Select your climate zone New Zealand - cool/mountain New Zealand - sub-tropical New Zealand - temperate What is my climate zone?

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
									P	P	P

(Best months for planting Celeriac in New Zealand - cool/mountain regions)

• Harvest in 100 - 200 days
• Grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed.
• Best planted at soil temperatures between 8°C and 21°C.
• Space plants: 45-80cm

A form of celery which has a swollen root and lower stem. Raise seeds in individual pots and plant out after last frost to give them plenty of time to develop a good root. Grow in a very fertile, rich soil. Water generously.

In UK can be started under glass in March

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Celeriac

Cook whole, scrubbed and peeled.
Or slice or dice.
Tastes like celery.

Your comments and tips

01 Apr 10 Rita (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)

One more thing though - some of you might not know - when the plant starts growing in your garden (or indeed pot) you need to take some soil away from the top - that way the top roots die up and the bulb grow is triggered - do not plant them to deep or put high soil around them.. they need to sit almost on top of the soil rather than in it..Also - they do take up to 6-7 months to mature and don't mind direct sunlight but prefer a little bit more shade..

05 Apr 10 Michelle (New Zealand - temperate climate)

I too am an import from Europe and struggling to grow celeriac which we grew very successfully, with little effort, in Kent. I have recently got some Awapuni sedlings which I have planted (some in a polytunnel, some outdoors). Will feed and water more than I have done in the past and wait patiently.

11 Apr 10 Stuart Duncan (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)

We planted some celeriac plants from the nursery here on Waiheke Island, All six of them grew really well and developed good root bulbs in very light fairly dry soil in full sun. It has been a very dry summer and we are on tank water, I have to use recycled grey water for the garden. We have eaten three so far and they were just great, trouble is I can't find the plants anywhere to buy more.

02 Aug 10 Christine (New Zealand - temperate climate)

Why are celeriac so difficult to grow? I started about 30 plants in peat pots before transferring them to the garden in Dec (ChCh). It is now Aug and they have still to form a bulb, probably they won't now. They were well watered. I will try again this year using growing tips listed on this site. It's difficult to buy them also, one retailer selling old dry celeriac for $18 kilo.

11 Aug 10 megan (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)

I have just started harvesting my celeriac. We had a drought in summer. They need lots of water, good drainage and I planted them about 20cm apart, with the tops part out of the soil like you plant garlic. I also leave as much foliage as possible around them, though when I run out of celery I do rob the occasional stem.

01 Nov 10 Gay Clearwater (New Zealand - temperate climate)

Where can I purchase celeriac plants from in Christchurch.

18 Nov 10 F (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)

You can buy plants from Bunnings, Shirley. Thats where I've got my ones from. That was 1 month ago

23 Nov 10 trish (New Zealand - temperate climate)

Hi there, Ii have two pots of celeriac of which one is doing fine alongside the celery and the other which is about 6M away has very small white pests? on the underneath of the leaves. I have just watered them with some soapy water. The new leaves on the pesty pot plants are grwoing up very bright green which is quite different to the other pot which tend to be dark green. Does anyone know a good companion plant for celeriac please and do you know what this pest is? appreciated, trish

25 Mar 11 Chris (New Zealand - temperate climate)

Could you please tell Rita DO NOT JUST bring seeds in from Europe as we have enough viruses and pests in NZ already and besides there( quite rightly) is a hefty fine for illegal importation of plant material.If she must they must be declared for MAF to decide if they are safe to import.

17 Apr 11 Barbara (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)

Hi There, I have lots of Celeriac now and worry if the frost we are about to get would be a problem for them the bulbs are just about ready, I could harvest some of them already but others are still a bit small. Does anyone know how to keep them through winter I am in central Otago