Topic: Celeriac

[Hyacinth]

..just reading about mashed veg. reminded me. Does anyone grow these? How far apart would you have to plant them and will they stay in the ground (like maincrop carrots) 'til you're ready to eat another one ?

[Hugh_Jones]

I did once (1951 I think), but I was the only one in the family (before I married) that would eat them so I never bothered again. Space them about 12 inches apart in rows about 18 inches apart, plant out very shallowly, and as they grow tend to draw the soil away from the bulbs so that they sit like an onion on top of the soil.

I don`t think they will overwinter very well (mine didn`t, but the winters were colder then) - better to lift them, twist the tops off and store in dry sand like beetroot.

[tim]

.... de-licious, well worth a try - raw in salads or in so many other ways! Store as Hugh says - though some folk advocate a moist medium. Never have much success with any of that.

When you lift your first few, check out our celeriac gratin - or c & smoked salmon rémoulade. Don't forget to keep it in acidulated water when preparing, to stop it browning. - Tim

[Clivia]

We had celeriac with our Sunday lunch today. Very tasty.
I find that any left in the ground are attacked by slugs, so I lift them in autumn and store them in damp compost. They have loads of 'nooks and crannies', so you have to be realy sure you have not left any little slugs hiding away!

[cleo]

Yes I grow them-but they never reach the size of the ones one sees in shops. Some folks suggest removing some of the leaves to encourage bulbing but I have not noticed it making any difference.

We have now had the first `proper` frost and they are fine still in the ground.

Stephan.

[Hyacinth]

Thanks all. I'll tick them on my seed list tonight - order my seeds tomorrow at the organic gardening soc. I belong to - all half-price from Kings - anyone ever used them? Lishka

[Em]

I planted celeriac for the first time this year.  they haven't grown big - I believe they must be started off early in the year for a long growing season.  But what I want to say is - the flavour is absolutely fantastic compared to the ones I've bought in the supermarket (admittedly they were old and going cheap).  I'll certainly be trying them again next year.

[Hyacinth]

Thanks Em - I spoke to someone in the summer who'd grown it for the first time, and she said something similar. How early would 'early' be, tho?

And hello by the way.

;D Lishka

[Em]

Thanks and hello too.  
I think I started mine off in single cells this year probably about March.  I think I'll do it in January next year although I do remember reading that an early sowing like that might make them bolt.  I'll try anyway.  Perhaps we could compare notes on how we all get on with our celeriac at the end of next season??