Horseradish

Savored for its very strong flavor, horseradish adds pungency and heat to many vegetable recipes. In this article, we'll talk about growing horseradish.

About Horseradish

Horseradish looks like a giant, 2-foot radish. In fact, it's a hardy perennial member of the cabbage family. Growing up to 30 inches high, the plant has large, coarse leaves. The root of the horseradish has a very strong flavor.

Common Name: Horseradish

Scientific Name: Armoracia rusticana

Hardiness: Very Hardy (will survive first frost)

In the next section, we'll show you how to grow horseradish.

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The root of the horseradish plant is the part that is eaten and appreciated for its strong, pungent flavor. The actual horseradish plant can grow up to 30 inches high.

Horseradish is a cold-hardy plant that does well in the North and in cool, high-altitude areas in the South. Grow it from crowns or six-inch root cuttings. Plant crowns at soil level. Plant root cuttings with the narrow end downward and the cut end 2 to 3 inches below soil level. Space plants 1 foot apart. Horseradish tolerates partial shade and needs rich, well-drained soil. Turn over the soil to a depth of 10 to 12 inches, and remove stones and lumps that might cause the roots to split. Keep the soil evenly moist so that the roots will be tender and full of flavor; horseradish gets woody in dry soils.

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Harvesting Horseradish

Plants grown from roots cannot be harvested until the second year. Horseradish makes its best growth in late summer and fall, so delay harvesting until October or later. Dig the roots as needed, but in areas where the ground freezes hard, dig them in the fall. Leave a little of the root in the ground so you'll have horseradish the following year.

Types of Horseradish

Maliner Kren matures in 150 days from root cuttings.

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