Harvesting & storing horseradish

David
David
David
David

Ich habe einen Master-Abschluss in Gartenbauwissenschaften und bin zudem gelernter Zierpflanzengärtner. Das Thema Anbau lässt mich seit meiner Kindheit einfach nicht los: Egal, ob auf der kleinen Stadtfensterbank oder im großzügigen Garten - Gärtnern muss ich auch in meiner Freizeit immer und überall.

Lieblingsobst: Himbeeren
Lieblingsgemüse: Brokkoli

Horseradish is known for its pungent root. But how is it harvested from the ground, and how is it kept fresh? We will show you all about harvesting horseradish.

Taproot of the horseradish
The taproots of the horseradish should always be processed fresh [Photo: Kuttelvaserova Stuchelova/ Shutterstock.com]

Harvesting horseradish

Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) is a well-known accompaniment to many kinds of hearty dishes. It is popular especially with fish dishes or as creamed horseradish along with various flavours. The characteristic pungency is in the horseradish root. This can already be harvested from the soil in the year of planting. As soon as the leaves begin to wilt and dry up, root growth also ceases. The coveted taproot is then ready for harvesting.

Depending on the weather, this is usually the case from the end of October. The taproot can be easily dug out of the ground. However, since horseradish is very frost-hardy, it is not necessary to harvest everything at once. The plants can also be left for the time being and the roots dug up at a later stage. Even constant soil frost does not adversely affect the quality of the sharp root. If the plants are not being kept in the bed for a second year. They must be harvested at least by the next spring’s resprouting.

Grated horseradish
Mostly, horseradish is used in grated form [Photo: Eskymaks/ Shutterstock.com]

Storing horseradish

The clear advantage of horseradish: it is not necessary to harvest it all at once. This allows for a harvest that is fresh and meets your needs throughout the winter. But the usability of the spicy root can also be extended over the winter. At temperatures of -5 to -2 °C, horseradish root can be stored very well and without much loss of quality for several months. Lower temperatures, just like too long storage times, come at the expense of the crunchy consistency as well as the pungent aroma of the root. Unfortunately, drying the root is not possible without a significant loss of flavour. But cool storage is a great way to get through the year with horseradish from your own garden.

Subscribe to the Plantura newsletter