What did I do wrong?

[dave_norm_smith]

Hi

I have had better success this year with virtually everything except celeriac. What appeared to be strong healthy plants have just not bulbed up.

Could it be simply down to that fact that this new bed is a bit stoney and didn't have the organic matter dug in like the others or that they went into their final positions slightly late?

Any ideas of what to try next year to prevent this happening again?

regards

Dave

[PAULW]

Not on your own there Dave lots of top millions of roots and nothing in the middle.

[Two_Sheds]

They are v.thirsty vegetables: mine were great '08, useless '09 and I daren't look at them yet for this year

[baggyman]

I was told that celeriac is a marsh plant and needs lots of water.

[Nicos]

Loads of organic manure and buckets and buckets of water!
Also- did you rip off the outer leaves as they were growing???

Since I started doing all that mine have been a decent size

....next year you'll be pleased with your results!!

[Jeanied]

I'm leaving mine in, hoping they will bulk up a bit. I'm pulling off the outside leaves as they are starting to look scruffy. They are in the same bed as my parsnips which are doing pretty well, so I don't think it is the growing conditions.

[dave_norm_smith]

Hi

Cheers for the replies!

It would seem that I have placed them in the worst bed possible. It was the last bed constructed and never had the improvement (organic matter) that the others had. The ground is naturally sandy and stoney so dries out in a heart beat, and I have never heard of the ripping the out leaves off.

If I was to do that now, and obviously drying out hasn't been an issue for a while now, would I stand a chance of them bulking up or do I write these off to experience?

Dave

[Two_Sheds]

I took off the outer leaves today to try and rescue mine (they've had plenty of water, it's not stopped raining since the end of July).

Thanks Nicos

[Jeanied]

I'm not giving up on mine till next year - when I'll need the bed!

[Del123]

Celeriac roots only

I've just looked at my celeriac and discovered that even though it has a good head of leaves the root hasn't produced anything that could be considered edible, any clues as to what I've done wrong, so I can get it right next year?

Cheers

[zazen999]

I've moved your thread from Growing Techniques board, which is not for questions, and merged with a thread on the same question asked a few days back

[Alison]

Mine are pathetic but I'm putting that mainly down to the lack of water when first planted out in a drought. Will try again next year though as this is my first attempt with them and if I pull up a whole row there might be enough for a meal

[dave_norm_smith]

Hi

I planted mine at similar time, however I read that they don't really start to bulk up until september anyway at which point I was building an ark due to all the rain.

I have pulled all the lower leaves off on the advice from Nicos in a last ditch hope of salvaging something, however I feel I will be taking most of this advice forward for next years attempt.

I suppose we'd all get bored if it was easy!!

Cheers for all your pearls of wisdom

Dave