Horseradish harvesting/growing recommendations

I planted Horseradish last year but I read differnet info on harvesting. I read you can harvest in fall and overwinter in a basement for early spring planting or harvest in early spring.

I opted for early spring since I don't have a basement and didn't want to risk killing the roots. I want to harvest it now--although it is growing quickly. I read you should harvest it when it is less than 8 inches high.

Do you harevst a particular part? Do you replant the tip and keep the root closest to the top, or keep younger ends and replant the crown?

I just read that roots in the ground 2+years are stringy/woody. This confused me. What do you do to prevent that if you harvest and replant in Spring? Or does harvesting part of it avoid the stirnginess?

I also read you should uncover and scrpae the roots once or twice during the growing season to improve the quality. Anyone do that?

DiGiTAL ViNYL (no email) Zone 6b/7, Westchester Co, NY,

Reply to
DigitalVinyl
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Harvest it in the fall. Dig up as many plants as you need, and let the rest over winter.

If you want some in the spring, get out and dig. The growing plants will have a more "watery" root, but it tastes the same.

The bigger the plant, the woodier and hotter the root. For horseradish sauce the bigger hotter roots are better.

For slices, you want smaller first year plants.

The edible part of the plant is the taproot. Cut the tops off, and compost them.

In SE Minnesota, horseradish is a "thug" plant. It spreads fast and is very hard to clear. Plowing and rototilling are good ways to invigorate the patch. It's a strong perennial, and any little bit of root will sprout another plant.

It's a perennial patch, plant it once, get the patch going, and spend the next twenty years trying to keep it confined, and the cows out of it.

Since most horseradish is chopped or ground and used as part of a sauce, woody or stringy roots are no big deal. In fact, for a hot sauce they are better than the smaller roots.

Barbara

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Reply to
Tuck

Horseradish spreads invasively. I tried planting it in a large, deep bucket, but it didn't thrive.

Reply to
William W. Plummer

Tuck thanks for all the info, much appreciated.

The thing about scraping the root once or twice during the season was to "improve the quality" of the root, as in taste and size. Seemed like a bit of work. Doesn't lok like I'll bother.

Thanks aga>>

DiGiTAL ViNYL (no email) Zone 6b/7, Westchester Co, NY,

Reply to
DigitalVinyl

I have it where it would be reasonably controlled for a while. the roots would need to travel under two feet of slate in one direction to get to a lawn where it could sprout. Everything else is concrete brick patio. My friend said "watch the patio brick start buckiling up when it spreads under them".

I did want to move it out back where it would be open to spread but I'm not sure now. Don't know if I want it out of control back there.

DiGiTAL ViNYL (no email) Zone 6b/7, Westchester Co, NY,

Reply to
DigitalVinyl

"Thug plant" is appropriate. Mine is in a 10"(?) nursery pot that was sitting on a cement strip driveway. I recently moved the pot, and discovered a root had escaped through a drain hole and is thriving in the lawn.

Recommendations are to harvest in the fall, before frost. As easily as it grows, any ol' chunk of root should be enough to start a new plant. Frost doesn't kill it, but probably the root is in optimum shape at the end of the growing season.

(Enjoyed your garden album. You've really come a long way. New album for this season?)

Reply to
Frogleg

If I can get my butt moving. Been working two jobs and no time for gardening. I'm also expanding this year and haven't been able to turn the lawn into planting ground yet. And today looks like wind and rain all day again. DiGiTAL ViNYL (no email) Zone 6b/7, Westchester Co, NY,

Reply to
DigitalVinyl

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