What varieties of horseradish are there and how to choose the best

Horseradish is loved as a spicy seasoning not only in Russia, but also abroad. The roots and leaves of the plant are rich in essential oils, add spice to dishes and have antiseptic properties, therefore they are widely used in cooking and medicine. Thanks to its vitality and high adaptability, horseradish has gained fame almost as a weed - it grows so quickly and fills vegetable gardens. However, the vegetable has several varieties and varieties, differing in characteristics, taste and requirements for agricultural technology.

What are the varieties and varieties of horseradish?

A group of herbaceous plants, united by the collective name “horseradish”, is part of the Brassica family. There are 3 main genera:

• Horseradish (Armorácia);
• Katran (Crambe);
• Eutrema.

The most common is Common Horseradish, also known as Country Horseradish.. It differs from other members of the family by its thick fleshy root, tall straight stem and lanceolate leaves. Widely distributed in Europe and western Asia.

Reference. In Rus', horseradish has been known since the 9th century as a spice and medicine. The etymology of the name goes back to the Old Frisian “roll” - “smell”.

Katran gravitates towards sea coasts - one of the plant species has the characteristic name Katran seaside. It differs from horseradish by its raised rosette of notched-lobed leaves. Due to its decorative appearance, it is often used in landscape design.

Eutrema grows in the Arctic and Alpine zones of Europe and North America. However, the best known is Eutrema japonica, or Wasabi, a creeping or climbing plant with heart-shaped leaves and branched roots.

Top best

An inexperienced summer resident will be surprised to learn how many varieties and varieties the usual horseradish is represented by. Let's talk about the best of them.

Katran

Katran has a low stem (50–70 cm) and a thick cylindrical root (up to 10 cm in diameter). Unlike Common Horseradish, it does not clog the area and has a milder taste.

Easily tolerates winter in open ground, especially in the presence of thick snow cover, and is resistant to drought.

Among the varieties suitable for cultivation in Russia are::

• Accord - with white dense root pulp (weight - about 200 g);
• Picadrome - the root when cut has a whitish-gray tint, reaches 900 g.

Wasabi

Aka Eutrema japonica, Japanese horseradish and green mustard. The most capricious variety to grow. The root grows extremely slowly - about 3 cm per year. Suitable for food from the second year.

Important! Seeds are sold only to order or on foreign websites (mainly Chinese trading platforms), so there is a high probability of receiving low-quality material or an outright fake.

Atlant

Mid-season (growing season - up to 120 days) variety of Horseradish, resistant to frost and drought. The root grows up to 20 cm in length and 6 cm in diameter, has a curved shape, is milky white when cut, and the flesh is dense. Average weight - 380 g. The ground mass is thick, the leaves are dark green. Keeping quality is excellent.

Tolpukhovsky

Late-ripening variety (up to 200 days) of Russian selection. Suitable for mechanized cultivation.Productivity is about 1.2 kg/m².

The leaves are smooth, oblong-oval (70x20 cm). Horseradish forms a large cylindrical rough root weighing up to 400 g and 30–35 cm long, gray-white in color, white pulp.

Valkovsky

In Russia, Moldova and Ukraine, the variety is called wild due to its wide distribution. The culture is late-ripening (up to 200 days of growing season), resistant to flea beetles. It has a bright taste and pronounced aroma.

The root has yellowish skin and white flesh, is shorter than other varieties - up to 15 cm. But by the end of the first year of growing season it reaches 3 cm in diameter. Weight - 100-150 g. Productivity - 1.6 kg/m².

Latvian

The so-called ordinary, or garden, i.e. non-selective horseradish. Distributed in North-West Europe, hence the name. Feels great in central Russia.

Suzdal

Variety of Vladimir selection. According to vegetable growers, the most pungent and “evil”. The crop is mid-season, the growing season is up to 120 days.

The foliage mass is powerful, the roots are short and thick. They reach a length of 15 cm, a diameter of about 8 cm. The pulp is white, juicy, aromatic. Weight - up to 400 g.

Malinsky

Variety of Czech origin. The roots have a bright pungent but sweet taste. Productivity - 0.4 kg/m².

Reference. Before the collectivization of Czech lands in the mid-20th century, Malinsky horseradish was considered the best in Europe.

Variegata

From other varieties, rustic Variegata variegated horseradish has marbled leaves with transitions from light, almost white tones to dark green. The height of the bush reaches 1 m (peduncle - up to 1.5 m). Resistant to lodging and frost. Harvest in the second half of October.

How to choose

When choosing a variety, ask yourself the following questions::

• what taste of the product you want to get;
• what growing conditions are available.

Is there a vegetable with a milder taste? In this case, preference is given to Katran or the Malinsky variety. Fans of spicy horseradish will prefer the Suzdal, Tolpukhovsky or Valkovsky varieties.

Horseradish of Russian selection is unpretentious, so it is not difficult to grow it, but exotic Wasabi will require ingenuity and constant attention from the summer resident.

Reference. Horseradish often “spreads” across the site, displacing other vegetable crops. In order not to fight the “invader,” horseradish is planted in a limited container (bucket or barrel) or Katran is chosen.

Depending on the region

Depending on the climatic characteristics of the area, such plants are chosen:

• in the southern regions with a mild and warm climate - Katran, Tolpukhovsky (suitable for Central Russia);
• in the Middle Zone and North-West region, the Latvian variety produces a rich harvest;
• the sharp contrast between winter frosts and summer heat in Siberia and the Far East will not frighten Atlas.

Artificial shelters are used to adjust temperature and humidity - greenhouses and greenhouses. This is especially true when growing Wasabi.

Growing technology

Cuttings intended for planting are harvested in the fall at the same time as harvesting.. As a rule, small branches cut from the main rhizome are used for this. The size of the cuttings is about 25 cm in length and 0.5–1 cm in diameter (the more severe the climate of the area, the more powerful the cutting should be). The bottom of the plant is marked as an oblique cut and placed in the ground at an angle of 30°.

Horseradish loves fertile, loamy or sandy soil. The area should be moderately moist and illuminated (partial shade). The soil reaction is closer to acidic, around pH=6.Favorable predecessors are grains and legumes.

Important! Horseradish can live in one place for up to 10 years, so the site for it is chosen with special care.

Preparations containing potassium, nitrogen and sulfur are suitable for feeding.. Horseradish needs regular weeding and careful loosening of the soil. Fungicides are used to combat fungal diseases (black rot and white rust), and broad-spectrum insecticides help remove insect pests (horseradish and rapeseed leaf beetles, cabbage whites and horseradish flea beetles).

In the ground

For planting horseradish raised (high) beds are made in open ground:

1. In autumn, the soil is dug up to a depth of about 40 cm, a complex of fertilizers is applied (5–9 kg of compost or rotted mullein, 25 g of urea, 50 g of superphosphate and 35 g of potassium chloride per 1 m² of land).
2. In the spring, they dig again, form a ridge of earth, which is strengthened with boards or other available means.
3. Prepared cuttings are deepened into the ground, leaving a distance of 30x70 cm between plants. 2–4 cm of soil should rise above them.

In a container

To prevent horseradish from growing throughout the area, it is planted in a bucket or barrel. For this:

1. The container is filled with soil mixed with humus.
2. They are buried in the ground, leaving sides 2-3 cm high.
3. Cuttings are planted in the prepared “flowerbed”.

Feeding and watering with this method of cultivation are carried out as usual.. During harvesting, it is enough to pull the bucket or barrel out of the ground and turn it on its side. The horseradish roots will not be damaged, they will be easy to get.

Features of growing different varieties

Horseradish is propagated mainly by cuttings. Seeds are also suitable for growing Katran, but large ones are chosen - they germinate faster.The optimal planting time is autumn or spring.

Agricultural technology for horseradish consists of timely watering and protection from insect pests. With sufficient fertility and light soil texture, the plant practically does not need serious fertilizing.

Reference. Some varieties (Atlant, Valkovsky) tolerate drought, frost and horseradish flea beetles well.

The biggest challenge is growing Wasabi.. This crop naturally grows along the banks of mountain rivers, so it loves moist air and regular irrigation with cool, fresh water. At the same time, the plant does not tolerate stagnation of water in the soil and sudden changes in temperature (it should not go beyond +7...+23°C).

Harvesting, storage and processing

The roots are removed in the second half of October, not earlier than 2-3 years of growthso that the horseradish has time to fill with essential oils. Young plants have a weak aroma and have less benefits. Root crops are dug up, cleaned of small roots and adhering clods of earth with a hard mitten.

Leaves are cut earlier, for the cucumber pickling season.. In this case, stems up to 10 cm long are left to protect the roots from damage.

Neither leaves nor roots are stored fresh for long, so it is important to store them properly prepare:

1. The cut green leaves are sorted and placed in a plastic bag. It is important not to rinse or crush them in order to preserve them longer. In the main chamber of the refrigerator, the vegetable does not lose freshness for 10 days. As necessary, the workpiece is taken out and used for home preservation.
2. The same is done with freshly dug roots: unwashed, they are wrapped in plastic and stored in the refrigerator.Over time, the pulp becomes coarser and more fibrous, but the vegetable does not lose its taste until spring.
3. Immediately after harvesting, horseradish is processed into a spicy seasoning and rolled into jars. This preparation is suitable for food for 6 months.
4. A large amount of the harvest is kept in the cellar. The roots are placed in wooden boxes, sprinkled with sand. To avoid drying out, the sand is slightly moistened, but then you will have to be careful not to get mold.

A reliable way to preserve horseradish is to prepare dry powder. To do this, the root is washed, peeled, and cut. Spread out in a thin layer, dry in the oven (1 hour at +100°C and the door open) or electric dryer. Store in linen bags or paper bags.

In Asian culture, dried wasabi is ground in a coffee grinder. The same method works for regular horseradish. To obtain a ready-to-use product, pour the powder with hot water for 15 minutes.

Take note:

Delicious sauerkraut with horseradish and carrots

The best recipes for sauerkraut with horseradish and beets

The best recipes for pickled cabbage with horseradish

Conclusion

For lovers of spicy seasonings, growing horseradish will bring a lot of pleasure at a minimum cost - it is only important to choose the right variety. It is better to plant a vegetable of Russian selection, since it is more adapted to climatic conditions and is unpretentious. Katran and the Malinsky variety will appeal to those who prefer a milder taste. Cultivating exotic Wasabi is not easy - sometimes it is easier to buy a ready-made product than to compete in ingenuity with a capricious vegetable.