Celeriac is a delightful vegetable that has many different uses in the kitchen, this is why many people want to grow their own to have fresh Celeriac on hand whenever they want.
This plant has similar growing needs as celery so they are almost as easy to grow too.
So you may be asking how to grow Celeriac from cuttings?
Cut the Celeriac root about one inch down from where the stalks started growing, if your Celeriac still has the stalks then cut where they are starting to turn green. Place the cut in a jar filled halfway with water. Place the jar on a window sill; in one months time the plant should begin to grow.
How do you take your new Celeriac plant and plant it into a Pot?
Can you place it right in your vegetable garden?
How do you know when a Celeriac plant is ready to be harvested?
Let’s find out!
Growing Celeriac From Cuttings
Celeriac is a wonderful vegetable that can be used in many different ways in recipes, and is easy to grow.
This means you will have beautiful and fresh celeriac at your fingertips, ready to be sundried, picked or cooked as you choose.
Celeriac is easy to grow, and they grow similar to turnips; they come up to the soil level, they can look somewhat similar to turnips, but, celeriac is part of the celery family not the turnip family.
They have a mild celery flavor and would add flavour to stews and soups and even mash potatoes.
With all the wonderful things you can make with this vegetable, obviously growing it yourself at home would be a good thing.
So now, let’s talk about how you can grow celeriac from cuttings.
Start the Process Indoors
A lot of gardeners suggest starting every vegetable or herb that you are growing from cuttings in your house on a windowsill; this applies to the Celeriac as well.
This is especially important if you are growing them in the summer or if you live in a hot climate as growing them indoors can give the plant a chance to get established and not get burnt by the sun:
- First, we must make sure we get this cut correctly for the celeriac to survive. You need to cut the root about an inch below the base of where the stalks begin growing, and if your celeriac has the stalks, cut just where they begin to have a little green.
- Once you have a good viable cutting, you can then place the cutting into a jar and fill the jar about halfway with water. Now place the jar on a windowsill to receive a fair amount of sunlight each day.
- In about one or two months, you should start to see roots starting to form and little green stalks starting to form from the top!
- You will also want to refresh the water in the jar on a weekly basis as the celeriac grows, as well make sure the celeriac has what it needs to survive.
Moving the Celeriac to Soil
As soon as your roots are about 2 to 3 inches long, and the stalks have a few leaves on them, you can transplant your new Celeriac plant into soil.
In the event that you are planting your Celeriac into pots:
- Fill the pots with good potting soil, leaving the pots one inch from the top.
- Next, create a small hole to get the roots to become established in the soil; place your new Celeriac plant into the pot with its roots in the small hole. Again, please make sure the top half of the bulb is out of the soil to facilitate the growth of the bulb!
If you want to transfer the Celeriac indoors to your garden, it’s important to amend the soil with some compost first, and again, try to locate it in a cooler area.
From Experience: If you are planting multiple plants of Celeriac; plant them apart by 6-10 inches, and rows should be 12 inches apart. Make sure you pat down the soil planted around the base of the plant, and water sufficiently after planting.
Provide the Correct Growing Conditions
Celeriac does best in the cool whether and does almost all its growth in cooler weather, so if you live in cold countries, you should plant your new Celeriac plants into soil in the spring.
If you live in a hotter country, then you should plant it in late summer to allow it to achieve maturity in the cooler weather.
This plant prefers full sun and cool soil, so you should ensure the soil is water holding but also well-drained.
Adding a little aged compost would also help keep the soil cool before planting the new Celeriac plants.
How to Care for Celeriac Crops
Since celeriac is shallow-rooted, if you experience a dry period when the plant is actively growing, you will want to ensure that it receives a drip of water, as the plant will begin to wilt and possibly die if not.
If you need to hoe beside your celeriac plants, be cautious to avoid damaging the plant itself, as the shallow roots are easily damaged and will not recover once they’ve been damaged.
You will want to keep the area of your garden around your celeriac weed-free, and the plant will need a top dressing of poultry manure or seaweed across the summertime, to ensure that it has all of the nutrients it needs.
Remember: You will need to remember to remove the outer leaves to expose the crown of the celeriac, as this will encourage the celeriac bulb to grow.
How to Harvest Celeriac
It is a simple task to harvest celeriac and does not take much time.
You will know when your celeriac plant is ready to harvest when the swollen root measures between 3 and 4 inches across or even a bit larger.
To harvest this vegetable:
- You’ll want to cut the stems quite close to the root itself, using sharp shears or scissors.
- Then using a garden fork, gently and carefully lift the roots out of the soil. You can dust off any excess soil, and you will have harvested your Celeriac.
This veg will taste more flavorful if harvested after a light frost, but it is best to harvest the Celeriac before the first hard frost in your area.
How to Store Celeriac
After harvesting your Celeriac, there’s no need to consume it all right away since it stores very well.
To store your Celeriac, cut off all of the foliage, leaving only about an inch limb, and trim the roots to about an inch. Gently brush off any excess soil for the bulb and do not wash it off.
Put the Celeriac into a food-grade plastic bag or a mesh bag, and then put in your fridge´s crisper draw or in a root cellar at 35- 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Even better, you will be able to store Celeriac like this for 6 to 8 months.
Conclusion
Starting your Celeriac from cuttings is not difficult, but it does take a while for the Celeriac to grow to harvestable point.
But, if you grow it in your own garden you will have the freshest Celeriac on your kitchen table!
These are beautiful vegetables, and you can even eat the stems and leaves of the Celeriac, so nothing at all is wasted!