Horseradish. Transplanted

When I divided my horseradish last year I dumped some of the extra soil off to the side to use somewhere else. I thought I did  good job of getting the roots out but it sprouted more anyway, so rather than fight it it's now my second bed.

When we moved 3 years ago I got to start my first horseradish.

We use it 

for sauces and sandwich spreads. Great in cheese dips for chips when your grilling. 

When I dig the roots to use I bring them in and wash them. 

This is where I dumped the extra soil.
All the green is volunteer horseradish from the tiny pieces that I missed. I would have laughed before if someone called it invasive but now I see. It does spread, but very slowly. The problem is, if your trying to move it or get rid of it (god forbid), every little clipping or piece that you miss can re-sprout.

I thought I had done a good job of getting it all, this is what I have a year later.

Since we love it anyway and I had set the soil aside in a place that wouldn't hurt anything I'm just replanting and keeping it. If you really want to get rid of it you'll have to dig and be careful what you do with and where you put the soil. DO NOT put it in you compost or you'll have it everywhere! The spot you dug it from will need to be left alone for a while to see what more sprouts. Do not till an area that you just dug out because you will only spread it. I turned the soil out and dug the roots, some to use and some to replant. By using the box corner I was able to put all the soil back right where I want it.

Cut about an inch or two off the tops to plant. Trim the leaves back and they can go directly back into the ground. In my case I'm trading mine for Jerusalim Artichokes so I set them aside. The largest roots I kept to prepare for us. All of the smaller pieces I cut into 2 inch pieces to plant.

After the soil is turned from digging the roots and softened up I spread the small root pieces across the top and covered with straw. This spot had compost on it before I moved the pile so the soil is soft. We have very wet springs so rather than digging a hole I decided to go this route. They will grow as they please which is fine with me and I don't have to worry about them drowning. The mulch on the top will allow extra water to run off and in the summer will help to hold moisture.

If your starting a new patch in hard soil you'll want to dig down and loosen the soil. Horseradish wants a spot that can be kept sorta moist but not soggy, with loose soil and no large rocks (rocks deform the roots when they try to grow around them). Dig down about 12-24 inches, mix with compost, it likes some nitrogen in the mix. Rabbit or goat manure would work or aged horse, pig or cow manure. I never add chicken manure to anything without mixing it because it is so high in nitrogen you can burn the roots. When your cutting your roots to plant cut straight across the top and at an angle on the lower end. Plant by poking down into the loose soil and then covering with another couple inches of soil and straw them in to help retain moisture. Remember as you water it will settle and you don't want them sitting in a puddle.

Planning my #PerennialGarden Additions

My first garden was a very minor success, almost a failure if you look at it wrong. I did get a few veggies out of it, and some of the thickest, prettiest grass you ever saw! But I learned so much from that one little patch of dirt. Looking back I wouldn't change a thing. My understanding of gardening was that you till up the dirt, plant seedling and hover like a mother hen, watering and weeding, pruning and with any luck harvesting. I had some luck with the corn and squash, and actually grew some lettuce. This is when I learned about mulching to control weeds. It was too late for some of it, but now i knew. In my digging around I learned about Lasagna Gardening.

You can look it up if you want to. Some of it, and even what I read back then will give you specific proportions of this and that. You can also look up Sheet Mulching if your in a permaculture mood. I used what I had. The basic idea is to lay down something like cardboard or news paper (several layers if you use paper) On top of that you layer leaves, compost, manure, yard clippings, kitchen scraps...you get it. If you do this in the fall, by spring you have a rich, weed freeish area to work with. Yes, I said freeish. Since you don't turn the "compost" you will have some things try to sprout on their own. But because the soil underneath will have been worked by worms, and the roots and grass will have time to decay, weeding will be easy.

AND SO, back to the point.

Perennial plants tend to be more expensive than annuals so I only add a couple a year. By doing this I can take the best care of them so they will take care of me from then on.

I already have one row of Asperagus, about 15' long (about 7 crowns when planted). This year is it's 3rd year so I can harvest it fully for about 3 weeks. Then you let it go to seed to allow the roots to gain the nutrition for next year. I plan on planting another row behind it. 

One of my favorite sights.

Another of my favorite garden perennials is Horseradish. It does need to be dug and replanted from cuttings, but it is such a hardy plant and we love the spice. I have one good patch going and intend to spread it out.

When you dig up the root to use, cut about 2" off the bottom and 1" off the top and replant (trim off leaves).

This year I plan to add Egyption Walking Onions. These are a shallot size onion. The nodules that they produce at the top of the stalk just get buried as you harvest the onion in the fall and are the start for the next season.

When the stalks turn brown, harvest, or cover with mulch and let them set up for a larger harvest next season.

Last year I grew a few strawberries in a container. I just ate them as I cut herbs to dry for later. I bought what I canned and cooked with from a local farmer. I think they would be a good project for this year.

Finally Jerusalem Artichoke.

Aside from just being pretty, these have an edible root and are prolific growers. The root is good for people and as a great supplement for livestock. Around here (SE Illinois) they grow along ditch banks on the back roads and I hope to get my roots for free. Oh yeah, and fruit trees. But I have a whole plan for those that I will share with you next time.