If you order wasabi in a restaurant, you don't necessarily get paste from the real tuber from Japan. For cost reasons, a green-colored horseradish cream is often offered, which has a sharper taste. With a little expertise, you can try growing it in your own garden.
Wasabi likes to have wet roots
sowing
Stratify the seeds in the refrigerator for 60 to 90 days to encourage germination. Then let the seeds soak in water before you spread them out on a nutrient-poor potting soil and press them down lightly. For a good germination result you have to keep the substrate evenly moist. An occasional splash of water mimics Eutrema japonicum's natural habitat, which is by streams and rivers.
plant out
The young plants find good growing conditions outdoors or in a bucket if the environmental conditions are right. The banks of streams or garden ponds are ideal locations. A planting distance of 30 centimeters between the individual plants is important so that they can develop without restrictions.
Location Claims:
- dislikes direct sun, north-facing gardens are ideal
- Temperatures from eight to 20 degrees
- nutrient-rich and humus-rich substrate, preferably loamy
- moist but not waterlogged soils
care and harvest
Wasabi requires consistent soil moisture, so make sure you water it regularly. The Japanese vegetable plant does not tolerate dry periods. An occasional application of liquid fertilizer will speed up development. The root survives mild winter months with temperatures in the single-digit minus range. If you want to be on the safe side, you should cover the bed with garden fleece. Late frosts in spring can damage the freshly sprouting leaves.
Harvest wasabi
It can take up to three years for a harvest-ready stalk to develop. You should not harvest Japanese horseradish until the plant divides. In this way you ensure the continued existence of the laboriously cultivated plants. Leaves and flowers can be used in the kitchen just like the root.
Varieties
There are now some cultivated forms that have proven to be less demanding than the original species. They can be easily cultivated outdoors in Central European conditions.
Daruma
This strain thrives in regular garden soil and develops richly branched rootstocks. It is popular not only because of its easy-care requirements, but also because of its aromatic taste. In Japan, this breed is cultivated on streams and rivers. Here, the flowing water provides cooling in summer while ensuring mild climatic conditions in winter.
mazuma
These wasabi plants develop short and thick root bulbs as they grow comparatively slowly. Mazuma rockets are characterized by robust growth and are rarely attacked by diseases. Most young plants from the hardware store go back to the Mazuma wasabi.
Midor
In Japan, this cultivated form is cultivated in a similar way to rice plants. The strain is fast growing and thrives in cool temperatures… However, germination proves difficult as few seeds sprout.