Horseradish

Rhizome perennial, growing anywhere, even on a pile of construction debris. It grows in semi-shade, and on acidic soils, and on poor, and even on clay, but good products can be obtained only on good organics. The main requirement for soil - it should be loose, then there will be thick rhizomes, not thin strings.

Horseradish is a predatory plant, actively exciting the surrounding areas. It is very difficult to get out, so before you plant it, find a suitable place. But you can put horseradish on a separate bed, though with some tricks. Since autumn, harvesting cuttings of rhizomes the size of a pencil, tied in bundles and stored in a pan of the freezer compartment of the refrigerator. In spring, in early April, the cuttings are spread in wet sand or moss sphagnum and put on the windowsill. After about 2 weeks on the cuttings will appear kidneys. They need to be torn off the entire surface of the cuttings, leaving only a pair of kidneys at the very ends. Then cuttings are wrapped with pieces of polyethylene film or inserted into a cylinder, obtained from a plastic bottle with a capacity of 0.3 liters. The ends of the cuttings should protrude from the bottle or strapping outward by about 1.5-2 cm. A bottle or film will not allow the cuttings to branch.

Plant cuttings horizontally, digging them into the soil completely to a depth of 4-5 cm, but one end should be slightly raised. From the kidneys at the recessed end, the roots will develop, and the leaves on the raised end will grow from the kidneys. Nutrients for the summer will accumulate in the cuttings, which will gradually thicken, filling the entire space inside the cylinder. In autumn cuttings are dug together with a film or a bottle, so that they do not clog the soil. Cuttings are stored, tied in bundles, in a cool place, in the sand. You can store horseradish cuttings in the refrigerator freezer.

Horseradish can also be grown as a perennial culture. To do this, cuttings 8-10 long and 2-3 cm thick, without removing the kidneys from it, are buried at a depth of 40 cm. When the horseradish blossom, it will have a large, thick root.

In the autumn of the same year it can already be excavated. Dig out the 2-3 largest roots, cutting them to the uterine horizontal root. The rest of the roots are left.

In subsequent years, a part of the large roots growing from the uterine root are constantly removed in autumn.

Horseradish improves appetite and strengthens the intestinal peristalsis. It is used as a seasoning for second dishes, pouring from meat or fish, giving the food a piquant taste. But people with various diseases of the liver, pancreas or stomach should use it with great care.