When to plant horseradish in Cincinnati, Ohio

March 5 – March 19

Transplant outdoors · typical Cincinnati year

Climate basis: NOAA station Cincinnati Lunken AP, OH (USW00093812), 5 mi (7 km) from downtown Cincinnati (ZCTA 45202 centroid), elevation 490 ft, on the 1991–2020 climate normals. Transplant horseradish outdoors from approximately the dates above, anchored to the median last spring 32°F freeze (April 16). One year in ten still freezes after May 3.

Last spring freezeApril 161-in-10 after May 3
First fall freezeOctober 251-in-10 before Oct 12
Frost-free season190 daysmedian at 32°F
Hard freeze, 28°Apr 2Nov 4kills even hardy greens
USDA zone6b-5 to 0°F winter low not frost timing

The Cincinnati year

Transplant outdoorsMar 5 – Mar 19
  • indoors under lights
  • in the garden
  • frost-free season
  • 1-in-10 years still freeze to May 3
Horseradish in Cincinnati · freeze context from Cincinnati Lunken AP, OH, 1991–2020 normals.

Every method, with its sources

Transplant outdoors

Mar 5 – Mar 19

Purdue Extension HO-186-W Table 1 places horseradish in the group headed "Hardy (tolerates hard frost) plant 4-6 weeks before last spring frost," and footnotes it as typically vegetatively propagated, so the six-to-four-week pre-frost window is applied to setting out root cuttings rather than to seed; no other extension source located gives a frost-anchored horseradish planting date, so there was nothing to reconcile against. Anchored to the median last spring freeze (Apr 16). Purdue University Extension, Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture

Start seeds indoors

Not calculated

The cited extension guides do not time an indoor seed-starting window for this crop.

Direct-sow outdoors

Not calculated

The cited extension guides do not time direct sowing for this crop.

Fall planting

Not calculated

No source-backed fall planting rule exists for this crop in the registry, so no fall window is calculated.

Variety assumption: Assumes planting purchased root cuttings or sets of a standard variety such as Common or Bohemian, lifted the following fall after frost.

These windows describe typical years (1991–2020 climate normals), not this year's forecast. Freezes happen outside them — especially in frost pockets, valleys, and urban edges. Watch the forecast before committing tender plants.

This week, not a typical year:
Crop rule sources (1)

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