How to Grow Horseradish From Cuts

Horseradish makes a spicy condiment for meat dishes.

Horseradish is a root crop that produces a spicy, flavorful root. It is a perennial plant, meaning it will come back for more than two seasons. The easiest way to plant horseradish is from cuttings, also known as sets. It takes almost a year for cuts to grow once you plant them, so it is important to have them in the ground the fall before you want to harvest, or the early spring at the latest.

Things You'll Need

• Organic compost
• Garden tiller
• Shovel
• Water
• 10-10-10 general purpose fertilizer
• Sharp scissors

Instructions

1. Clear grass and rocks from a spot in the garden for planting the horseradish cuttings. The site should get full sun and have well-draining soil.

2. Cover the planting site with 2 inches of organic compost. Horseradish prefers fertile soil. Till the compost into the soil with a garden tiller at a depth of 12 inches.

3. Dig 5- to 6-inch-deep furrows in the planting site with the tiller.

4. Place horseradish cuttings in the furrow horizontally. Cuttings should be the diameter of a finger and between 12 and 14 inches long. Put a mound of soil under the larger end of the cutting, which is the head, so the cutting sits on a 45-degree angle. Space the cuts about 18 to 24 inches apart.

5. Fill in the mounds so the cuttings have a 3- to 5-inch soil cover. Water until the soil settles.

6. Apply a 10-10-10 general purpose fertilizer to the soil once the root cuttings put up shoots and set leaves. Follow the package directions for application instructions.

7. Cut off most of the leaf shoots with scissors, leaving just one coming out of each plant. This allows the root cuttings to create a large, spicy root instead of focusing energy on growing the foliage.

8. Only water the horseradish when the remaining foliage begins to wilt during the summer. Keep the bed weed free.

Tips & Warnings

• If your garden is large enough, pick a spot that is at least 10 feet away from any other crop because horseradish is fast growing and may take over the space of another plant.

References

• Oregon State University Extension: Horseradish
• University of Illinois Extension: Growing Horseradish in the Home Garden
• University of Arkansas Extension: Horseradish