Celeriac - am I daft to try ?

[annie8]

I like a challenge so going to try and grow a few. It’s taken 3 years to manage to get my carrots to grow successfully so will see how I get on. Have a good steer on what to do from all the posts. How hard can it be! Famous last words.....

[bazzaboy]

I attempt to grow them every year, fairly unsuccessfully…. The problem starts with the miniscule seed and doesn’t seem to get any easier from then onwards. I did put some celery in the local village show a couple of years ago and got told off by the judge because I hadn’t presented it correctly!
So no red card for that one!

I’m better at the theory than the practice on celery and celeriac – I always remember, for example, that they are biennials derived from bog plants so need it really pretty constantly wet (that’s the theory but then I forget to water them in practice!) Monty had a good tip on celeriac last year which I’ve subsequently seen elsewhere, which is in late summer (like now) to remove the lower leaves as this increases “bulb” (root) size during the remaining growing season. Other pundits advise doing this to reduce each celeriac plant to 4-6 top stems with leaves and covering the root with compost/soil to maintain blanch and to keep tender.

I guess there’s two ways of looking at it…. faff or challenge? I did remember to water them today, inspired by this thread I’ll faff a bit more tomorrow.

[bazzaboy]

Maybe we should ask the GYO editorial team if they would consider a series of ‘how the professionals do it’ (ie farmers), to give us some hints?

A surprising amount of info for farmers is on the Internet now - but they are growing vast quantities. You might get more, Chestnut, by following the National Show growers who are as obsessional as any on details. John Trim for example is great and very generous on cultivation of his various Show crops, for celery see:
Growing Trench Celery for Show - Cultivating to Staging
Even he says it's a challenge to grow celery "to perfection" - I find it a bit of a challenge to grow it at all!

[Hereford fruit grower]

I think celeriac is easier than celery. But then I have a moisture-retentive loam which also drains OK. Agriculturally, it's classified as grade 1.

I know someone 10 miles away who grows it fairly well most years, although obviously she hasn't done so well in 2018. If anything, her soil is marginally lighter than mine.

I've never managed to grow good cauliflowers or celery. I think they need unbelievable amounts of fertility and cossetting, i.e. even more than celeriac. Also most brassica family vegs. probably need a more alkaline soil; my pH with a bit of liming is about 6.

[Earthgirl Jen]

I like a challenge so going to try and grow a few. It’s taken 3 years to manage to get my carrots to grow successfully so will see how I get on. Have a good steer on what to do from all the posts. How hard can it be! Famous last words.....

Annie are you anywhere near the coast as I grow my carrots in washed up "fish boxes" collected for free from the beach. They much prefer the 'soft' compost and soil in these to my lumpy, stony clay. Gorgeous carrots. This pic was actually taken on the 29th July this year and the boxes are now looking much thinner as we've harvested loads

[annie8]

Looking great. I’m in Edinburgh, Jen. I don’t have clay soil, but I think improving the soil has been important in giving my carrots a better chance. The other thing I tried this year was try a shorter carrot - chantenay and dancer half long. Although they have grown really big I think the shorter length has eddy ed the chance of forking.

[Baldy]

Celeriac is easy. Celery impossible.

[annie8]

So have started my celeriac challenge and sowed some seeds in the greenhouse. Anyone else going for it ?

[keat63]

I tried last year, they got to about the same size as a radish.
I'm not sure that i'm going to bother this year.

[Penellype]

I'll be sowing mine later this month.

[Snoop Puss]

I'm in. I tried growing trombas last year, with little success. So I'll make this my challenge for this year.

[Vegi potager]

I have 1 germinated seed so far... hopefully a few more will poke their heads up. Forgotten what ones I am trying this year and too lazy to go find the packet. 2017 was Prinz and I ended up with 3 reasonable plants about 6" diameter. Last year I didn't bother but am giving it a go again this year. Typical before I starting growing it you couldn't get celeriac in the supermarket, now every one stocks it!

Remembered...Monarch

[Vince G]

Last year was just too dry over here in Sahara Suffolk, but have had decent success in previous years so am having a go again this year, pot of seedlings on the windowsill at present.

[annie8]

I have 1 germinated seed so far... hopefully a few more will poke their heads up. Forgotten what ones I am trying this year and too lazy to go find the packet. 2017 was Prinz and I ended up with 3 reasonable plants about 6" diameter. Last year I didn't bother but am giving it a go again this year. Typical before I starting growing it you couldn't get celeriac in the supermarket, now every one stocks it!

Remembered...Monarch

Am growing monarch too. How long did it take for your seeds to germinate? Sowed mine 2 weeks ago and no sign.

[Vegi potager]

Hi Annie8, they are in the unheated glasshouse and only 1 so far has germinated, it took about 8 days. they don't exactly rush to come up, at least not for me. If I remember correctly, I forgot about them for about 3 weeks before but only had a germination rate of 40-50%. Good luck.