Celeriac or turnip-rooted celery is popular on the Continent but has never found favour in Britain. All the major seed suppliers offer their own variety, but there isn’t much difference between them. In each case a knobbly, swollen stem-base is produced, about 4-5in (10-12cm) across, with a distinct celery flavour. The catalogues will tempt you with its ease compared to the ever-popular celery – no earthing-up, no bolting, little danger from pests or diseases and good storage properties. But it really isn’t a vegetable for everyone – you will have to raise your own seedlings as very few garden centres offer them, and you must provide rich, moisture-retentive soil and plenty of water in dry weather.

Seed facts
Expected germination time: 12-18 days
Expected yield from a 10ft row: 7lb (3.5kg)
Life expectancy of stored seed: 5 years.
Approximate time between sowing and lifting: 30-35 weeks
Ease of cultivation: Rather difficult – good soil preparation, regular watering and de-leafing all necessary.

Soil facts
· Fertile, moisture-retentive soil is essential. Pick a reasonably sunny spot and dig in autumn. Incorporate as much manure or compost as you can.
· About a week before planting apply a general-purpose fertilizer.

Sowing and Planting
· Raise seedlings under glass in early spring. Plant 2 seeds in a compost-filled peat pot – remove weaker seedling. Harden off before planting outdoors.
· Plant 12in (30cm) apart, with rows at 18in (45cm) distance. Do not bury the crown – the stem base should be at ground level. Plant firmly and water in after planting.

Calendar
Sowing time: Sow indoors under glass in March.
Planting time: Transplant seedlings at the end of May to mid June.
Cutting time: Usually October and November; can extend from mid September to the end of March.

Looking after the crop
· Hoe regularly and feed occasionally – a mulch in early summer will help to conserve moisture.
· Remove side shoots – from midsummer onwards remove the lower leaves so as to expose the crown.
· In late September draw soil around the swollen stem-bases.

Harvesting
· Aim for maximum size – neither flavour nor texture deteriorate with age. Lifting begins in October – in most areas you can cover the roots with straw or peat and then lift as required until early spring.
· If your soil is heavy and the site exposed, it is better to lift the crop in November. Twist off the tops, cut off the roots and store in boxes filled with damp peat. Keep in a cool shed.

Varieties
Marble Ball: The best known variety – medium-sized, globular and strongly flavoured. Stores well over winter.
Iram: Medium-sized like Marble Ball, but remains white when cooked.
Tellus: Another variety which remains white after boiling. Quick-growing with a smoother skin than most varieties.
Claudia: Reputed to be the least knobbly of all the celeriacs.
Jose: Earliness is the main claim to fame of this variety. ‘Roots’ are uniform in shape.
Globus: Not particularly quick to mature, but the size of the crop is larger than average.

Troubles
Slugs
Carrot Fly
Celery Fly