Topic: Feeding celeriac

[tricia]

I have very strong growing celeriac plants which are already the size of small oranges. They are sitting on 6 inches of well-rotted manure in a raised bed and are the best specimens I've ever grown. Do they need any further feeding? Chicken pellets perhaps?

Tricia

[Si]

No, I think they'll just do it all themselves, but will let you know if they're short of anything. Well done for such fantastic plants!

[tricia]

Thanks Si. I really am proud of my celeriac this year, though leaf miner has started to make its appearance again - I'm just picking off the affected leaves as fast as they appear.

Tricia

[gwynleg]

Hi Tricia, how would I know if I had leaf miner on my celeriac please? First time of growing it!

[cleo]

That`s fantastic!!-and pulling off a few leaves is no bad thing.

I wouldn`t bother to feed them-might be tempted to eat a couple though

[tricia]

Hi Gwynleg, Brown patches appear on some leaves which spread into quite large papery, then mashy areas if not picked off. If you look closely at such a patch you will find small  larvae inside the leaf. Here is a picture of what the leaves look like.

Tricia

[saddad]

Ours are in the ground and growing with all this rain but nowhere near that well on..
 :-[

[tricia]

Pics taken a couple of days ago of my celeriac. They seem to like this wet weather!!

Tricia

[Si]

Those pics are inspirational  8)

[tricia]

Thanks Si - I feel quite proud of them myself  ;D.

Tricia

[Mothy]

Hi Tricia,

Well done you! What variety are you growing? We never seem to do well with celeriac.


Mothy

[tricia]

They are the remains of a packet of Monarch from last year, sown on 9 January, potted on 19/20 February in modules (54 seedlings). The slugs got a few but I planted 25 of the largest plants in my plot on 18 April under fleece. The remaining celeriac seedlings were kept in the GH for a couple of weeks longer then planted out in my friend's veggie plot. His soil wasn't so well prepared as mine so his plants are a bit slower, although last year his plants did better than mine - weird!

The idea of planting them on 6 inches of well-rotted manure came from a visit to Ford Abbey. It was in September and the celeriac there were incredible - rows of bit fat celeriac each one identical to the next. I asked the gardener how he got such beautiful specimens and he told me they were planted on 8 inches of manure. I spread about 4 inches of manure in November, then in March another three or four inches were forked in and the celeriac was planted in that a month later. They took off very quickly under the fleece and most of them are now large orange/grapefruit size. I shall soon be pulling one to make a celeriac salad with apples and walnuts...yum!

Tricia

[dandelion]

Those look great Tricia  :)! I am growing Monarch too, but sown 19th March so mine have got some catching up to do! I love celeriac; together with French beans it's my favourite veg flavour-wise.