Growing Horseradish | Chickens in the Road

Sep
28

I have horseradish! Horseradish can be planted in the fall or early spring, so now’s the time to find someone to give you a root. It will grow in almost any soil and in sun or anything but deep shade. Experts recommend choosing a garden location removed from other plants as horseradish can become invasive. You should dig a hole as deep as the horseradish can stand in and cover all but the crown (top growth). Horseradish is supposed to be easy to grow and loves to be ignored. (Perfect!) This is my first time out growing horseradish, so it’s going to be an experience–and an experiment! I love a garden experiment. And a baking experiment. And a decorating experiment. And– Well, I like experiments. I have high hopes for my second year garden, and with horseradish part of it, it’ll be just that much more interesting.

I got this horseradish root courtesy of Heidi–thank you, Heidi!! (I’ll try not to spoil it too much or give it any cookies.)

I love horseradish, so I’m looking forward to learning about harvesting and preparing my own horseradish. Horseradish is one of those things people either love or hate. You?

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40 Responses
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9-28
5:59
am

Hi Suzanne..we LOVE horseradish here too..I have mine planted on the side of our garage..This horseradish has been in my husbands family over a hundred years which makes it more special..I will dig some of mine and make horseradish in the fall..Connie

flowerthread

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9-28
7:28
am

I love horseradish! Can’t wait to find out how to make it. Need to find my own root.
Lauri

Lauri V

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9-28
7:40
am

WORKING WITH HORSERADISH BEWARE IT WILL TAKE THE SKIN OFF OF YOUR HANDS – PLEASE WARE GLOVES. MY FATHER ALWAYS CLEANED THE ROOTS AND GROUNG THEM TO MAKE THE RELISH. IT WAS SERVED FROM IT’S OWN DISH AT THE TABLE – A LITTLE DAB WILL DO YOU.. HA HA

MMHONEY

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9-28
7:43
am

I love horseradish too….mine is store bought though. I bet the real thing is super!

Lisa L

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9-28
8:10
am

Well, I guess I’ll be the first to say it.
Here goes…. I hate horseradish!
Just give me good ole mayo anytime.

Janet

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9-28
8:39
am

Love, love, love horseradish! Especially smeared over a roast and slow cooked all day…

Cathy J

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9-28
8:58
am

Don’t want Janet all alone on here– I too hate it!

pam

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9-28
9:04
am

We love it here! It grows very nicely here, and some of the most beautiful roots you have ever seen are shown at our county fair.

Kathryn

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9-28
9:05
am

Is great for clearing your sinuses but I say Yuck for eating.

IowaDeb

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9-28
9:22
am

I’m so glad it got to you ok. It sure is one hardy root. I actually forgot about mine when I first planted and tried to weed it. I quickly shoved it back into the ground and it’s doing great.

We’ll be having our first harvest at the same time. I have some recipes/instructions here somewhere. I’ll find them and post it on the forum.

Heidi533

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9-28
9:54
am

I never knew that you could grow horseradish. I don’t know were I thought it came from……We never had it growing up. But I really like horseradish mixed with mustard, In our family we use it as a dip for pretzels!
(a low calorie snack) Yummy. And I love it on my roast beef sandwiches. I ecspecially like that it is a comes back year after year. Did you know asparagus does that too? Good luck Suzanne!

MissyinWV

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9-28
9:58
am

I thought horseradish came in a jar. :biggrin:
But when my daughter moved to Iowa and cleaned out her Atlanta fridge, one of the leftovers I got was a jar of horseradish/mustard, which I’ve never tried. I find I love it with kielbasa. :catmeow:

Nancy in Atlanta

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9-28
10:17
am

Oh I don’t care too much for horseradish, but my husband just loves it…so might have to get more info on growing it.

Shari C

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9-28
10:24
am

Suzanne your pumpkins are soooo pretty!!!

I am trying to think of what I eat with Horseradish. The only thing that comes to mind is cocktail sauce – for raw oysters. I do love that. (or for any seafood cocktail sauce).

Donna

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9-28
10:30
am

Horeradish is a little too strong for me, but the guys I know would eat it right out of the jar if you’d let them. I don’t know if they’ve ever had fresh horseradish, must ask them. xxoo

Carolyn A.

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9-28
11:12
am

I love, love, love horseradish! Seafood and beef are lonely without it. I haven’t a clue how it grows or is harvested/used. Looking forward to some lessons next year!

Suzette

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9-28
11:30
am

I love horseradish, but have not grown it (and probably won’t). I will enjoy watching what happens with yours though!

Kathi

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9-28
11:48
am

Good luck and have fun with that! I am a big fan of the horse radish! MMM…good!

Claudia W.

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9-28
1:03
pm

I can’t believe there are so many horseradish lovers out there! I love food, but horseradish is one of those things I just can’t stand! YUCK!

Jeannie in OKC

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9-28
1:27
pm

The only time I’ve had it was when I’ve eaten out and beef was served. I liked it but don’t know what else to serve it with. I did buy a little jar once but never remembered to use it so threw it out because it didn’t have an expiration date (although I’m betting it may last forever lol). Will keep my eyes open for how you use it!

catslady

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9-28
3:14
pm

I don’t hate horserashish, but I don’t like it. *G*

Brandy

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9-28
3:28
pm

Love mixing it in lots of different dressings/sauces..have to admit it, though, that I’ve only used the kind bought in the grocery store..never grown it.

SuzieQ

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9-28
3:57
pm

The little old lady around the corner always grew horseradish and you never had to ask twice for a jar. She generally harvested it around rhubarb time, otherwise the longer it goes into the warm weather, the hotter it became. She would make a ‘hot jar’ for her spice-loving hubby every year and EVERYBODY knew not to eat from THAT jar.

Laura

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9-28
4:10
pm

I’m with the other Janet. I hate it too. I don’t even want to smell it. I guess to each his own applies here. Janet

Jan from Tx

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9-28
6:43
pm

i never really thought hard about it, but I don’t think I like it either. Kinda tangy if I remember correctly. Good luck with it though, my brother loves it.

sunnid755

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9-28
7:17
pm

I hate horseradish!

Estella

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9-28
8:15
pm

My son and husband love it on fried potatoes. I could take it or leave it. Would love to try and grow it though. Sounds easy enough. Can’t say enough about the grandma bread recipe. Turns out perfect every time. Big fat loaves of bread. So good toasted with homemade muskadine jelly.

Pamela-ATL.

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9-28
8:39
pm

I love, love, love it! And the spicier the better!

ML

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9-28
9:22
pm

I love it – fresh, ground and un-adulterated!

KP

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9-28
10:25
pm

Husband loves horseradish. Me? Not so much.

Have fun!

Amy

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9-29
8:24
am

I do not like horseradish! But my bf and dad love it. My bf says fresh is WAY better then store bought. But he says when you go to grind it up, do that outside with a breeze…or actually, what he said was do it on a day with the wind blowing towards your worst enemy. He said it is VERY strong smelling while grinding. I believe it. LOL

TeresaH

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9-29
7:47
pm

I adore horseradish. I put it in all kinds of sauces, on meat, in my potato salad etc. It jazzes up lots of things.

Egghead

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9-29
10:09
pm

I have a great recipe for a baked Bacon Horseradish Dip .
:purr: I ‘ll share it with you as soon as I find it!!!
Does any one know if you can grow Horseradish in Texas ? :purr:

Kelly

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12-8
6:26
pm

2 words…horseradish pickles. They are good

Dolph

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5-25
9:04
am

please send me a root! thanx

Stellina

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9-30
3:29
pm

HI–I HAVE hORSERADISH, BUT DONT KNOW HOW AND WHEN TO HARVEST, CAN YOU HELP ???

JO-JO

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12-10
6:19
pm

I just ground some fresh horseradish tonight. I’s strong oder will make you tear up. The flavor is intense.

Chris

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2-26
2:48
pm

Grow horseradish??? I always thought it just came in a jar?? j/k but I didn’t know it was so unfussy. Let us know how it turns out, Suzanne. I love me some fresh horseradish! Funny, I made some from a fresh root many years ago, and I didn’t tear up like I thought I would. I wonder if it was just a mild one or if I’m immune to its pungency…

Kim from Milwaukee

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6-10
6:07
pm

My mom used the threat of having to grate horseradish as a discipline tool!! Never mind, I love the stuff—yes, beef, kielbasa, in cocktail sauce, and best of all in applesauce! (oh no she dinnit [snap]).

bonita

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1-30
9:32
pm

Your site is terrific. We love horseradish and have an annual horseradish party every fall. We recruit newbies every year; it has grown from my sister in law, her husband and my husband and I to a fun loving group of around a dozen. Some silly newbies volunteer each year. We now have 4 people bringing roots and all of us replant some and highly encourage the others to plant some as well. Out bed is now around 30′ by 10′ and we don’t plan on letting it get any larger. We have a carport and do it there, everyone has their same job year after year. Last year we put up around 140 pints. It is always gone before it is time to make more.
Keep up the good work.

Ann Winberg

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