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Lifting and SuckeringFor market, large, straight primary roots with low “crown” separation (or low head shoot numbers) are the best quality and bring the highest prices (USDA. grades Fancy and #1). To obtain a large percentage of these roots, growers often practice “lifting and suckering” to enhance the size and development of the set. Once the sets are covered and the plants begin to grow, the head end or “crown” will grow one to five shoots. Most roots will form under the crown and at the tail or “distal” end of the set; few secondary roots will form in the middle of the set.Root growth location can be influenced by “lifting.” After the shoots and new roots have begun to grow, early in the season the crown end is lifted an inch or two with a short jerk. This can be done by grasping the top growth by hand and pulling gently, but often a metal rod, which is bent at the end into a U-shape, is used to do the job. It is inserted in the soil to hook the set under the crown and then lifted. Lifting breaks early roots forming below the crown (Figure 9a), forcing more rooting at the distal end, and ultimately, a larger main root. Also at this time the multiple shoots forming the crown are hand-thinned or “suckered” to one or two (Figure 9b). This will enhance the smoothness of the crown and its appearance, a top grade attribute. Lifting and suckering is not done for wild-root and field-run production and sets are allowed to grow randomly, resulting in less primary root size. For some varieties under ideal conditions, large, primary root size is easily obtained, and lifting and suckering are not required.
If you're anywhere near South London it grows wild near the river in huge clumps. I take my mattock out with me and lever up a root or two when I want some.
Quote from: sparrow on September 22, 2016, 14:47:36If you're anywhere near South London it grows wild near the river in huge clumps. I take my mattock out with me and lever up a root or two when I want some.Same applies locally. There is so much of it, it is hardly necessary growing yourself. I dug my start by the side of the road - well away from traffic.
I've never grown HR, so i'm not 'intimately' familiar with it.HR leaves look exactly like doc leaves to me.I might be walking passed tons of HR roots and simply not realise it.
Quote from: playground on September 23, 2016, 16:40:17I've never grown HR, so i'm not 'intimately' familiar with it.HR leaves look exactly like doc leaves to me.I might be walking passed tons of HR roots and simply not realise it.When you come across a likely clump, crush a rib in the centre of the leaf, the smell is unmissable. Unless you have no sense of smell at all, you won't mistake it for dock. And when you dig it out, you won't get a clean root all the way either unless you are somewhere with very light soil. The broken root will grow just fine, but again - you can't mistake the smell and the effect on your sinuses when you handle a broken root.
that's a good idea; think I will plant some in the field next to my garden. I have some that I have just kept alive at my plot. Shouldn't trouble the animals.
Quote from: plotstoeat on September 25, 2016, 19:22:58that's a good idea; think I will plant some in the field next to my garden. I have some that I have just kept alive at my plot. Shouldn't trouble the animals.Hi plotstoeat,I'd just like to offer you this tidbit of information from my recentreading forays about horseradish.Ironically, horseradish is poisonous to horses. People (perhaps) naturally assume that horseradishes are fed to horses or that horseslike eat horseradish (the way horses like peppermint or melon rind, for example).However, "Horseradish" was named to mean "powerful or strong" + "root".Radish is from the latin for root. (perhaps carrots should be called radishes). Horse was (in the middle ages) taken figuratively to mean something powerful and strong. I guess if we were to rename them today with the same intent, we'd call them Bull-roots or Ox-roots.So .... what kind of animals are in your next door field ?I don't know whether horseradish is poisonous to sheep, cows and pigs, or not.
Horseradish, as I'm sure you know, is a real weed and once in place is very hard to get rid of! I planted some on my allotment and it quickly made a largish patch of dense large leaves. However - on digging it up I was surprised and disappointed that the roots were only about 1cm wide and instead of a nice long straight bit of horseradish root like you get in a shop, I had a kind of tangle of roots that were too thin to peel and be left with anything! By waiting for several years I managed to get roots that were much wider and fleshy, but again only at the top part and they soon tailed off in to wispy little root hairs.
I don't think 'beet horseradish' is a plant. There is a relish called beet horseradish which is realy nice with cheese and meat or use as a dip. I came across it years ago through some Russian Jews, they call it Chrain, sounds like kurain in one syllable. I make it every year, keeps well and you use more or less horseradish according to your taste. I grow my horseradish in the ground with bottomless Morrison flower buckets gradually built up over the season then knock them down for harvesting. Leave the bit of root in the ground as a starter for next year. I will be doing this very soon to use up the beets before they get woody and also the HR will be dying back as well.
I planted a small clump 20 years ago on my plot and despite exhaustive removal every year it still comes up.
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Topic: Experienced Horseradish growers.... (Read 5781 times)
