Horseradish is a root vegetable that can impart a hot flavor to foods.Horseradish can be grown in cold climates, full sun or light shade.You can use the vegetable to season meats, fish, soups, sauces, or even add to a salad for a little extra kick by planting it in your home garden.
Step 1: Plants with crowns or roots.
You can buy a cutting of horseradish from a greenhouse or grocery store.Most of the time, these places will sell crowns or roots that are pre-cut and ready to plant.As the plant grows from the roots, most gardeners start from crowns.The roots are ready to go into the ground.
Step 2: You can find an out of the way place to plant the horseradish.
Set aside an area in the corner of your garden to plant the horseradish crop, or designate a unique space such as a barrel or hanging planter to keep it from overtaking other plants.If you don't check its growth, it can quickly spread throughout your garden.Horseradish is a perennial, so if you want to have it grow for a long time, plant it somewhere.If you are working with a smaller garden, look into planting methods like terracing or using a half barrel or Smart Pot.
Step 3: A hole about a foot deep is recommended.
The soil should be loosened about 12 inches deep.Make the hole wide enough to accommodate the entire root, as it should be planted at an angle.The roots have plenty of room to spread and grow if the horseradish is placed away from the nearest plant.
Step 4: The horseradish can be planted in a number of different ways.
The crown of the root should be placed into the hole at a 45 degree angle.The roots will be able to spread out beneath the soil while the leaves are vertical above the ground.To act as afertilizer, fill the hole with a shovelful of compost.You can either leave the top of the root visible or bury it completely.
Step 5: Make sure the plant gets enough sunlight.
There is a shaded area that is also acceptable for horseradish.Although it will help it grow faster, horseradish doesn't require direct sunlight to thrive.Don't plant horseradish under trees that might choke root growth.Perennial plants like horseradishes will come back every year.
Step 6: It's a good idea to water the horseradish once or twice a week.
Horseradish roots only need to be watered once or twice a week.In the hot summer months, the soil tends to be more dry.One of the few conditions that can be harmful to its survival is over water.It is necessary to keep the soil around the roots slightly damp.Don't drown them.
Step 7: It's necessary toFertilize as needed.
During the spring, use a high-phosphorus, low-nitrogenfertilizer.Fertilizing is optional, as the compost you used to plant the horseradish should provide sufficient sustenance, but can help the roots grow larger.If the growth of the plants is not growing fast or if the soil is poor, use afertilizer.In the case of horseradish, fertilization should be done once a year in the springtime.
Step 8: The plant has suckers and weeds.
As the horseradish grows, it will start to grow tall leaves known as "suckers" and various types of weeds.They should be kept down to prevent them from spreading.If the plant is allowed to continue growing, it should only have 3-4 leaf stalks.The horseradish weeds can spread quickly.White flowers grow on tall, spiked stalks of some weeds.This is a sign that the horseradish has survived the winter.
Step 9: Wait until the fall to harvest.
Wait until late fall to harvest horseradish crops because they reach their peak in size and flavor after a frost.If you plant the root in the fall, it will be ready to harvest by the following fall.One year from fall to fall is the growing season for horseradish.The foliage at the crown of the plant is usually killed off by a harsh frost.It's a good way to know when the horse is ready to be pulled.
Step 10: Remove the plant from the soil by removing the roots.
To loosen the soil beneath the plant's leaf stalks, use a shovel or trowel.Pull until the entire root system has been removed once the root is visible.If you dig deep, you can keep the root from being damaged.Unwanted growth and spreading may result from accidentally severing any part of the root.
Step 11: Cut away the small sections of horseradish.
The green leaf stalks are on the crown.They can be thrown away or used as compost.Cut the horseradish into small, thin sections that can be used later for cooking or other purposes.You can keep unused horseradish in the refrigerator for 3 months or longer if you store it in a plastic sandwich bag.When you harvest, keep a few root segments in the soil.Before preparing food, wash and dry the roots.
Step 12: Plants need roots sections to keep growing.
If you replant the harvest, cut the plant roughly 3-4 inches beneath the crown and return the root portion to the soil to use in the kitchen.You can resume watering and weeding when the roots reestablish themselves.Although the crown of the horseradish can produce a new plant, best results will be achieved by replanting the root system.If you don't want the plant to come back after a harvest, you need to remove the roots from the soil.Otherwise, they will continue to grow.