Receiving Your Bare Root Horseradish Crowns
Horseradish crowns start shipping in mid-January and will need to be heeled in for those who live in regions with frozen ground. It is easy to do and can be done either outdoors or indoors. Check our growing guide for the details.
Planting Horseradish
Horseradish roots look like carrots. Instead of planting seeds, as you would for carrots, you plant horseradish crowns that will multiply as roots. Once you plant horseradish you'll always have it, so it's worth your gardening energy to get started. Horseradish is hardy to USDA zone 3. Add horseradish to your garden beds or grow it in containers like Smart Pots, for easy monitoring and harvesting.- Choose a sunny spot (or part-shade if you must)
- Give the horseradish crowns well-drained soil supplemented with our PrimeStart Booster Blend at planting time.
- Plant 2-3' apart in fall or early spring, laying in the hole at an angle, not straight up and down about 2" below the soil surface.
Harvesting Horseradish
After the first frost, dig up all the horseradish roots. In the photo above, Tricia is cutting the stems off the roots, getting ready to wash and store the harvest. What did we mean by once you plant horseradish, you'll always have it? If you leave any of the roots in the ground they will flourish! For optimal flavor, harvest all the horseradish roots (including the lateral roots) in the fall, and store some for planting the following spring.Horseradish Recipes
Tips- Peel the horseradish root before grating or grinding it.
- Don't cook horseradish or it will lose its flavor; instead serve it as a relish with cooked food, or stir it in to cold sauces.
- Raw horseradish is one of the traditional Bitter Herbs served at Passover Seders.
- The University of Arkansas Extension explains that horseradish tastes hot when the chopped roots are exposed to air -- vinegar interferes with this reaction and modifies the hot flavor.
Grate it into white vinegar for a relish Store the mixture in a closed container in the refrigerator for 3 weeks. Freeze small containers of sauce, and bring them out for use throughout the year; they will keep for a few weeks in the refrigerator once opened. Don't use cider vinegar because that will discolor your white horseradish.
Add grated horseradish to cream or butter Make a side sauce with horseradish and your own unsweetened, whipped cream. Mix with butter as a tangy spread. Use with sour cream or Crème Fraîche on baked potatoes. Add to yogurt as a dip. Tell us in the comments how you serve horseradish!
For more information see our Horseradish Planting & Growing Guide. We ship it with each order of horseradish crowns. Rev up your roasted meat or vegetables with homegrown horseradish!
7 comments
I bought a home about four years ago and just realized that there was a patch of horseradish, would it be ok to dig it up and use it,or should I just start over again planting the roots. Love your video. Thank you
James, the most potent flavor will happen when the plant is allowed to grow in cool soil, so you can harvest it in December, January or spring.
I live in Alabama and my horseradish plant is two years old. It is a big plant and I was told not to harvest in the first year. Should I wait till spring to get it at it’s most potent flavor or in December or January?
Ron, I really depends on where you live as to whether or not you can harvest year round. Most of the root growth happens in late summer to early fall, so you should wait until October or November to harvest. If you live in a milder climate, you could wait until spring and harvest before the new growth has begun. The roots harvested at this time will have the hottest flavor. So if you like it really hot (spicy) then harvest later.
I was wondering if i can harvest the root and make the condiment year round?? or only in the fall or early spring?? does it make it better? or does it really matter??