[Good guy]

I want to extend my range of perennial herbs into a piece of ground that has become available. I am considering planting horseradish there, along with bronze fennel, lovage and some other big yokes. Maybe move my comfrey there, too.

Does anyone have experience of growing horseradish? I seem to remember hearing, in the dim and distant 1970s, that it can be invasive. The plot I intend to use is pretty well self-contained and separate from the rest of the garden.

Anyone's thoughts on the subject welcome.

[Sive]

I did grow it once ( innocently ) in a totally unsuitable small plot and I was horrified by how it filled the spot so quickly, and what a massive root I had to dig out to get rid of it.
And the really stupid thing is I don't even like horseradish sauce....it was probably one of these foolish purchases at a school sale !

[medieval knievel]

horseradish is dead easy to grow, and quite robust. i did hear that it can take over, but that didn't stop me from putting some in the ground. we'll see how that goes.

[Blowin]

As the others have said, this is one of those things like mint etc that will take over the garden, given half a chance but you can quite often prepare for these things by keeping your eyes open at all times.

Some months ago, when parking the car in a huge car park, I noticed a pile of assorted rubbish amongst which were a couple of litter bins like the ones you see on the street - metal insert gone, just the plastic outside left. I stuck one in the car on the basis that it may come in useful and I then used it when I sowed my mint. I cut it in half, sunk one half in my herb bed with an inch or two showing above ground, put in some dung, replaced the earth and sowed my seed. My mint crop is now restricted to that area and can't stray outside.

I've still got the other half (if you're my way) but the moral of the story is that, if you were to now go looking for a discarded litter bin, you'll never find one. Pick things up when you see them and they'll come in useful one day.

[tippben]

In my experience, growing horseradish is ridiculously easy, and it is very invasive, but harvesting it is hard work. If I were to try again, I would use something like an old chimney pot, a plastic swing bin, or even a length of drainpipe. I'd bury the container, leaving a couple of inches above ground, then fill it with sieved soil, to remove any stones that will cause forking. As always, never mix topsoil and subsoil, so sieve as you go, into a wheelbarrow. You might as well dump the subsoil, and replace with a mix of topsoil and compost instead. Be very careful when harvesting, as any scrap of root can become a new plant.

[Good guy]

Thanks for all the info. It seems the '70s horror stories had some truth in them. I will heed your warning, Sive.
Blowin, I tried growing mint in a bottomless bucket sunk in the ground and it did well. However, it got neglected and once it had used up the nutrients in the bucket, it legged it over the side. I'm still yanking bits out, here and there. Now I have it in a couple of old flue liners on a concrete slab in a damp place.
I like your idea, Tippben and I have a length of plastic sewer pipe lying about that I can adapt. Harvesting each year should keep it under control.
Next question: having harvested it, how do you keep it ? Friends and family can only use so much horseradish sauce!

[Blowin]

1) If you've got a free advertser paper in your area, put the surplus in that. It's quite expensive in garden centres.

2) Horseradish Cream - Ingredients: 2 rounded Tablespoons of grated Horseradish, 150ml whipping cream, 50g cooked macaroni, 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, alt and sugar. Paprika and watercresss for garnish.
Method: Whip the cream until stiff, fold in the horseradish, dice the macaroni and fold in. Season with vinegar, salt and sugar. Sprinkle paprika over the top and add watercress leaves. Use as an accompaniment for cold beef, ham or smoked mackerel or trout. Add diced beef to the mix and place on lettuce leaves for a tasty salad.

[kindredspirit]

When I was a kid in the fifties (he still is.....Ed.) it used to grow wild in our allotment. We'd pick it out of the ground and eat it raw. It was lovely and I still like horseradish today.

[Good guy]

Belated thanks for all the horseradish tips, everyone
If I find some this autumn, I'll plant it (carefully!).

[medieval knievel]

my horseradish seems to be flowering. should i cut the flowers off?

[Gautama]

I would.

[timknockalla]

I have horseradish but it isn't thriving. It has survived in pretty grim circumstances but not where I want it to. I am growing it in a pretty shaded place in an old bath to prevent spread.

Any thoughts?

PS Good Guy, I am trying to get up to 5 posts so I can reply to your PM

[Blowin]

With no expert knowledge at my disposal I'm wondering whether the fact that you're using a bath as a containment method is the problem? I once tried using a plastic cattle feed trough as a seed bed but had little or no success, whereas I grow my mint in half an old discarded litter bin, i.e. with no bottom to it, and it does well.

Your bath and my trough had a barrier that prevents natural capillary action of moisture and nutrients from below. My bin, however, stops the mint spreading (sideways) and is too deep (over a foot) for roots to get underneath, so this may be the clue as to your problem. If it's a plastic bath, maybe you should cut the bottom off but I should wait for other comments first?

[timknockalla]

Thanks Blowin, could be the problem indeed. I'm thinking of moving it to a corner somewhere where it can do it's own thing. It'll just be a bit of a walk to go and get it

[tagwex]