Celeriac is a lovely vegetable that has many different uses in the kitchen; this is why many people wish to grow their own to have fresh Celeriac whenever they want.
This plant has similar growing requirements as celery, so they are not that challenging to grow either.
So, how do you grow Celeriac from cuttings?
Cut the Celeriac root about one inch under where the stalks started growing; if your Celeriac still has the stalks, cut them where they are starting to turn green. Place the cutting into a jar and fill it halfway with water. Place the jar on a windowsill; the plant should begin to grow in one month.
How do you plant your new Celeriac plant into a Pot?
Can you plant it directly into your garden?
How do you know when your Celeriac is ready to be harvested?
Let us find out!
Growing Celeriac From Cuttings
Celeriac is a delicious vegetable that can be used in many different recipes, and they are easy to grow.
This means you can have lovely and fresh Celeriac at your fingertips, ready and waiting to be harvested and cooked to your preference.
Celeriac grows in much the same way as turnips; they will develop at the soils level, and they somewhat look like turnips too, but this plant is part of the celery family and not the turnip family.
Their taste is a mild celery taste that can add depth to stews and soups and even mash potatoes.
With all the delicious things you can make with this vegetable, of course, you would want to grow it yourself at home.
So, let us go over how you can grow Celeriac from cuttings.
Start the Process Indoors
Many gardeners recommend that you start any vegetable or herb you are growing from cuttings indoors and on a windowsill; the same applies to the Celeriac.
This is especially vital if you are growing them in the summer or if you reside in a hot climate, as keeping them indoors will help the plant establish itself better and not get scorched by the sun:
- First, you need to ensure you get the cuttings right to allow the Celeriac to be viable. You need to cut the root about one inch under where the stalks started growing from, and if your Celeriac still has the stalks, cut them just where they are starting to turn green.
- Now that you have a good viable cutting, you can place the cutting into a jar and fill the jar halfway with water. Now place the jar on the windowsill so it can get a good amount of sunlight every day.
- In about one or two months, you should begin to see roots forming and little green stalks developing from the top.
- You need to refresh the water in the jar once a week as the Celeriac is growing to ensure it has what it needs to survive.
Moving the Celeriac to Soil
Once the roots are about 2 to 3 inches long and the stalks have a few leaves on them, you can move the new Celeriac plant into some soil.
If you want to plant your Celeriac into pots:
- fill the pots with good-quality potting soil until they are filled one inch from the top.
- create a little hole to help the roots establish well in the soil; place the new Celeriac plant into the pot with its roots in the small hole. Ensure that the top half of the bulb is out of the soil, as this helps promote bulb growth.
If you want to move the Celeriac to your garden, you need to mix some compost into the soil first and ensure you plant the Celeriac in a cooler area.
From Experience: If you are planting multiple Celeriac plants, plant them about 6 to 10 inches apart and in rows 12 inches apart. Ensure you pat the soil around the base of the plant, and you water it sufficiently.
Provide the Correct Growing Conditions
Celeriac plants prefer cooler weather and do most of their development in cold weather, so if you live in colder countries, you should plant your new Celeriac plants into soil in spring.
Still, if you are in a hotter country, you should plant it in the late summer to mature during the cooler seasons.
This plant likes full sun but cool soil, so you need to ensure the soil is water-retentive but well-drained.
You can do this by adding some aged compost to the soil before planting the new Celeriac plants.
How to Care for Celeriac Crops
As Celeriac is a shallow-rooted plant, you need to ensure you water it in dry spells while the plant is still actively growing; otherwise, the plant may begin to wilt and die.
If you need to hoe near your Celeriac plants, be careful not to hit the plant; the shallow roots are easy to damage, and once they are damaged, the plant may not make a recovery.
You need to keep the area of your garden around your Celeriac weed-free, and the plant needs a top dressing of poultry manure or seaweed during the summer to ensure it has all the nutrients it needs.
Remember This: You need to remember to remove the outer leaves so that the crown of the Celeriac is exposed, as this will help encourage the bulb to grow.
How to Harvest Celeriac
Harvesting Celeriac is an easy task and does not take long.
You will know when your Celeriac plant is ready to be harvested when the swollen root is between 3 and 4 inches across or even slightly larger.
To harvest this vegetable:
- You need to cut the stems quite close to the root itself, using sharp shears or scissors.
- Then use a garden fork to carefully and gently lift the roots out of the soil. You can dust off any excess soil, and your Celeriac is harvested.
The flavor of this veg will increase if harvested after a light frost, but the Celeriac needs to be harvested before the first hard freeze in your area.
How to Store Celeriac
Once your Celeriac is harvested, you do not need to eat it all straight away as it stores very well.
To store your Celeriac, cut off all foliage, only leaving one inch, and trim the roots to about one inch, too. Carefully brush off any excess soil for the bulb, but do not wash it off.
Place the Celeriac into a food-grade plastic bag or a mesh bag and store it in a crisper draw of your fridge or a root cellar, with a temperature between 35- and 40-degrees Fahrenheit.
Even Better: You will be able to store your Celeriac like this for between 6 and 8 months.
Conclusion
Growing your Celeriac from cuttings is not a difficult task, but it can take a while for the Celeriac to reach the point where you can harvest it.
But if you grow it in your own garden, you will have the freshest Celeriac at your kitchen table.
These are lovely vegetables, and you can even eat the stems and leaves of the Celeriac, so nothing goes to waste!
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