Anyone grow Horseradish

I picked up a plant last year for Ric it has doubled in size. I was wondering how and when do you harvest the roots? I could use a good primer on growing, harvesting and processing. Holly

You need to wait until Fall. After a good frost the leaves will die back. Dig the roots, keep the large ones and leave a few finger sized ones to grow next year. It can become invasive when happy.

Thanks, so I take up pretty much the whole plant and just put back some of the smaller roots? If I wanted to share the plant could I mail some of the roots at that time, too?

HollyAnnS - I'm so glad you asked this question, because I wanted to know the same thing.

I picked up a root at the grocery store last year and put it in a pot. This spring, I broke it apart and now have it in three pots. The only thing I knew about Horseradish was that it can become invasive - my uncle used to grow it, and it spread all over the place! But I didn't know the proper time to harvest the roots. Thanks mansiongardener - I'll harvest in the Fall. Hubby and I like a litte horseradish in our roast beef sandwiches.

they are harvested in the fall. break off the largest section of the root - try to mark which end is up - some people cut one end at an angle and the other flat. they are not too hot when you pick them - that happens when the root insides are exposed to air. put them in a food processor (outside) and grind for about a minuite than add vinegar.. the longer you wait to add vinegar the hotter it gets.. I go no more than 50 seconds (not a fan of too much heat)

good luck, and remember to mark what site of the root is up!

My horseradish came from spring-dug roots sent by a friend. They had small sprouts already, horizontally on the root, so that's how I planted them.

I add fresh grated horseradish to my dill pickles, along with garlic cloves. The horseradish tends to keep the pickles more firm.

Thanks for all this info. It's so hard when you try new veggies to know just what works. Ric loves horseradish, I can't imagine we would eat all that we would grow but I'm sure I can find people to give it too.

jjconcepts - thanks for all the good info.

good luck with the horseradish.. my only trouble has been getting beets to thrive..

I have Horseradish in for the first time this year.

how many plants?

...

I have tried and not had luck with them. What kind of conditions do they like?

I have at least 4 growing, I plant 7, but some of them didn't come up or I plant them upside down. There was nothing to tell me which way was up.

I had the same problem when I firs planted mine, the rest came up the next year, that's when i found that rule about cutting one end flat and one at an angle. only I can never remember if flat or angle is up. so I put a rubber band on the up end..

Sonoita. I don't know if they will grow in arizona. But they may work well indoors in a very large pot, or in the arizona spring.

Either way, mine is in a corner of the garden. I dug a 3' wide 1' deep hole and lined the edge with plastic to keep them from spreading. We have heavy clay so I mixed equal parts humus, peat and the clay - potato dirt- . Full sun.
From what i am experiencing, if you can grow potatoes, you will grow horseradish - right next to them. just use the fat sweet potato looking part of the root..

I am trying to grow beets with them.. third year trying, still so great success. does anyone grow beets?

I grow potatoes just fine, and beets, but I don't let them get mature, I eat them while they are still small.

jjconcepts - when I lived in Tennessee, the only veggie that I couldn't grow there were beets. My neighbor had a problem growing bush beans, so we picked what we wanted from each other's garden.

I have beet seeds to plant later this year - I'll keep y'all posted as to how they do.

that's pretty funny because the best crop I have is the bush beans... I guess that means no beets for the horseradish.. hee hee.. let me know how they go sometime.

The general rule is, dig your horseradish after the first hard freeze. Here in SC that may not be until February so I always dig mine up a little early (around Thanksgiving). I take what I want for pickling and canning and then I take 4 or 5 tubers back out and replant the same day. And it grows again.... every year.... like any weed will do :-)

Can I start from grocery store stock?

I was wondering that myself.. I would imagine so, just sick your nail in to see that it hasn't dried out.. I got mine from nourse farms.. I actually love their plants as well.. honestly a first rate company. I have gone back to them several times. horseradish is cheap. three plants are working out good for me. but i suggest to anyone to start with five.. I do six or seven root cuttings.. let the 5 biggest grow, if they don't, i get more from nourse farms
therefore I can pull some during the fall and let the rest grow out through the frosts.. they seem to be like broccoli and get better after a few frosts.

Sonoita - I grew mine from a large root I purchased from the grocery store.

We bought ours last spring from an Amish farm where we go to buy our annuals and veggies.

Thanks, I'll give it a try from the grocery store, see if maybe there are organic ones available. Sometimes our local nursery has bare root available. I killed off the last one I got from them!

I, and many of my friends, have tried grocery store roots with little or no success, several times.

Hmm

Sonoita, I think that's because the roots in grocery stores are shrink-wrapped to keep in coolers for ages until they sell, and not much "life" is remaining in the root.

I would try it, but they really aren't much cheaper (around here anyway) than ordering some.. if you do get some from the store, stick your nail it it to see it is not too dry... I do not know what time of year commercial growers harvest the horseradish or where it is grown if you get it in season, it may work well.
good luck
-joe-

Mine was not wrapped in plastic when I purchased it, and it looked really fresh, so maybe it came from a local grower.

I got a piece of root from another gardener on Dave's a few years ago. Planted it and it comes back every year. I don't remember the time of year but anyone that wants a piece I can dig it up for you. You pay postage or we can trade for something.

Peg

I'd be up for trying a piece, but maybe in early fall, to avoid heat shock. Are you in the address exchange? You can check out my trade list if you are interested in a swap. JLMK
Thanks
Sonoita