I have also removed several of the leaves, in order to expose the bulbs to more light.
The problem is that nowhere in my veg plot gets more than a few hours of direct sunlight each day. Ideally the growing-site for Celeriac should get sunlight from every direction.
The compost / soil in the raised bed may also be a problem. It has a high proportion of home-made compost and leaf-mould, so therefore it is very light. Maybe the Celeriac would prefer a heavier growing medium? [The carrots and parsnips I grew there last year loved it.]
Did I mention that I have fed the Celeriac too? I used a proprietary Fruit and Veg fertiliser, applied at least once a week throughout the Summer.
And still the blessed things are tiny.
Well, looking on the bright side, my Celeriac this year are the biggest I have ever grown! However, you have to see that statement in the light of the fact that my previous best effort was about the size of a tennis-ball. At the rate we are going, I think I will be adding a whole bulb into a stew or casserole to add flavouring, rather than using the Celeriac as a vegetable in its own right. I bet it will taste nice though.
I will have to consider very carefully if this vegetable is one worth growing again. Maybe I should just stick to some things that are a bit less trouble. Like these tomatoes.
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| "Black from Tula" |
OK, so you tell me, what do you think is the easiest vegetable to grow, and which is the most difficult?
I think the easiest really depends on the time of the year and the weather. Maybe peas in springtime. Zucchini is a typical easy one, but it has never done particularly well here. Celeriac has been a hard one for me. Celery isn't all the easy either. And for years I couldn't grow Brussels sprouts, though this year they are going crazy. They are in the shadiest part of the garden this year, so maybe that is why.
ReplyDeleteThose tiny celeriac globes will be a concentration of flavour.
ReplyDeleteThe easiest veg to grow would probably be the courgette (even if I've had my fair share of mishaps with them). The most difficult - ooh, where to start...?
I think you have done remarkably well Mark! They look a good size to me.
ReplyDeleteCeleriac is notorious for needing a long growing season and good light I think your use of fertiliser has been a good thing.
We have had a lot of cloud and poor light from early August here in York My tomatoes have certainly shown the effects of poor sunshine.
Frequent generous watering is a good thing but twice a day is perhaps too great a dedication?
Every vegetable has it's own difficulties and soil requirements. My easiest are broad beans. I abandoned celeriac years ago!
Stick with the celariac - they'll taste wonderful! The easiest for me has been pumpkins. I thought the sprouts were easy until I spotted the caterpillars yesterday! Also, I fear I've now got clubroot in the cabbages - mine were about as big as cricket balls this year, and no roots to speak of! Rather upset, but next year, I'll make a raised bed and do them there.
ReplyDeleteClub root resistant varieties of cabbages are worth trying as they seem to make pretty good roots even in ground badly infected with club root. Total lack of roots could also be due to cabbage root fly - this causes my cabbages to literally fall out of the ground - but caught early you can try earthing up around the stem and new roots grow higher up the stem.
DeleteIt makes me really determined to succeed if I find something difficult to grow, like aubergines. I tried for three years before I got any fruit to set, once I managed it I never bothered growing them again. Beans are quite easy to grow, providing there are no slugs about, but there are so I'd say courgettes are the easiest things to grow.
ReplyDeleteTried patio aubergines this year outdoors on the allotment - got a few because fruits are also small so grow quickly (just a bit late because no sun). Have always only had success with traditional tall aubergines if grown in pots like tomatoes - restricting their roots seems to make them fruit.
DeleteI've never tried to grow celeriac so yours look pretty good to me, nice and green and healthy! My easiest veg would have to be kale and swiss chard - oh, and beans once you get past the slug stage. The most difficult, for me, would have to be strawberries! Yeah, ridiculous I know, but the slugs get them every time or they grow really tiny; it's so frustrating!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely beans must be one of the easiest veg to grow. I've always struggled with spring onions & it took a few years for me to get a decent radish! At least your celeriac looks like a celeriac mine are just stems.
ReplyDeleteI think radishes are the easiest, in terms of the most difficult... up to now I'd say aubergine but this year proves that wrong.
ReplyDeleteCelariac taste so good and are a versatile vegetable.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan