to eat, and to grow? never tried it before, tempted to try it though.
It's gorgeous to eat - mashed with potato or on its own with black pepper and a little cream, or roasted (in cubes) with a spritz of balsamic vinegar before serving.
To grow it is not always easy, can bolt, but worth the trouble.
It is a hungry plant so needs lots of manure and was originally a marsh plant so needs plenty of watering.
And is great to eat - rather like a creamy celery flavour - and makes tasty soup as well :)
I've grown it for a few years with mixed results,the best crop was year before last.Often my results have been puny but well manured ground,good feeding with comfrey liquer,lots of water and breaking off lower leaves as they bend downwards have all given me better results :)
I only use it steamed/boiled with parsnips carrots etc and mashed it's lovely.You can mash it alone or make soup or even grate raw.I'd say it tastes like mild celery with the texture a bit like radish.
If you've got the space give it a go.Remember to be patient it seems to take a "lifetime" to germinate
You can also slice it and use it instead of potato in a gratin. It is gorgeously yummy but a bit of a b*** d to peel!! I love it.
The first year I grew it I just stuck the plants in and left them to get on with it and got a bumper crop.Since then I've learnt more about how to grow it - loads of water, rich soil, stripping back leaves to let the sun at it, etc, but I've never managed to repeat the magnificence of the first crop!
It does look pretty odd when you dig it up - sort of Medusalike with roots!! Don't be put off! It's just great!
Yummy!
It's all here:-
http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allaboutallotments_Vegetables_Celeriac.html
It takes forever to germinate
Needs plenty of water and I mean plenty
Manure the ground
Take off lower leaves when required
Earth up when required
Did I mention water
Has a lovely nutty taste
I slice mine and roast with my Sunday dinner
Not easy to grow big bulbs but well worth a go.
;D ;D ;D
Quote from: allaboutliverpool on January 03, 2011, 15:48:15
Yummy!
It's all here:-
http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allaboutallotments_Vegetables_Celeriac.html
Thanks for that, I may get some seed now, I`m sure I can find enough space for a row at the bottom of my slope where its wettest...
Soup!
It's lovely in a coleslaw too. I was seduced away into growing celery, managed to get a reasonable crop this year but so much more bother than celeriac, I'm going back to it next year. Go for it!
I've only ever eaten it in France, raw with a dressing and it was delicious.
I have some celery seeds already so will be trying them for the first time this year, justa row.....so many things I want to try....
I dont suppose anyone has any celeriac seeds they could spare?I have packets of tomato & kale seeds I dont want if anyone wants them?
It tastes of celery.
The texture is similar to a raddish
The chances of growing a decent yeild in the UK is.....Yes we did get a good few once.
Mostly people grow them to the size of a tennis ball then when they are peeled have something the size of a golf ball.
Fine, others will argue that they have enjoyed a succession of decent crops but they are the top 10%.
Most people try them a couple of times and then give up.
we grow them every year and love them mashed, we have one called 'giant prague', started off in the propagator, dig a trench out, plant them into the trench and keep well watered, we have a few 1 lb in weight kept in damp compost for overwinter, it's much easier then celery ;D
Peter - pm me your address and I'll send you some seeds.
Tricia
Quote from: tricia on January 03, 2011, 21:13:52
Peter - pm me your address and I'll send you some seeds.
Tricia
Thank you very much...
I buy them from seeds of italy. You get so many seeds I also use them instead of mustard and cress. I cover a seed tray and when it looks like a lawn I start cutting.
Well worth growing, but I've never had much luck until recently. I now grow it on one of the raised beds, topped up with garden compost and nearest to the water tank and had some decent roots the last two summers, although the snow finished it off this winter before I could lift the last ones!
It is very slow growing, but you can cheat and buy ready-grown plants in early summer.
The secret is a long growing season. Sow in February as shown below for success
http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allaboutallotments_Vegetables_Celeriac.html
(http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allceleriacseedling_planted_4months.jpg)
Having seen these i feel inspired to try again. I like your web site allbout liverpool.
I feel I had success this year with mine. Started off in modules in March,, IIRC I put three seeds in per module on a 24-drop set, thinned to the best seedling in each module. Planted out mid may from memory. THe secret is rich soil (I put a load of horse manure in and a big shake of BFB for each station) and watering.... the old joke is that as soon as it stops raining get down to the celeriac with a watering can... I just plumbed it into the autowatering in the GH cos it was close so it got two hours per day every day rain or shine....
I'm now harvesting 5-6" roots, they've stood the weather OK and are great roasted. Sort of like a celery-themed parsnip. A lot easier to harvest than a parsnip when the grounds frozen too....