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  • #1

    Celeriac Troubles

    Hi All,

    I'm having trouble germinating my celeriac. This is the first time I've grown it and the seeds I have are saved from a neighbouring abandoned plot so they may be the issue. I understand they do germinate slowly but it's been over two weeks now. Any advice? They are sprinkled on top of compost in modules and kept next to the boiler on a light window sill in my bathroom where the temp is constant and warm. More pertinently, am I too late to give it another go? They need a long growing season! Thank you.

    J
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  • #2
    Not too late to have another go. Mine germinate in the dining room which fluctuates from about 18 to 21 degrees. I do cover the tray with cling film though until they emerge. As soon as the seedlings are showing it helps to thin them out.
    Location ... Nottingham

    Comment

    • #3
      They usually take about 3 weeks to come through.
      Soaking the seeds first helps them along a bit.

      Is the temp around 20C?

      They do need some light to germinate ...but could the windowsill temp be dropping at night?

      I put a very light sprinkle of compost over them ( they need a bit of light) and then cling film over mine to keep them moist....remember that the are in reality a bog plant!
      Don't expect full germination either!
      "Nicos, Queen of Gooooogle" and... GYO's own Miss Marple

      Location....Normandy France

      Comment

      • #4
        Originally posted by Nicos View Post
        They usually take about 3 weeks to come through.
        Soaking the seeds first helps them along a bit.

        Is the temp around 20C?

        They do need some light to germinate ...but could the windowsill temp be dropping at night?

        I put a very light sprinkle of compost over them ( they need a bit of light) and then cling film over mine to keep them moist....remember that the are in reality a bog plant!
        Don't expect full germination either!
        It's not something I do with any of my seeds but out of interest his do you soak the seeds, they're so fine I keep thinking they'd get lost. Can see how big ones can be managed but no these.

        As far as germination is concerned, I just sprinkle on top of MPC, cover in a light covering of compost and water. The pots then sat uncovered in my cool conservatory, keeping the compost damp. Germination happened in 2 to 3,weeks, same for celery.

        Some of us live in the past, always talking about back then. Some of us live in the future, always planning what we are going to do. And, then there are those, who neither look behind or ahead, but just enjoy the moment of right now.

        Which one are you and is it how you want to be?

        Comment

        • #5
          I 'soak' most small seeds in a shallow dish with scrunched up kitchen roll at the bottom sopping wet/flooded with water. And cover with cling film for a couple of days.
          They're easy to see/ handle on white kitchen paper.

          They could be left there to germinate I suppose..if so, I'd do what I do with my chilli and pepper seeds...
          Then a sheet of kitchen roll on top of that, then small pieces of kitchen roll...1p size dotted about ontop of all that.
          On those pieces I put one, two, or three seeds so they are easy to see when they have germinated and easy to pick up and transplant into a small pot...1p piece of paper and all cos the fine roots are often attached to the paper.
          Last edited by Nicos; 04-04-2015, 07:30 AM.
          "Nicos, Queen of Gooooogle" and... GYO's own Miss Marple

          Location....Normandy France

          Comment

          • #6
            I cover mine with vermiculite - its light for the seed to grow through, and lets enough light through.

            They are a long season crop, so I always sow early ...

            I would definitely put the seed container in a plastic bag, or cover with cling film, to keep the surface moist. Shouldn't need watering after the initial watering if it is "wrapped"
            Last edited by Kristen; 04-04-2015, 07:35 AM.
            K's Garden blog the story of the creation of our garden

            Comment

            • #7
              Originally posted by Nicos View Post
              I 'soak' most small seeds in a shallow dish with scrunched up kitchen roll at the bottom sopping wet/flooded with water. And cover with cling film for a couple of days.
              They're easy to see/ handle on white kitchen paper.
              Think I'm being thick, just tried it for curiosity (I don't need anymore but have loads of seeds) and the seeds are so small they just sort of disappeared into the kitchen roll scrunches. How do you control the sowing, when they're dry I can roll my fingers together to get the thin sowing I need but they stick to my fingers when wet. Is it because I only left them for 5 mins or did you mean something else! Like to understand other methods even if I don't then choose to use them
              Last edited by Alison; 04-04-2015, 08:14 AM.

              Some of us live in the past, always talking about back then. Some of us live in the future, always planning what we are going to do. And, then there are those, who neither look behind or ahead, but just enjoy the moment of right now.

              Which one are you and is it how you want to be?

              Comment

              • #8
                I was thinking much the same thing Alison - Celeriac seed is so tiny. I've never attempted to "chit", or for that matter to soak, any tiny seed as I assumed it was pretty much impossible to then "sow" the seed, but I'd be interested in having a go
                Last edited by Kristen; 04-04-2015, 08:12 AM.
                K's Garden blog the story of the creation of our garden

                Comment

                • #9
                  It's a matter of laying a flat piece of wet paper over the very wet scrunched one...so it's a totally flat surface.
                  Then fit around the small 5p sized pieces of paper on top of that.
                  Tip of a pencil or something smaller just dip into the seed and smudge onto the 5p paper.

                  When the scrunched paper is so sopping wet/ sitting in a puddle, the moisture is drawn to the seeds.
                  Cover with cling film .
                  Simples
                  "Nicos, Queen of Gooooogle" and... GYO's own Miss Marple

                  Location....Normandy France

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Thanks for all the tips! I'll try cling film over them then and wait another week or so. May try the kitchen roll method as a back up.

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      I got this from the magazine ages ago but it works for me:-

                      constant 20 - 25C temp.
                      Strong light
                      Keep moist

                      Apparently, even in the wild plants germination can be poor due to these very specific requirements. the breeding programme for domestic ones has (again apparently) exacerbated the germination difficulties.

                      Remember, originally it is a bog plant.
                      "A life lived in fear is a life half lived."

                      PS. I just don't have enough time to say hello to everyone as they join so please take this as a delighted to see you here!

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        my celeriac took 4 weeks to germinate looking ok now covered them with a plastic propogater top

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          I've just grown my first batch ever of celeriac. I sowed them in a pot which I watered well before sowing, and just sprinkled the seeds on top. I covered the pot with a plastic bag secured by an elastic band and put it on my sitting room windowsill (temperature around 10-15 degrees probably more during the day). I sowed them quite thickly because I wasn't expecting great germination.

                          These are my notes:
                          Celeriac Monarch (Suttons)
                          New seed
                          3/3 seeds sown in 5 inch pot on top of warm, damp compost and covered with a plastic bag. Placed on sitting room windowsill – need light to germinate. Signs of root formation 11/3. Leaves appearing by 17/3 and moved to grow light garden. Far too many have germinated!
                          1 Apr 12 of the plants were transplanted into a 12-pack to grow on. Currently they have 1 true leaf. The remaining plants to be used as baby leaf in salads.
                          A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP. - Leonard Nimoy

                          Comment

                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Nicos View Post
                            It's a matter of laying a flat piece of wet paper over the very wet scrunched one...so it's a totally flat surface.
                            Then fit around the small 5p sized pieces of paper on top of that.
                            Tip of a pencil or something smaller just dip into the seed and smudge onto the 5p paper.

                            When the scrunched paper is so sopping wet/ sitting in a puddle, the moisture is drawn to the seeds.
                            Cover with cling film .
                            Simples
                            Thanks (I think) but really not simples, my head hurts, still can't visualise this at all. Think I'll just stick to sprinkling on the surface as that works well for me and is quick and easy . I always gravitate to minimum faff and suppose I've only ever soaked or chitted seeds if I have no other way of germinating

                            Some of us live in the past, always talking about back then. Some of us live in the future, always planning what we are going to do. And, then there are those, who neither look behind or ahead, but just enjoy the moment of right now.

                            Which one are you and is it how you want to be?

                            Comment

                            • #15
                              I thought my first sowing wasn't going to show so 3 weeks later I sowed more and within a couple of days the first lots germinated.
                              Location....East Midlands.

                              Comment

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