Growing Horseradish

Armoracia rusticana : Brassicaceae / the mustard or cabbage family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
P P P           P P P P

(Best months for growing Horseradish in Australia - temperate regions)

  • P = Plant crowns
  • Easy to grow. Plant root pieces. Best planted at soil temperatures between 10°C and 25°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 50 cm apart
  • Harvest in 16-24 weeks. Some improvement in flavour if left till after frost..
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Best kept separate
  • Horseradish leaf

Horseradish is grown from root cuttings. If you know someone who has it in their garden, just one piece of root will start off for you.

Dig a deep hole and refill with compost as the horseradish has a long taproot. Plant it and then leave it alone. Apart from constant wet or cold, horseradish will grow in any part of the garden.

Horseradish is an aggressive grower and will quickly take over the garden. It will also grow well in a deep container or sink an old bucket in the ground to prevent spreading. Otherwise, remove all the plant when you harvest it and save one piece to replant.

Can be planted in early Autumn or Spring

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Horseradish

Strong, spicy flavour traditionally used with roast beef.

Used grated for horseradish sauce or horseradish cream.

Your comments and tips

27 Dec 22, Martin Wynne (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
My Horseradish has been in the ground for 6 months and at the start flourished with plant of leaf growth now it looks as if the leaves have dried up. What is the problem. Date 29th December 2022. Live in Gold Coast
01 Aug 22, Col (Australia - temperate climate)
My horseradish has been in a trough approx 60x30cm for years and never harvested, the new leaves are shooting. Can I repot or plant it in the ground now?
22 Jul 22, Celia Gobetti (Australia - arid climate)
I want have the plant at my place! How I can plant? How and where I can buy?
29 Jul 22, (Australia - arid climate)
Read the notes here, arid plant june july.
08 Oct 21, Marc (Australia - temperate climate)
How can I determine when horseradish rhizomes are ready to harvest. Time is a bit out of whack because it took ages for it to take. Currently the outer leaves are about 45cm long 15 cm wide clear healthy emerald green colour with many smaller leaves inside them. I planted a single piece of 5 cm rhizome in a 30 ltr veg bag in March this year. Only started going about a month ago but is going very well now.
11 Oct 21, Anon (Australia - temperate climate)
Go to Temperate Zone and Horseradish and read all the notes there about it.
17 Aug 21, helen dmytriw (Australia - temperate climate)
where can i get horsradish root to plant in pots i live in Melton, Melbourne victoria
07 Sep 21, Beverley Reilly (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
The diggers club has horseradish plants for sale online
29 Aug 21, Anon (Australia - temperate climate)
on line search where to buy it.
21 Jan 21, John (Australia - temperate climate)
I planted horseradish 2 months ago in November Which month should I dig up Also do I just take a root segment and replant
Showing 1 - 10 of 338 comments

Hi Catherine, I use to mix the horseradish with beetroot and use it as a salad next to grilled steak or sausages. It is delicious! Ingredients: 3-4 small beetroots 1 small horseradish root Salt Splash of vinegar (optional – don’t use if using horseradish from a jar as it normally already contains vinegar) Mustard seeds (optional) Cumin seeds (optional) Method: 1. Rinse any mud off the beetroots and put them in a saucepan (metal is best; it might stain enamel) and cover them with water. 2. Bring the water to the boil and leave to boil for 30-40 minutes. 3. Drain the now very purple boiled water from the pan and refill with cold water and allow the beetroots to cool enough to be handled. 4. Clean off the skin (you should now be able to rub it off with your fingers, but use the flat of a knife to scrap it off if you like) and trim off any roots or stem stubs. (You can bake the beetroot and it will be more tasty and healthy) 5. Cut up the beetroots – you can grate it, julienne it, cube it, slice it...whatever you prefer. 6. In a separate bowl finely grate the horseradish. Be a bit careful here if you’ve never grated horseradish before as it’s tremendously powerful – I recommend you don’t hold your head over the bowl whilst grating it! 7. Teaspoon by teaspoon, add the horseradish to the beetroot and taste until you reach a combination you like. Don’t just throw it all in at once because if it’s too strong it’s hard to correct. Horseradish from the jar normally isn’t as powerful as fresh horseradish so you might need a few extra teaspoons. If you have any horseradish left over, put it in a small jar with some salt and vinegar and keep it for a dressing next time you prepare some beef or lamb. 8. Check the seasoning and add some salt and a splash of vinegar if you feel it needs it. 9. You can, at this point, add some mustard seeds (about a heaped teaspoon) or a sprinkle of cumin if you like these flavours. Mustard seeds aren’t so strong but be a little careful with the cumin as it can overpower. 10. Serve! Enjoy!

- Vali

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