Can I Plant a Horseradish From the Store?

Preparing The Root

• When purchasing horseradish root from the grocery store, examine the root and only purchase those roots that are solid with no bad spots. Do not buy roots that are shriveled or dried up. Remove pieces of the root that are 1 inch in diameter and 6 to 8 inches long with a sharp knife. Set these pieces aside, and process the remaining root for preservation. The pieces removed will become the future starts for the next horseradish crop.

Season For Horseradish

• Horseradish is planted in the fall and/or early spring in a sunny, garden location. It needs to be placed in an area that has lots of room. Mature horseradish is, on average, 18 inches wide and 24 inches tall.

Planting Horseradish

• Prepare the garden soil, and lay the root horizontally on top of the soil. Make sure that the thick end of the root is slightly elevated above the soil level. Cover the root with 6 to 8 inches of soil. Continue to add soil until a ridge that is 2 feet wide is created. Water the horseradish root in, and continue to keep the soil evenly moist. Once the leaves appear, fertilize with compost or fertilizer with a N-P-K rating of 10-10-10.

  Horseradish can also be planted in a very deep container, such as a whiskey barrel. This approach works well if the gardener does not have the room or it is desired to keep the root under control and as straight as possible.

Maintaining Horseradish

• Horseradish benefits from suckering and lifting. Suckering consists of removing all the leaves except one or two from the plant's crown. Continue this process throughout the growing season. This process encourages the plant to send more energy to the root. This means the root will be thicker.

  Lifting is a process by which the plant is dug up and lifted a few inches out of the soil. Repeat this process a couple of times during the growing season. This approach encourages the root to grow straighter and form fewer side roots.

Harvesting Horseradish

• Horseradish is harvested throughout the year, but winter harvesting can cause problems. When horseradish is harvested in the winter, the roots can break off in the soil, creating more plants then needed. To prevent this from happening, only harvest horseradish when the soil is not frozen.