Celeriac (Giant Prague)

📖 About This Plant

Celeriac (Giant Prague) is a knobby, celery-flavored root vegetable that's far easier to grow than stalk celery — producing a large, turnip-like swollen stem base with intense celery flavor without the demanding water requirements of celery stalks. The Giant Prague cultivar produces consistently large, round roots (3–4 inches across) with smooth, flat bottoms that are easier to peel than rougher-rooted varieties. Hardy in zones 3–9, it's a cool-season crop that takes 110 days to mature from transplant — one of the longest-maturing vegetables in the garden. The wait is rewarded with remarkable versatility: excellent raw in remoulade, roasted until caramelized, or used in soups and purees where it adds deep, earthy celery depth without strings.

📊 Quick Facts

📅 When to Plant in Your Area

🌱 Care Tips

Start celeriac indoors 10–12 weeks before last frost — it needs a long growing season. Seeds are tiny and slow to germinate (2–3 weeks at 70°F); press lightly onto surface and barely cover. Grow on at 60–65°F under bright lights. Harden off carefully and transplant after last frost, spacing 12 inches apart. Celeriac needs consistently moist, fertile soil — drought causes small, pithy roots. Water deeply 1–2 times per week and mulch to retain moisture. Fertilize every 4 weeks with a balanced fertilizer, shifting to low-nitrogen after midsummer to harden roots. Remove small side-shoots that develop around the base of the swelling root in late summer — this concentrates energy into the main root and improves shape. Harvest in fall after light frosts, which improve flavor. Stores in the refrigerator for 3–4 months after trimming.

🤝 Companion Plants

These plants grow well alongside Celeriac:

🌿 Related Vegetable

More vegetable that grow in similar conditions:

❓ Frequently Asked Questions