Propagate horseradish over roots

Horseradish cannot be propagated from seeds. However, the side roots can be planted to get a new horseradish plant. We show you how to do this here.

horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) hardly forms seeds. Accordingly, propagation by sowing is out of the question for the sharp roots. Even in stores, only pre-grown young plants are usually available. If you already have a horseradish plant in your own garden, you don't have to keep buying new plants. The main root forms side roots - so-called fechers or root cuttings. In this article we will tell you how you can propagate horseradish yourself - from the right procedure to appropriate storage in winter to planting in spring.

Propagate horseradish via side roots

Horseradish, also known as horseradish in southern Germany and Austria, can be harvested all winter, from October to the end of January. The piquant roots do not mind frost. However, the main harvest time is in November. But it is even better to prune the Fechser in spring, between March and April. This has the advantage that you can plant the root cuttings straight away. When harvesting, use a digging fork to carefully lift the horseradish roots out of the ground. However, caution is advised here because you should not injure the main and lateral roots if possible.

In addition to the main root that is eaten, horseradish also forms side roots. These so-called Fechser can be planted next year. New horseradish roots then grow from this. Cut the fechser diagonally from the main root. The lower end of the root cuttings is cut at an angle, the upper end straight. So you can tell the bottom and the top well apart. Finally, the Fechser is rubbed down from top to bottom. Only the bottom three centimeters remain untouched. The rubbing removes all the buds and side roots from the planting material. If the Fechser were cut in spring and immediately replanted, it is necessary to dig up the roots again in June - when the leaves have grown about ten centimeters long. Then remove all side roots from the young horseradish roots. Then they are put back into the ground. This is the only way to be sure that you will be able to harvest smooth, straight and thick roots. In this way you can easily reproduce horseradish yourself.

Summary: This is how you can propagate horseradish

• Dig up horseradish in the fall or spring
• Carefully lift it out of the earth with a digging fork
• Do not injure roots
• Main root forms side roots (Fechser)
• Cut the fechser at the lower end diagonally from the main root 
• The top will be cut straight off
• Rub fechser from top to bottom to remove buds and side roots
• Do not rub the bottom 3 cm
• The Fechser can now be used as planting material

A guide to Harvest and storage of horseradish can be found in our special article.

Store horseradish lateral roots for the winter

Until it is time to plant the Fechser in spring, they have to be properly stored for the winter. This works best in a cool and dark place, such as a basement. In a box of moist sand, the side roots survive the winter well. Alternatively, storage like in the old days in so-called sand heaps in the garden is also a good option.

This is how the lateral roots are stored for the reproduction of horseradish

• Store in a cool and dark area
• In a box of damp sand
• Or outside in a sand heap

Plant horseradish roots

Because of its deep roots, horseradish is not suitable for growing in pots. If the Fechser are brought into the ground, attention must be paid to their position and location. The former side root should be planted in the ground at an angle, but in the direction of growth. If it is too horizontal, the taproot hardly increases in thickness. If it is too vertical, the energy goes almost exclusively into the growth of the above-ground parts of the plant.

Tip: There is a good tool for planting horseradish roots: the horseradish cutter. This helps to plant the Fechser at the right angle.

Once the right angle has been found, the end of the root should be about six inches into the ground. The head of the fan is about five centimeters in the ground. The horseradish roots sprout after about four weeks. The young, soft shoots in spring can also be seared and used as leafy vegetables. If the roots are in the right position, the laborious and extraordinary propagation of the horseradish plants will be worthwhile - and you can harvest abundantly in autumn.

How are the horseradish roots planted in spring?

• Planting time: March to April
• Place the Fechser in the ground at an angle, but in the direction of growth
• The end of the root is approx. 15 cm, the head end approx. 5 cm in the ground
• Plant spacing: 80 x 30 cm
• Water well

More about the Growing horseradish we have summarized for you in our special article.