By National Gardening Association Editors

Horseradish is a perennial root crop, planted from tuberous roots rather than seeds. Once you plant a few cuttings, they take hold quickly, spreading and multiplying year after year. The plants reproduce abundantly, so plant only three to six roots at first. This should be enough for a household of four horseradish lovers. Also, be sure to plant the roots in an area that's away from the rest of your garden, so you don't have a horseradish takeover.

Growing Horseradish

To cultivate horseradish, get some root cuttings from a garden center, a seed company or a neighbor who already has some growing. These straight, thin roots are really just pieces cut from a larger root that has been harvested to eat. If you buy them, they'll be cut at a slant on one end, and that end should be planted downward. If a neighbor or friend gives you some, have them slant the end that was not attached to the stem, so you won't plant the root upside down.

Plant horseradish in the early spring, at the same time you plant your first cool-season crops. Prepare the soil just as you do for your other vegetables, tilling or spading the area to a depth of six to eight inches.

Dig a hole or furrow four to six inches deep and put a handful of 10-10-10 or 5-10-10 fertilizer or a shovelful of compost at the bottom. Cover this with two inches of soil.

Lay the roots, slanted end pointed down, in the soil at a 45-degree angle rather than straight up and down. This way, the new roots that form along the entire length of each cutting can grow straight down themselves without becoming tangled up in one another. The top of the cutting should be about two inches below the soil surface.

Cover the top of the root with two inches of soil, and it should soon be growing like crazy. Keep the seedbed free of weeds, cultivating the soil regularly.

Horseradish plants produce lush, tall foliage that's quite pleasing to look at. You can use horseradish beds as natural borders, or even as a screen around an unsightly compost heap. Just remember, once you plant it, it's there forever.

Harvesting Horseradish

If you're starting a new bed, wait until the next spring to harvest your first horseradish. Even with an established bed, spring is the best time to harvest -- that's when the horseradish is hottest. You can dig up some roots in the fall and store them just as you would carrots or beets, or you can store horseradish right out in the garden (year-round if you like), digging up a root anytime you're in the mood to have some fresh.

Homemade horseradish is wonderful with hot or cold roast beef, or in cole slaw, salad dressings and dips.

Making Horseradish Sauce

1 cup horseradish roots1/2 cup white vinegar1/2 teaspoon salt

Scrub the roots well with a vegetable brush. Trim off any rough or dark spots, and with a vegetable peeler, peel down to the white, meaty center.

Put all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and mince finely. With a processor, grind the horseradish first, then add the vinegar and salt.

Pack the sauce in sterilized half-pint jars. Cover the jars and seal them tightly. Horseradish sauce will keep indefinitely in the refrigerator.

Although you can get horseradish fresh from the garden any time of year, the best quality roots come from the hotter spring harvest, so consider freezing some of your spring crop, either in large pieces or grated.

Together with Victory Seed Company:
Victory Seed Company Logo Victory Seed Company has all the seeds you want for your best garden in 2024.

For 25 years, the family-owned Victory Seed Company has provided the highest quality vegetable, herb and flower seeds to families across the country. We are passionate about providing you the best seeds available that give excellent germination, robust plants, and the harvest you want. With a catalog of over a thousand varieties, we have everything, and our prices are the kinds that we'd want to pay. We have hundreds of yesterday's heirloom vegetables, as well as today's award winning hybrid selections. Get to know us by visiting our website and browsing through our online vegetable seed catalog.

Other articles in this series:
1. History of Root Crops
2. All About Horseradish ← you're on this article right now
3. Beet Varieties
4. Carrot Varieties
5. Radish Varieties
6. Turnip and Rutabaga Varieties
7. Celeriac - Lazy Man's Celery
8. Parsnip Varieties
9. All About Salsify
10. Selecting Root Crop Seeds
11. Planning Your Root Crop Garden
12. How Root Crops Grow
13. Carrot Essentials
14. Parsnip Essentials
15. Radish Essentials
16. Turnip Essentials

This article is a part of our Vegetable Gardening Guide for Other Root Crops / Getting Started.
Other articles in this series:
1. History of Root Crops
2. All About Horseradish ← you're on this article right now
3. Beet Varieties
4. Carrot Varieties
5. Radish Varieties
6. Turnip and Rutabaga Varieties
7. Celeriac - Lazy Man's Celery
8. Parsnip Varieties
9. All About Salsify
10. Selecting Root Crop Seeds
11. Planning Your Root Crop Garden
12. How Root Crops Grow
13. Carrot Essentials
14. Parsnip Essentials
15. Radish Essentials
16. Turnip Essentials

This article is a part of our Vegetable Gardening Guide for Other Root Crops / Getting Started.
Member Login:

( No account? Join now! )

Today's site banner is by Zoia and is called "Volunteer"

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.