Celeriac...problems.

Dear All, my very first post so I hope this is ok.

I have grown 3 rows of celeriac this year and have ended up with some lovely heathy and bushy plants. The problem is that the root balls are so small there is hardly anything to harvest.

I would welcome any thoughts on what might have gone wrong, and how I can improve next year.

ps we did have a long dry spell this year which will probably not have helped.

Thanks ......Russel. 

Hi Russel Sprout, I have had the same problem with Celeriac. I have been watering them well like you should do but they are really small, by the time you have trimmed the outer off there isn't anything left to eat. They are such a lovely versatile veg, great for boiling, steaming, roasting and so tasty. I am going to grow them again so hopefully this year they will be bigger and better. I am glad someone else has had the same problem, I thought it might be me doing something wrong.

Further to my earlier post, I have come across a recommendation from Monty Don , that most of the outter  leaves should be pulled off in the autumn so as to direct more energy into growing the root ball. To be honest I cant see commercial growers doing this , so am a bit sceptical !! 

Russel.

I tried this, as I saw Monty doing it on Gardeners World, it hasn't made any difference at all so I don't know what his secret is, please tell us Monty.

Celeriac evidently needs lots of animal manure.  The only time I had roots bigger than grapefruits was after we had a lorryload of cow manure spread over the garden.  It is delicious in mash with potatoes though.

hi can you help me i have 3 apple trees and 1 as got woolly aphids all over have put grease around trees and i winter wash in winter and spring but its still there have looked on inter net to no avail?  PS as to the cat problem i  put down holly twigs every year and keep them topped up.This was past down to me by my dear old grandad; just cut them up in small pieces and put around your gardens they rot down but still work and are available all year round.Thanks

 hope its the celeriac delicious with mash and not the cow manure Happymarion!

Had the same with celeriac last season all top very little rootball. Kept em watered well and they were on a well manured bed. so any sercrets as to growing em would be appreciated. In this mild winter they continue to be in the ground and the tops are still fine specimens.

I live in EDINBURGH.  when should  I harvest celeriac?

Celeriac needs plenty of warmth as well as water. It's hard to develop bulbs in cooler climates. I had the opposite problem here in central Italy. Just too dang hot.

Fothy, you can harvest when you get a bulb of worthwhile size, and size will depend on the temperatures you get.