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| Celeriac in early June |
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| Celeriac in August |
Celeriac is a variety of celery that produces large, flavorful roots and much smaller stalks than traditional celery. We grew it for the first time this year and it grew without special attention and was free of pest issues. During the growing season, we used the foliage in place of parsley and it added a nice flavor to our recipes.
We started from seed inside in late February (8 weeks before the last frost). We planted them outside in mid-May. The only peculiarity of celeriac is that it is biennial. So if it's planted outside too early and experiences several cold nights in a row, it can be tricked into thinking it has gone through a summer/winter cycle and is now in year two. In year two, biennials put energy into flowering instead of root growth. Try to plant it late enough in the season to avoid multiple sub-50 degree nights and you should do well. Keep it well watered and somewhat weed free.
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| Celeriac in September, nearing harvest time |
Celeriac appreciates cold nights, but because much of the root is above ground, it should be harvested before a killing frost (28 degrees). Harvest by pulling the root, cutting off the greenery, and shaking off excess dirt.
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| Harvested celeriac root |
We dried our celeriac for easy addition to soups and other recipes. Other storage options include blanching (as described below) and then freezing or you can store the whole root in a root cellar environment (~55 degrees and dry).
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