How to grow horseradish from seeds or an occupation for painstaking gardeners
For many gardeners, the memory of horseradish causes an involuntary shiver, especially if it is already growing on the site. Everyone knows that it is impossible to "drive" this plant out of the garden. Burrowing into the ground with its roots, it gives a new bush from each piece cut with a shovel. But sometimes those who have just decided to get themselves a persistent, but very useful, culture, are faced with the opposite. If your planted cuttings do not take root or die, we suggest finding out how to grow horseradish from seeds. This method is not as popular as vegetative propagation. Seeds ripen for a long time and do not germinate very well. In addition, it will take up to 3 years to get a full-fledged bush. However, do not let that stop you, because planting with seeds will ultimately delight you with a whole bed of piquant roots.
Seed preparation
It is necessary to periodically check the humidity and spray the sand so that it does not dry out.
How to grow horseradish from seeds: planting methods
Horseradish is characterized by increased frost resistance, which makes it possible to plant it in several ways to choose from:
- Before winter in open ground. In late October - early November, sow seeds in a previously dug up bed. If there are several of them, the row spacing should be at least 40 cm. Between the seeds themselves, you need to retreat 8-10 cm. In spring, dense seedlings can be thinned out by planting bushes.
- In the spring in open ground. It is better to start sowing seeds directly to the garden bed after the frost has passed. Depending on the region of cultivation, this can be the end of March - April. When the seedlings grow up, they need to be thinned out.
- For seedlings. The prepared seeds can be sown at the end of February or in March in a common container under a film. After germination, the shelter is removed. When a pair of real leaves is formed, horseradish should be dived into separate cups. The seedlings are planted in a permanent place after the onset of stable heat.
Stratification is not needed for planting seeds before winter.
Horseradish, planted by seeds, has a slow development. In the first year of life, he will grow only one leaf outlet. Bushes will begin to grow with valuable roots only from the second year. It will be possible to dig them out at the end of 3 years of plant life.