Horseradish

Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) is grown for one thing: the thick white root that turns a roast dinner around. Above ground it makes a bold clump of crinkled leaves to about 1m tall and 60cm across, dies back over winter, then returns each spring on its own. One plant in a deep pot keeps a household in fresh sauce for years.

Why you'll love it

• The flavour is nothing like the jar. Heat comes off a freshly cut root and fades within minutes, so grating your own is a different thing entirely.
• It thrives on neglect. Frost hardy, drought tolerant and happy in poor soil, and it survives being forgotten at the back of the vegetable patch.
• Fast to a first harvest. A tube planted in spring is worth digging by the following autumn, ten to twelve months later.
• One planting is permanent. Leave a scrap of root behind at harvest and it comes again next season.

Where it works best

Pots and containers. It regrows from the smallest root fragment, so a container keeps it where you put it. Use a pot at least 400mm deep so the root runs straight rather than forking.

Contained garden beds. In the ground it wants a raised bed or a solid edge. Lift the whole plant at harvest, because cultivating through a clump turns one plant into a patch.

Borders and feature planting. The upright rosette of wavy leaves holds its shape all season and suits the back of a herb bed.

Growing horseradish in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to light afternoon shade. It belongs in cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens, where a real winter dormancy builds root quality. Frost hardy, so cold southern districts are an advantage. In humid subtropical and tropical gardens it sulks, so use a large pot in the coolest bright spot.

Soil. Deep, loose and free draining, dug a spade and a half deep with compost through it. Stones, compacted clay and fresh manure give forked, whiskery roots.

Water and feed. Roots swell on steady moisture, so water twice a week through the warm months. A spring dressing of compost is enough feeding, and high nitrogen fertiliser only pushes leaf.

Harvest and cutting back. Lift roots in late autumn and winter, once the leaves have died down and the flavour has concentrated. Cut flower stems off as they appear, and trim leaves to tidy the clump.

What to expect when it arrives

Horseradish is supplied as tube stock, currently on backorder, so allow time for the next batch. A tube is a young crown with a short root and a few small leaves, which is how this plant establishes best.

A limp leaf after transit is normal rather than a fault. Pot it up or plant it out within a few days and water in well. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the full edible plants range
• How to pick the right pot size for a deep rooted plant
• Plants that grow well in containers
• Frost hardy plants for cold gardens

Common questions

How long before I can harvest a root?

Plant in spring and lift the first roots the following autumn or winter, ten to twelve months later.

Will it take over the garden?

It can, and that is the real drawback. Every root fragment left in the soil sprouts a new plant, so grow it in a pot or a contained bed and lift plants whole.

What size pot does it need?

At least 400mm deep and 350mm wide for one plant. Depth matters more than width, because a shallow pot gives a stunted, twisted root.

Does it grow in warm, humid climates?

Not happily. It wants cool temperate, warm temperate or Mediterranean conditions with cold winters. Further north, use a pot in the coolest bright spot and accept smaller roots.