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__ Wasabi growing in soil under shade cloth. __
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Wasabi Culture
In Japan wasabi is grown in beds of sand or gravel through which water is
constantly flowing. The cost of building and maintaining these beds
contributes to the high cost of wasabi in the market place. no other areas
of the world, notably China and Taiwan, wasabi is grown very successfully
in soil. Wasabi grown in soil commands a lesser price in the market but
is not necessarily of any lesser quality or inferior taste.
Most wasabi originates as small plantlets or divisions growing around the
central rhizome of the mature wasabi plants. A large plant may have upwards
of 10 plantlets which can be derived from the mother plant at time of harvest.
It is claimed that after several generations of divisions that stock must be
renewed either from seed or through micropropagation to eliminate diseases
which have accumulated in the plant stock. So far this has not been our
experience. Seeds are extremely small and must undergo a period of cold
storage before they become viable. We have not yet attempted culture from
seeds.
We grow our plants in straight compost under 70% shade cloth. During
summer the foliage is sprayed liberally with water once or twice per day so
that soil moisture and humidity remains relatively high in the growing area.
After 18 months to two years the plants are harvested and divided. Usually
this should occur in the late spring or early summer after the plants have
fully recovered from their winter dormancy and produced a full set of new
large leaves.
In the Seattle area wasabi passes the winter without much
problem. When the weather begins to go below freezing at night, the plants
are covered with a sheet of clear plastic. In area of the country where
temperatures regularly fall to 20F or below we suggest that the plants may
need to be moved indoors or at least heavily mulched and then protected by
some type of fabric or plastic covering.
When your wasabi arrives remove it from the packaging and place the
roots in cool water. Remove any leaves and stems which may have been
broken during shipping. Leaving the broken leaves on the plant will only
provide an avenue for water loss which may delay the plants' recovery.
Prepare an area in the garden where the plants will be fully shaded. Wasabi
will only tolerate a limited amount of direct sunlight. If your plants seem to wilt
during part of the day they are receiving too much sun. If the leaf color lightens
or begins to take on a slightly yellow hue they are also receiving too much light.
Watering the plants to cool and hydrate them will allow them to pass through limited
periods of direct sunlight. Soil should be high in organic matter. Cover
the roots of the plant up to the base of the lowest stems. Water the plants
thoroughly. Leaves and stems that appear wilted should rehydate and perk up.
If you find that some stems remain wilted for two or three days, remove them.
In a few days you should notice the appearance of new leaves. Be sure to
protect the plants from predators, particularly slugs and snails. Any
metaldehyde type slug bait should do to protect the plants.
A couple of times a year you may want to apply fertilizer, any good vegetable
fertilizer should do. Addition of sulfur to the soil will increase the pungency of the
plants' taste.
When the central rhizome (both above and below the ground) reaches
4 to 6 inches and 1/2 to 1 inch in diameter, the plants are ready to harvest. Pull the
plants up and remove the plantlets around the rhizome for replanting. Wash the
plants thoroughly and remove any dead or dying leaves. Break off all roots flush
with the rhizome. Remove and retain the stems and leaves. Use a carrot peeler to
shave off the outer layer of the rhizome. Use a fine grater to grate the central portion
of the rhizome and serve it with sushi or sashimi, or even steak for that matter. For
increased volume the leaves and stems may also be pureed into the preparation.
Commercial wasabi available in Oriental groceries is mixed with horseradish. You
can try this mixture also. Grated wasabi will not retain its flavor for very long. Even
storage overnight in the refrigerator will cause the paste to lose virtually all of its flavor.
Addition of preservatives will likely increase the shelf life of the paste but we have
not tried it.
When your plants arrive soak the roots thoroughly and then plant in loose
moist soil in an area which receives indirect sunlight. Avoid high temperatures and
mist the plants daily to keep humidity up. If the leaves wilt completely (which is not
unlikely) cut them off after you are sure they will not revive. This will keep the old
leaves from leaching too much moisture away from the central rhizome. Then let the
plant regenerate new leaves from the base.
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