Planting Horseradish Plants

Horseradish is an extremely vigorous plant and will flourish in most any garden situation given a small amount of attention. The success of your harvest begins right with the planting site and method. For maximum growth and yields later on, give your plants the best foundation possible.

NOTE: This is part 4 in a series of 11 articles. For a complete background on how to grow horseradish plants, we recommend starting from the beginning.

Before Planting

Before you plant, check your soil pH. Contact your local County Extension Office for information about soil testing in your area, or purchase one of our digital meters for quick and accurate results. Horseradish enjoys a soil pH between 6.0 and 7.5. It grows best in fertile, well-drained soil.

Planting Tips

Pick a sunny location to plant with temporary shade for the first couple of days until they recover from transplanting.
Spacing of plants 1-2 feet between plants and 2½-3 feet between rows.
Dig a hole about 1 foot across and deep.
Place the root at a 45° angle in the hole, with the flat end up and the slanted end down. The flat end should be 2 inches below the soil surface.
Cover with soil and water well. The size and diameter of the horseradish root does not determine the ultimate size of the final plant.
Do not fertilize at time of planting. Wait until the leaves appear before applying the first application of a well-balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10.