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Horseradish

I bought some Horseradish sauce the other day and it tasted nothing like the stuff I had as a child, a quick glance at the ingredients and it became apparent why, now I'm not going to mention the brand (what I would have considered one of the better ones) but it was full of modified starch, preservatives (sodium metabisulphite), acidity regulators and it was made from dried horseradish.....no wonder it didn't taste the same! So I have decided to make my own going forward and growing it couldn't be more easy, so here is a quick guide on how to do it yourself.There are a couple of different varieties grown here  in Ireland but the main one and the one you will no doubt find in most shops is Armoracia rusticana or 'bohemian' Horseradish. It has a long white taproot, similar to that of a parsnip but skinnier. You would be forgiven for thinking they're related but they're not. Horseradish belongs to the brassicas, so it's more closely related to cabbage whereas Parsnips belong to the Apiaceae family so it's closer to carrots and parsley.Horseradish looks very similar to the Dock leaf from above and it grows just as voraciously.When buying a Horseradish plant it's often sold in root cuttings called Thongs, or you can buy it in pots. The root cuttings should really only be planted between April to the end of May whereas the potted option can be planted at any time of year.Soil depth is one of the most important aspects when planting Horseradish, it needs at least 30cm depth or more so that the root can develop fully and be big enough to use in cooking. If you can plant it in open ground do but be aware that it can spread like a weed so it's best to place it with some form of barrier around it.Horseradish will be happy enough in most soil but loamy or sandy soil with no stones or rocks is best for clean root growth.After planting it will take at least a year to produce a decent crop of roots, possibly even 2 years depending on the conditions. If you are growing in a pot the best way to harvest is to pour out the entire pot gently and take out the roots big enough to use. Try to leave at least half of the plant there.If you want it very spicy and hot, harvest early in the season around now, (it's actually used as a wasabi alternative for sushi it can get so hot) whereas if you leave it till later in the year the frost will make it sweeter and take the strong heat out of it.Once your Horseradish has become established it should take very little maintenance other than watering every week if needed. Not a lot of pests bother with it.So although it may take a certain amount of patience I promise you fresh Horseradish has an entirely different taste and when used to make your own sauce you will regret not planting it sooner!