Horseradish is grown in many areas of Central Europe, especially in cottage gardens, as it can be used as a hot spice when grated and can also be dried. With simple instructions you can also propagate and harvest horseradish in your own garden.
How can I plant horseradish in the garden?
To plant horseradish in your own garden, use “Fechser” from the main root, plant it in humus-rich, deep soil with a light sand content, at a depth of approx. 5-10 cm and approx. 40-50 cm Distance from other plants.
How to plant horseradish correctly?
Horseradish is usually neither sown nor pricked out as a young plant. Rather, the side shoots called “Fechser” are cut off from the main root during harvest and stored. These are then planted in the ground next season so that a new taproot and foliage can develop.
What is the ideal location for horseradish?
Horseradish needs a lot of light and solar heat to develop. The most important thing is a humus-rich and deep soil so that the long taproot of the horseradish can develop unhindered. A certain amount of sand in the soil has a positive effect on growth. The root of horseradish gets more spiciness if it is cultivated in slightly acidic and rather poor soil.
How should the horseradish fencer be planted?
The correct planting depth and orientation of the fencer are very important for harvesting a straight and strong taproot. Ideally, the fencers should be buried so that the top end is about five centimeters away from the ground surface and the bottom end is about 10 centimeters away. In rows about 60 to 70 centimeters apart, the individual horseradish plants should be at least 40 to 50 centimeters apart from each other.
How to propagate horseradish?
Since horseradish propagates almost exclusively via the lateral roots called Fechser, these are removed annually during harvest and cut off in such a way that the upward orientation can be seen at the cutting angle when planting. The fencers should only be cleaned with a cloth and should never be washed, otherwise rot may occur during winter storage in a cool, dark room.
When and where can you grow horseradish?
The horseradish fencers are usually available from specialist plant shops or other gardeners and can be planted in the ground from around March by hand or with a so-called horseradish cutter (€5.00 on Amazon). However, you should definitely keep a distance from other vegetables from the cruciferous family. In addition, horseradish depletes the soil relatively heavily, which is why it should only be grown in the same place in the garden about every three years in the crop rotation.
Tips & Tricks
In the south of Germany and Austria, horseradish is also known as “horseradish”. It is often served as a seasoning accompaniment to bratwursts and meat. In home cooking, horseradish can not only be grated fresh, but also dried and processed into hot sauces with a very characteristic taste.