defense against pests; in fact, the roots of the horseradish keep away the nematodes and decrease the bacteria (bio-fumigant action), so much so that the horseradish (or cren) is widely used as a green manure culture.

For the cultivation of horseradish remember that it is a plant not very suitable for hot and drought, for which it is more suitable for cultivation at higher latitudes or in the south but at mountain altitudes and in shady areas with very regular irrigation. The soil where to grow the horseradish must be dissolved, deep and with excellent drainage, in order to allow a regular and optimal development of its root. If your soil has these characteristics but is rather dry it must be integrated with a good supply of mature manure or compost to be mixed and buried at the first preparation processing. For sowing, just follow the method used for potatoes; root parts are buried at a depth of ten centimeters; operation that must be performed routinely between March and April. It is a good thing, if you want to perpetuate its cultivation, always leave some roots in the soil and bury root parts every year. You can also start from seed these now can be found easily on the internet. To multiply the plants of horseradish also the division of the tufts can be adopted, dividing the rhizome into pieces and replanting them. This multiplication technique can be performed at the beginning of spring or in autumn.
Excellent thing then in its cultivation is to resort to the mulch with straw or leaves; which makes it possible to eliminate hoes and weeding. The extremely mulching technique reduces the amount of irrigation water and allows the constant maintenance of the soil moisture of which the root of horseradish takes advantage considerably.
As said beforehand, as far as adversity is concerned, the horseradish belongs to one of those plants useful for itself and for the others, being repellent for many pests and is therefore useful in horticultural associations. For the harvest of this vegetable we must wait for the root to reach a good size (this is between the second or third year of cultivation); the harvest is autumnal and can be prolonged throughout the winter. Colors and sizes of the root, however, depend a lot on the variety.