Growing Horseradish

Armoracia rusticana : Brassicaceae / the mustard or cabbage family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
    P P                

(Best months for growing Horseradish in USA - Zone 5a regions)

  • P = Plant crowns
  • Easy to grow. Plant root pieces. Best planted at soil temperatures between 50°F and 77°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 20 inches apart
  • Harvest in 16-24 weeks. Some improvement in flavour if left till after frost..
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Best kept separate

Your comments and tips

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22 Jan 12, Brian (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
is the horseradiah plant frost hardy?
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23 Jan 12, Jen (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Hello Brian, I would say yes, as I have mine planted in a big 42 cm wide pot but did not move it into "winter quarters" as I do with my Kaffir Lime potted tree, it showed no damage over the years, Happy gardening Jen
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17 Oct 11, jackie rolland (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
i am in Launceston Tasmania,and i have some horseradish plants if you would like some mike
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03 Sep 21, Phil Lipski (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I live in Launceston. I would like to buy some plants. Thank you. Phil
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27 Jul 21, Donna Renaud (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Hi Jackie, I know it was a long time ago, but do you still have any horseradish in Launceston ? I am in Beaconsfield and would love to grow some so I can make Fire Water with it. Donna.
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09 Dec 11, Paul (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Hi Jackie, We would love a bit of your HR. we are south of Hobart(pelverata) and would love to get some that is proven in Tassie. Happy to pay for postage.
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01 Oct 11, Jen (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I grow my hradish in deep pots and after harvesting and grating to preserve with AC vinegar etc it turned out very, very mild?? Not at all hot as I was expecting? Any idea's why?
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22 Jan 12, Peter (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi, if you want your horseradish to be hot, leave it for 2 years in the ground - the older it is the hotter it gets. It does become woody so grating it is a problem. Back in Russia we'd leave the root over winter and in spring it would regrow, then at the end of season its harvested. I'm not sure it would work in Australia unless where you live winter is frosty.
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23 Jan 12, Jen (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Thank you Peter for your suggestion, I have not harvested my horseradish last autumn / winter as I still had jars preserved from the previous year..So it will suit my pantry very well to harvest in the 2nd year at the end of this year. Thanx
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05 Feb 12, Peter (Australia - temperate climate)
No problem! Please let us all know how they turn out!Just a word of caution - protect your eyes when grating old horseradish - it will burn your eyes. Use swimming goggles. I know people who didn't realize this until it was too late - they got a chemical burn, took a week to recover. Cheers!
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Margaret, I haven't found the perfect time, the size of the leaves don't tell me anything. Last week I did use some, just scraping away surrounding soil and seeing the thickness of the root helped, the root was fairly thick, about the same as two fingers plus a little more. Getting it out is the hard part, the roots go down a long way so I cut the amount I needed and replaced the soil. Be careful if you do this because the root is very strong, a serrated knife worked o.k

- Roy

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