Tell me more...
How does celeriac grow? Is it easy to grow? how much room/time does it take? What ways can you cook it?
I had it for the first time ever at the weekend and it was lovely (soup. yum!)
Is it related to celery?
Needs a bit of attention - like water - same room as beet - Emma's the girl for this?
Look at recipes under 'Recipes'!! Whatever you can do with potatoes & more.
was going to ask this myself Aqui as I have just sown some in pots (Snow summat is the variety).
I've sown some in plugs also... Mine are Monarch from Kokopelli...
It`s not difficult to grow,a reasonably rich soil and plenty of moisture. Some advocate removing a few leaves to encourage swelling but I have never found it made a difference.
Stephan
Stephan, I noticed on the packet I bought that it only suggested sowing in pots, is it possible to sow straight in to the ground as I dont have a greenhouse at the mo so space in coldframes/windowsills is at a premium.
Last year I sowed mine in modules and planted out, well, as you know, record keeping is not my strong point, so probably any time about now. One lovely row. Watered them in, and left them to it. Started pulling lovely tennis ball sized roots late summer and cleared the last a few weeks back when I needed the room. Have another module tray ready willing and able as soon as I can get down there to get them in. Mine received no extra water and I didn't remove any leaves other than those that looked tatty when I was weeding. All I would say is, if you want them big, give them room. Some of mine were very close to their neighbours and they remained small, others with more room, grew to monsters! Alabaster I did and not one was woody or hollow in the middle.
OK - I'm convinced. Next year, though. All my root veg bed has been allocated to other things.
Well, based on EJ's experience ;D I now have 2 seed trays of Alabaster having germinated in the greenhouse! We have no water on site so I am planning to use a straw mulch and will dig some compost in before planting out! If anyone else has any advice I would love to hear it....celeriac is one of our favourite veggies having 1st tried it in France years ago.
Ta EJ for that wisdom. I've never grown them before myself but my pal does and they are delish. His were quite small as squashed too close but still lovely flavour ;D I feel confident that I could grow them this year :)
I have sown Celeriac Balder - courtesy of Lishka, but they have not shown yet.
How long do they take to come through??
Mine are in a heated greenhouse.
Debs
Usually through in about 7-10 days
My Alabaster took 14 days to germinate.......high success rate though ;D
My greenhouse is unheated!
Which company do the Alabaster seeds ? GC or wilkos
The ones I picked are Johnson's (no relation!) ;D, but I am sure others sell them.
its my first year with celeriac too - got a tray of tiny alabaster seedlings on the go, much higher germination rate than i expected and i am terrible for keeping seedlings so we'll be eating a lot of celeriac!!
does it need protecting from any specific pests?
My germination rate this year was awful! Have had to get another tray going! Can't remember the variety though. :-\
Mine didn't seem to be bothered by anything legless, but there is always a first! Slugs might be a problem when they are small, but once mine were growing nothing touched them, apart from me! ;D
Quote from: Mothy on April 13, 2005, 23:01:51
The ones I picked are Johnson's (no relation!) ;D, but I am sure others sell them.
Kings have 2 types, and the Organic Catalogue have one too :)
hi all, :D
there is an excellent article on growing celariac in the January edition of the kitchen garden, the thing no one seems to have mentioned in this thread is that they do not like cold weather, they need to be cossetted indoors or in a green house & put out after all chance of frost has gone, the same time as beans etc,
Adrian.
Like so many other things - end of May.
But 'last frost'? We get them well into June.
I agree with Adrian, Celeriac really doesn't like the cold. Sow in a seed tray in gentle heat if possible ( I put mine on top of the combi-boiler)or on window sill, prick out into modules, then pot on into 3" pots - plant out mid to late May. Remember they are a marsh plant and need plenty of water for continous growth, any check and they will run to seed.
I have had good success over several years with Prinz organic seed from Kings and find if grown in semi-shade of something like the Runner Beans they will do very well. Most of my roots in 2004 weighed in around the 3 lbs mark.
As the roots swell when about the size of a grapefruit remover the lower leaves.
Try it par boiled in chunks then roasted.
I agree with Adrian, Celeriac really doesn't like the cold. Sow in a seed tray in gentle heat if possible ( I put mine on top of the combi-boiler)or on window sill, prick out into modules, then pot on into 3" pots - plant out mid to late May. Remember they are a marsh plant and need plenty of water for continous growth, any check and they will run to seed.
I have had good success over several years with Prinz organic seed from Kings and find if grown in semi-shade of something like the Runner Beans they will do very well. Most of my roots in 2004 weighed in around the 3 lbs mark.
As the roots swell when about the size of a grapefruit remover the lower leaves.
Try it par boiled in chunks then roasted.
My seeds have not germinated so I will leave them a while and plant more towards the end of May as I have never grown celeriac before and do not want my 1st year to be a failure... :'(
Debs
Hi Debs, :D
Hate to dissapoint you :'( but, according to the article in Kitchen Garden, they need a long growing season , that is why you need to sow them early and keep them warm & cosy indoors, sowing in May may just be too late :'(
Adrian.
Debs, if you can't get them going i've got a few (well definitely a lot) too many seedlings on the go. i've ended up with 80 pricked out into modules as i'm too soft with seedlings, i can give you one of the trays (40) if you want them. they have been in for about a month and are about an inch high...
just let me know and we can liaise!!
Legless,
Would love to take some from you...
Is there anything you would like?
I have:-
lollo rossa lettuce,
little gem lettuce,
autumn king cauliflower,
cherry tomatoes,
big boy tomatoes,
got other things which are just coming through...
Debs
Debs,
when are you aiming to be down there this week? just been to drop off some compost and its far too soggy to dig today!
thanks for the offer but i've got all those, you taking the celeriac saves me the job of pimping them round the site when they are bigger!!!!
see you soon
Jo
Jo,
If you are going to the lottie at any particular time ( after5.30pm cos I'm at work - I will come and get some from you...
Thanks a lot
Debs :)
ok, unless its torrential rain how about tomorrow, i'll be there until 6.30pm.
hope to see you then, have explained to the celeriac what is happening and they seem happy about it!!
Right, well I have sowed my celeriac today, thanks Alishka for the swap. :)
( :-[ haven't kept up my end yet, but put the cuke seeds in to my handbag for sending tomorrow ::))
Moggle,
Let me know if yours germinates, as I got mine from Alishka (Celeriac Balder)
Don't know why it didn't germinate...
Debs
Quote from: Debs on April 18, 2005, 12:44:38
Moggle,
Let me know if yours germinates, as I got mine from Alishka (Celeriac Balder)
Don't know why it didn't germinate...
Debs
I'm on day 10 of celeraic watch and not a single movement on any og the 30 plugs i've sown. I've got my fingers crossed...
"12-18 days"Â - at 18C, my sort.
Just a thought - celery you sow on the surface. What about celeriac??
Quote from: Debs on April 18, 2005, 12:44:38
Moggle,
Let me know if yours germinates, as I got mine from Alishka (Celeriac Balder)
Don't know why it didn't germinate...
Will let you know Debs
Tim I wondered about surface sowing, cos they were so small, but neither the packet or the HDRA encyclopedia said anything about surface sowing. Might chuck another couple of seeds on the top of the compost to see if they germinate differently.
it did say celeriac can be covered slightly/should be covered slightly.
but i did my celery and celeriac in the same tray (one half each) and didnt cover either. they srated swelling and sprouting quite quickly (about a week?) and then took about another week to actually unfold into little plants.
svea
They're alive... This morning I checked and there are some tiny shoots poking through.... Yippie...
Amazing thing, patience!!
Well done MarthaMad...
Shall borrow my 6 yr old sons magnifying glass from his "lets find bugs in the
garden" box, and investigate mine ;D!!
Have investigated and.....
I CAN SEE THEM !!!!!
Debs ;D
And there was much rejoicing throughout the land! Hurrah!
Have just got some seedlings courtesy of Legless (Jo)
Will be looking for all celeriac recipes...
Debs ;D
My favourite Celeraic dish....
Celeriac Gratin
Unsalted butter, for the dish
4 shallots, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
3 medium bulbs celeriac
2 sprigs fresh thyme
240ml double cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
salt and freshly ground black pepper
freshly grated Gruyère (Swiss) cheese
freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Heat oven to 200° Gas Mark 6. Butter a large gratin dish. Scatter shallots and garlic over bottom of dish. Trim celeriac by cutting off bottom and top, then cutting off thick outer layer with a sharp knife. Cut into 1/4-inch slices, and then julienne. Arrange evenly in gratin dish. Sprinkle thyme leaves over celeriac.
In a small bowl, whisk together cream, mustard, nutmeg, and salt and pepper. Pour over celeriac, and sprinkle with cheeses. Cover with foil, and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove foil, and continue baking until top is brown and bubbly and cream is thickened and reduced, about 20 more minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes to allow the sauce to congile, and serve.
MarthaMad,
Shall definitely be trying out this one - sounds good ;D
So glad that I have taken up running as I love cooking and eating ;D
Debs :P
Great - but what is 'medium'?
The one I have here is 1 2kg.
Gosh... Forgot to weigh them.... They were the size of grapefruits... But after the were trimmed and peeled they were smaller... Just use your judgement,
Hi,
Another thing you can do quickly and simply with celeriac is grate it raw and add mayonaise. It is a great salad dish the Suisse and French have it alot. I am also now trying to grow it and have some seedlings in the greenhouse, and haven't a clue when to transplant them down to the lottie as we are in Scotland so who knows when the last frost will be!
Bloody Ploughman
Wasn't going to bother with celeriac this year as I've never had much success, but having read this thread a few days ago I relented + sowed some.
Like BP I'm in Scotland, so I guess it's not too late ???
I have decided it is never really to late, at least not in Essex. I was sowing and planting right up into the autumn and my celeriac stood in the ground throughout the winter and was only pulled because I needed the room!
Does it stand frost then?
I've been told there's no point sowing too early, but can't remember why - ever think you've forgotten all the important things in life???
I don't think it is terribly keen this side of the summer, but once fully grown they seem to be okay, in the same way beetroots, parsnips and carrots seem to do just fine.
It all depends!
Some are supposed to be lifted by November - others, with a little protection, or 'suitable location', will go through to the Spring.
i hope its not too late to sow them-i like the sound of that recipe!
kitty
I was a bit clumsy with my sowing, & now have several seedlings to a module.
Is it worth pr..king the spares out or should I bin them??
Pr*ck them out Tim! Waste not want not. ;D
Right - I'll get my magnifying glass & tweezers!
Right - quick as light!
i can hardly imagine any sizable plant growing from those tiny weeny seedlings.
my celery and celeriac are both at the third true loeaf now and still quite small in my books. about two inches overall.
hmm, planting out time is when? they have been on my balcony for the last 10 days and seem to be happy as larry. it's just i have these huge clay bricks in my beds and i am a bit hesitant plenting small things into that.
i guess i could make a hole and fill it with compost and plant into that?
Yes - I was a little late starting them. No matter!
Ooeerr Legless!! :-\ :'(
The beautiful celeriac seedlings you gave me ALL keeled over and
snuffed it for no apparent reason ( kept in greenhouse at constant
10 C temp )...
Mine are still growing strong... :o
Debs
oh blimey. you had too many anyway i suppose. i didn't booby trap them honest! i have to say mine are looking a bit weird. fingers crossed its how they are meant to look!
Mine have finally started germinating :D :D
How long was that Moggle?
Still waiting for mine ???
For what it's worth, mine took 10 days.
Quote from: tim on May 06, 2005, 10:05:08
For what it's worth, mine took 10 days.
Not for what it's worth Tim, that's good info
Never undervalue your advice - from what I've seen you're good at this game ;)
Sowed 17/4 and noticed a few tiny seedlings last night. That's about 18 days for me in a mini-greenhouse (temp very variable)
Not bad compared to Tim's time - I'm assuming he used a heated propogator, and that he has a full greenhouse set-up :)
Ears burning!!
Yes - they had some bottom heat.
...and fast forwarding on to the year 2006 ;D
I've sown some in g'house in gentle heat & in airing cupboard in toasty heat ;D
Airing cupboard look a bit spindly and g'house are small and sturdier looking,
however both are different types.
How are others doing...?
Debs
after last year's problems (mine didn't form bulbs) i won't be bothering this year.
Some of my celeriac sown on 30. January are now 1 1/4" tall and a later sowing on 20. February are still very small, but more of them germinated for some reason. They were kept in a heated propagator initially and are now in a greenhouse where the temp. is kept at a minimum of 6C. They and all the other seedlings - toms. peppers, beetroot, kohlrabi, leeks, parsnips in loo rolls and busy lizzies are all looking good. I still have aubergines and sweet corn in the propagator.
Tricia
Ohhh thanks for reminding me Debs, yet another space to find on a windowsill somewhere! ;D
sowing already? Must do mine tomorrow.
Don't just think about the bulbs, the new leaves make an excellent addition to soups and stews, in lieu of celery stalks. Also last Summer I snipped some leaves and added them to a "Herb salad" absolutely delish ;D
Mine are FINALLY coming up in sporaadic patches across the seed tray. They've been on the floor infront of the french windows (no greenhouse!) and I am trying to keep them moist. Will siwtch over to a spray soon as I'm afraid of knocking them over/out when watering.
Legless,
I had the same problem as you i.e. no bulbs, but healthy leaves.
This year I am determined to give it another go ;D
Have sown earlier, as recommended by Adrianhumph last year, and
have sown some in gentle heat in g'house and others in toasty
airing cupboard.
Dunno whether it will make a difference, but will ensure they are watered
and fed well and shall also try removing outer leaves which someone
advised to do , to help bulk up the bulb.
Debs ;)
i shall watch with interest for updates debs. ;D
Could people say which variety they have sown ... and if they would recommend them ... pretty pleeze :-\
I grew Balder last year, got a (very) few but I think that was due to my incompetence and planting out too early and small - lost a lot. This year I'm also trying Monarch.
Prinz. Notalotsizeways - but adequate.
That's today's.
very impressive Tim!
I put some that I was given out far too late last year - they went in the ground in August (in my defence I'd had the plot for five days and hadn't a clue). They're still in the ground, and not dead from frost - what do you reckon? Have I got a chance if I just ignore them?
hi bupster,
Have you dug one up to see how they are doing?
Debs
Only a few survived, so I don't want to touch those that are left!
Others will probably know better, but will they not become a
touch woody if left in ground too long.
Debs
Hi bupster, :D
Mine survived well all winter , covered in fleece, I have just dug up the last one :'( Only one of mine failed to make it , it just went rotten from the bottom.
I would have thought that they need digging & eating pretty quickly, & if you haven`t sown this years crop , do it soon. You could also order from Dobies, pre grown plants that will be delivered at the end of May. This is much simpler than growing them from seed. £3.95p for 20 plants. seems pretty cheap to me .
Adrian.