How To Do Organic Horseradish Farming In India

In late winter to early spring, horseradish reappears in my garden after its winter dormancy, its small green leaves peeping out of the soil. While young and tender, these leaves are edible. Though horseradish is usually prized for its zesty edible root, the leaves are tasty when picked young and add a slightly peppery flavour to a spring salad, as do the flowers.

Horseradish is a member of the vast brassica or cabbage family that also includes kale, Brussels sprouts and broccoli as well as the more peppery radish, mustard and wasabi. Horseradish is grown for its long tapering root, which has a fiery taste that goes well with meat (particularly beef) and fish.

Native to Europe, horseradish is now naturalised widely around the world. In Australia it grows especially well in cooler areas such as southern zones. It's a plant to introduce to the garden with care — though edible, it spreads and persists.

Any part of the root left in the ground will form a new plant. Its dimensions are usually given as reaching around 60-90cm high but its spread is described as "infinite". You have been warned!

Organic Horseradish Farming

• Horseradish is best planted in spring into enriched soil. 
• Ideally, improve the soil with aged manure in autumn or at least several weeks before the spring planting. 
• Plant a piece of root that's just beginning to shoot or divide an existing clump.
• Potted plants are also available to plant later in the season — look for these in the herb section of your garden centre or at a local market. 

As it is a vigorous, invasive plant, give it its own space so it can grow and spread without becomeing a pest. It grows best in a sunny to slightly shaded spot with deep soil and regular moisture so it produces long straight roots though hardy, horseradish is fussy and  doesn't like dry soil. Add a mulch of aged manure around the emerging plants in spring then continue to feed established plants through spring and summer with an organic liquid plant food.

Pest Control For Horseradish

As horseradish is part of the brassica family, it suffers from some of the same problems as cabbages. One to particularly watch for is the caterpillar of the cabbage white butterfly. These small green caterpillars can decimate horseradish leaves. Regularly check plants for caterpillars and remove and squash any that are found. If possible, net the bed to prevent the butterflies laying eggs. Also watch for small snails that can feed on the leaves. Snails can be controlled by hand removal and by baits such as beer traps or commercial baits based on iron. 

Roots And All Properties Of Horseradish

There's a lot going on below ground as well as above. The long root is around 5cm thick but can be up to 60cm long. This great length means the roots can reach and absorb nutrients not tapped by other plants. 

Fresh horseradish roots can be rich in calcium, sodium and magnesium and also high in vitamin C. The hot flavour that gives horseradish its kick comes from volatile oils known as isothiocyanates. These oils are released by either grating or cutting the root — the more finely the roots are grated, the stronger the flavour. 

To retain the flavour, keep grated or chopped horseradish cool in an airtight container or freeze. The roots can be harvested whenever they are needed (for example, when you're cooking your next roast of beef) but are best taken from an established plant that has been growing for two or three years. Alternatively, harvest some roots each autumn as the plant dies down for winter.

To harvest a horseradish root, don't just go pulling it up as it's very easy to break the root, making it harder to store. To get the entire long root, gently prise or dig it out of the soil.

Roots harvested in autumn tend to have a stronger flavour and can be stored uncut like a root vegetable in a cool dark spot, or prepared as a sauce by grating or chopping. Horseradish root can also be dried. Don't cook horseradish or heat it to store as this causes it to lose its flavour.

Grated into cream as horseradish sauce is the traditional way to use the root but it can be added to other foods including chopped cabbage (coleslaw), beetroot or served with avocado. It can also be added to other cold sauces including mayonnaise or used to spice up a creamy dip or a simple cottage cheese. 

There are also medicinal uses for horseradish. These range from applying it to the skin in poultices to treat chilblains or relieve muscular pain to using it as a diuretic.

Horseradish is often used as a substitute for wasabi is  packaged products. Although the plants are closely related, wasabi is much more strongly flavoured than horseradish,which the Japanese call "western wasabi". 

Both are in the cabbage family but wasabi is native to Japan and the hot taste of wasabi comes not from the root but from the grated leaf stem. 

Scientific Details Of Horseradish Label

• common name:Horseradish,red cole(old English name)
• Botanical name:Armoracia rusticana (syn,Cochlearia armoracia)
• Family:Brassicaceae(cabbage family)
• Aspect&soil:sun part shade;moist but well-drained soil 
• Best climate:cool to cool temperate
• Habit: Herbaceous pernnial
• Propagation: Root cutting,division
• Difficulty:Easy

Note:

The word "horse" in the name means "strong" and relates to the flavour. Horseradish was named as a strongly flavoured radish and has nothing to do with horses.