Other names
turnip-rooted celery, celery root
Botanical name
Apium graveolens var. rapaceum
Family / Genus
Apiaceae / Apium
Plant category
Root and tuber vegetables
Peter Turner Photography/Shutterstock.com
Facts and figures
Light requirements
Sun / partial shade
Nutrient requirements
Medium feeder
Difficulty level
Expert
Culture (according to Gertrud Franck)
B - late
Culture (according to Sister C. Weinrich)
Main crop
Growing period
160 days
Row spacing
50 cm
Plant spacing
50 cm
Growth height
30 - 100 cm
Sowing depth
1 cm
Germination temperature (minimum)
18 °C
Germination temperature (optimal)
22 - 30 °C
Germination type
Light
Pre-growing period
60 days
Planting & harvest times of Celeriac
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Pre-grow
Transplant
Harvest
Transplant to bed from Mid May to Mid July. Pre-grow about 60 days before transplanting, approximately between Mid March and Mid May. After a growing period of 160 days, harvest can begin around Early September and continues until Late November.
Good and bad companions of Celeriac
Very good neighbours
Broccoli
Celery right next to broccoli is said to stop cabbage whites from laying eggs. Best plant them alternately in the same row.
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Long-standing companion planting practice (e.g. Gertrud Franck, Schwester C. Weinrich)
Reasons:
- Pest control through scent or camouflage
Cauliflower
Celery is said to keep cabbage whites off cauliflower, and cauliflower to keep celery rust off celery. Best planted alternately in one row.
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Long-standing companion planting practice (e.g. Gertrud Franck, Schwester C. Weinrich)
Reasons:
- Pest control through scent or camouflage
Kale
Celery among the kale is said to keep cabbage whites away. Best planted alternately in the same row.
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Long-standing companion planting practice (e.g. Gertrud Franck, Schwester C. Weinrich)
Reasons:
- Pest control through scent or camouflage
Leek
Ridge and furrow: celeriac on low ridges, leeks in the furrows between. When earthing up, soil moves to the leeks and the celeriac stays free.
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Specialist book, Long-standing companion planting practice (e.g. Gertrud Franck, Schwester C. Weinrich), Tradition agrees across several language regions
Reasons:
- Practical tip for this pair
Good neighbours
Cucumber
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Long-standing companion planting practice (e.g. Gertrud Franck, Schwester C. Weinrich), Tradition agrees across several language regions
Melothria
Celery is considered a good neighbour for cucumbers. For the related Melothria this is only carried over; it sprawls vigorously and often does better on its own.
Evidence quality: limited
Evidence: Long-standing companion planting practice (e.g. Gertrud Franck, Schwester C. Weinrich), Derived from plant family or pathogen, pair not directly documented, Tradition agrees across several language regions
We found conflicting sources. This is our current assessment.
Bad neighbours
Predecessors and successors of Celeriac
Good predecessors
Alfalfa
Lasting effect: 3 years
Beetroot
Lasting effect: 3 years
Berseem clover
Lasting effect: 3 years
Broad bean
Lasting effect: 3 years
Bush bean
Lasting effect: 3 years
Chickpea
Lasting effect: 3 years
Common vetch
Lasting effect: 3 years
Crimson clover
Lasting effect: 3 years
Hairy vetch
Lasting effect: 3 years
Lentils
Lasting effect: 3 years
Lupin
Lasting effect: 3 years
Oats
Lasting effect: 3 years
Oil radish
Lasting effect: 3 years
Pea
Lasting effect: 3 years
Persian clover
Lasting effect: 3 years
Pole bean
Lasting effect: 3 years
Red clover
Lasting effect: 3 years
Runner bean
Lasting effect: 3 years
Sainfoin
Lasting effect: 3 years
Soya bean
Lasting effect: 3 years
Subterranean clover
Lasting effect: 3 years
Swiss chard
Lasting effect: 3 years
White clover
Lasting effect: 3 years
Winter rye
Lasting effect: 3 years
Bad predecessors
Carrot
Rotation break: 4 years
Dill
Rotation break: 4 years
Hamburg parsley
Rotation break: 4 years
Parsley
Rotation break: 4 years
Parsnip
Rotation break: 4 years
Sunflower
After sunflowers the risk of sclerotinia rot rises in cucumber, pepper, celery and tomato.
Rotation break: 3 years
Very bad predecessors
Celery
Rotation break: 4 years
Good successors
Alfalfa
Lasting effect: 3 years
Beetroot
Lasting effect: 3 years
Berseem clover
Lasting effect: 3 years
Broccoli
Lasting effect: 1 year
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Long-standing companion planting practice (e.g. Gertrud Franck, Schwester C. Weinrich)
Cauliflower
Lasting effect: 1 year
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute, Long-standing companion planting practice (e.g. Gertrud Franck, Schwester C. Weinrich)
Crimson clover
Lasting effect: 3 years
Cucumber
Lasting effect: 1 year
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Specialist book
Hairy vetch
Lasting effect: 3 years
Honeydew melon
Lasting effect: 1 year
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Specialist book
Kale
Lasting effect: 1 year
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Long-standing companion planting practice (e.g. Gertrud Franck, Schwester C. Weinrich)
Melothria
Lasting effect: 1 year
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Specialist book, Derived from plant family or pathogen, pair not directly documented
Persian clover
Lasting effect: 3 years
Phacelia
Lasting effect: 3 years
Red cabbage
Lasting effect: 3 years
Red clover
Lasting effect: 3 years
Romanesco
Lasting effect: 3 years
Subterranean clover
Lasting effect: 3 years
Swiss chard
Lasting effect: 3 years
Watermelon
Lasting effect: 1 year
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Specialist book
White cabbage
Lasting effect: 3 years
White clover
Lasting effect: 3 years
Winter rye
Lasting effect: 3 years
Bad successors
Carrot
Rotation break: 4 years
Cutting celery
Rotation break: 4 years
Dill
Rotation break: 4 years
Fennel
Rotation break: 4 years
Hamburg parsley
Rotation break: 4 years
Parsley
Rotation break: 4 years
Parsnip
Rotation break: 4 years
Very bad successors
Celery
Rotation break: 4 years
Diseases and pests
Susceptible to
Cucumber mosaic virus
Stem nematode(low susceptibility)
Harvest and processing
A la Musubi/Shutterstock.com
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