Could my Celeriac yet deliver?

[Herbsandveg]

I've had some Celeriac growing in the veg plot all season, but it's still not very big, and showing no real signs of growing any bigger. Have we now reached a stage where that's about all I'm getting, or could it yet deliver a closing flourish? I've really tried to feed it and keep it well watered and encourage it in any way I can, but it's still looking a bit sorry for itself, and seems more happy just sitting there and dreaming the day way...

Is there any way of reminding it that it's actually a vegetable, with a requirement to develop as a vegetable rather than embarking on a career as a philosopher?...

[rustylady]

Mine seems to have swollen during the last week, or is it wishful thinking?

[binley100]

I'm hoping the torrential downpours of the last few days might've helped mine along....

[lottie dolly]

same here,they range from aprox 3in accross to 1.5,the later planted butternuts seem to be having a last attempt too,you suppossed to be able to leave celariac in the ground over winter,same as parsnip and swede,so until i HAVE to have the bed for another crop,it will stay,

[mothhawk]

Don't remind it that it's a vegetable, remind it that it's a bog plant.

Also, I found this snippet in goggle-land:-

"The most likely reason that gardeners are having tiny or non-existent bulbs, according to Robin, is the lifting time. In experiments it has been shown that celeriac roots will literally double in weight between September 15 and November 1. So you must be patient and wait for the final push, lifting them in that narrow window between maturity and the first hard frost, usually in December."

eta: Robin Buck is a professional celeriac grower with 36 acres of celeriac.

[rustylady]

I shall wait then Mothawk - They are bulbing up, but not very big at the moment.

[WendyC]

Are you removing the lower leaves as they grow. Seems to encourage energy away from leaves into roots.

[rustylady]

Just removing the lower ones as they split or go yellow.

[lottie dolly]

will have a look at mine when next down the plots,thanks MH,

[Herbsandveg]

Are you removing the lower leaves as they grow. Seems to encourage energy away from leaves into roots.

Thank you to all who replied on this, but if you remove the lower leaves doesn't it mean you're removing everything? Surely you'd also be taking out the top leaves, too, in order to take out the bottom? Wouldn't you just be left with the bulb? Could anyone explain this to me, please?...

[WendyC]

Perhaps better described as removing the outer leaves to leave the top ones as a tuft at the top.