Horseradish is generally limited to the role of condiment, but you can eat spring leaves like spinach, or add a dab to mayonnaise-based salads, cream-based soups, and other sauces. Modern herbalists recommend it for blowing open clogged sinuses.

Store harvested roots in a perforated bag in the refrigerator. Hardy through Zone 3 with roots that can extend 2 feet (61 cm) into the soil, this perennial’s leaves are more than a foot long with wavy edges. As the plant reaches its mature height of 3 feet (1 m) or more, the leaves become smaller and more lance-shaped. Each tiny white flower, borne in clusters, has four petals.

Start horseradish from roots in spring or fall, spaced at least a foot apart in full sun. If your growing season is shorter than 150 days, plant in fall or wait until the second year to harvest the root. Take cuttings from your harvested root and replant them for a new crop.

If you want good-sized roots, make sure that your soil is rich with organic matter, deeply dug, and welldraining. The root has brittle sideshoots, and any pieces left in the ground are likely to sprout. For that reason, you may want to consider planting it in a container sunk into the ground.

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