by Geraldine Duncann ©2009
If you are a true horseradish fan and want a ready supply of truly fresh, you need to grow your own. It is relatively easy to grow, however, like any root vegetable, it develops best if you have loamy soil. I have a hard time growing it in my adobe. It grows, but the roots that develop are rather stunted and pathetic looking.
You may not be able to find horseradish plants at your nursery. If so, find one at your produce department. Buy a large one. Cut it into large chunks and put them in zip-loc bag in your crisper drawer. Leave for several weeks and they will eventually develop sprouts. Plant them in the spring or early summer in soil that you have spade well and amended with a lot of organic material. Like any root vegetable, horseradish needs loose soil in order to develop nice fat roots that are good for culinary use.
It will develop a large ragged plant above ground that will die back with the first frost, and then come back every spring. Once it is well established, the roots may be dug at any time of year to use, however, some people feel it develops a better favor after a frost. Dig only as much of the root as you need at any one time, leaving the rest to remain in the ground and continue to grow.