Horseradish

My blogging buddy, Penny, recently posted on Facebook about digging up an abundance of horseradish roots and making a batch of horseradish sauce. Since I am a sucker for planting anything interesting, I replied that I would gladly take some roots off of her hands if she had extra.

She graciously agreed to share and carefully packaged three roots in damp paper towels and plastic wrap and mailed them to me all the way from Virginia! When the package arrived, the paper towels were still moist and the roots looked healthy and intact.

Apparently, horseradish is a lot like mint and grows fast and furious, so it needs to be planted in containers or in an area by itself so it can be allowed to spread. I had hoped to plant some at The Ranch, but since we aren't there on a regular basis to water it, Penny suggested I plant it here in the city and transplant to The Ranch later.

It took me awhile to find a place in our yard that would be suitable for the roots, but I think I found a perfect spot. I have an old iron wash pot that was at my parents house for as long as I can remember. It used to be suspended on a chain and a frame, but that broke years ago. The pot has continued to be useful, although it is a bit wobbly. This old pot has held various plants and flowers over the years, but I am pretty sure it's never held horseradish plants! I buried the roots as Penny suggested, watered them and covered with a good layer of leaf mulch. Now, I have to wait at least a year until the plants are mature enough to harvest. That gives me plenty of time to come up with some horseradish dishes to try. Anyone have a good recipe to share?