Kohlrabi and Celeriac

Another of the jobs I got done on Bank Holiday Monday was planting-out Kohlrabi and Celeriac. Neither of these is a "significant" crop for me, just something to provide a bit of interest amongst the staples.

Celeriac remains a challenge for me. This is my fourth attempt at growing it, and I hope to be able to achieve more success this time!

Celeriac "Monarch"

 I have only planted-out four Celeriac seedlings. Still, that means I will be able to give them plenty of individual attention. If I have success with these ones maybe next year I will feel justified in devoting more of my precious space to this crop. When space is scarce you cannot afford to grow something that consistently fails!

The Celeriac have gone into the big Woodblocx raised bed, where the soil is nice and deep. Hopefully it will be easier this time to keep them properly hydrated. Celeriac needs loads of water, and must never be allowed to dry out (so they say...).

Near the Celeriac I have planted six Kolrabi "Modrava" seedlings. This is a purple variety, very attractive.

Over each one I have placed a wire hoop, which will stop them being crushed by the piece of chicken-wire that covers the whole bed, protecting it from animal diggings.

This raised bed also contains two rows of Parsnips. One lot ("Duchess") didn't germinate very well, so I have re-sowed the gaps with more seed, but the other one ("Hollow Crown") is looking very good. I think I will need to thin out this row soon. Ideally the Parsnips should be somewhere between four and six inches apart.

Surprisingly, there is still some vacant space in this bed, which is destined to be filled in due course with some Leeks, but those are too small for planting out at present.

Elsewhere, in my new big raised bed, the Carrots and Beetroot are looking strong, and are well protected under their canopy of Enviromesh: