How to Grow Celeriacs USA

By the SoilCommander Editorial Team, under the guidance of Nitin Sharma, Co-Founder · · How we check our facts

On this page
  1. Celeriac (Apium graveolens var. rapaceum)
  2. At a Glance
  3. Quick Facts
  4. Growth Stages
  5. Harvest & Storage
  6. Diseases
  7. Pests
  8. Nutrient Issues
  9. Plan your Celeriacs planting
  10. Growing Celeriac in another region
  11. Sources
  12. Frequently Asked Questions

Celeriac (Apium graveolens var. rapaceum) — annual/biennial, grown as annual.

Core growing advice on this page is checked against named horticultural sources — see References.

Celeriac (Apium graveolens var. rapaceum)

Young celeriac seedlings freshly planted out — “Knolselderij (Apium graviolens var. rapaceum)” by Rasbak is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

8 sources cited · Verified

At a Glance

A celeriac root sliced in half showing its white interior — “Céleri-rave-fendu” by DocteurCosmos is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
“Céleri-rave-fendu” by DocteurCosmos is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Apium graveolens var. r… Celeriac Celery leaf spot Snails Slugs Celery leaf miner (cele… DISEASES PESTS

Quick Facts

A celeriac plant with its swollen bulb visible at the base — “Celeriac J1” by Jamain is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
“Celeriac J1” by Jamain is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Factor Value
Drainage Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand; consistently damp/moist soil essential
Lifecycle annual/biennial, grown as annual
Edible parts swollen stem base

Growth Stages

Celeriac growing in the ground before harvest — “Miřík celer (Apium graveolens) - před sklizní” by Pohled 111 is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Miřík celer (Apium graveolens) - před sklizní” by Pohled 111 is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Stage BBCH Notes
Sowing and germination 0 Sow indoors in March with a light sprinkling of compost over seed, germinating at 59°F (15°C) -- slow and erratic, taking up to 3 weeks; keep above 50°F (10°C) once germinated to prevent bolting (RHS).
Planting out and establishment 1 Transplant outdoors after last frost, usually late May or early June, hardened off first, spaced 30cm apart in rows 40-45cm apart, stem base at soil level; cloches or fleece help reduce bolting risk (RHS).
Leaf growth and crown exposure 3 Keep soil consistently moist and mulched; from summer onwards remove outer leaves as they fall horizontal to expose and encourage the swollen crown, and remove side-shoots and damaged leaves (RHS).
Root swelling and harvest 8 Harvest October through March; extremely hardy, roots can stay in the ground and develop stronger flavour over time; on heavy or waterlogged soils lift and store in late autumn instead (RHS).

Harvest & Storage

A harvested knobbly celeriac root — “Apiales - Apium graveolens - 1” by DenesFeri is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Apiales - Apium graveolens - 1” by DenesFeri is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to pick: Takes at least six months to reach maturity; harvest October through the following March; develops stronger flavour over time and can be left in the ground until required; grows large without turning woody

Diseases

A celeriac plant with its swollen bulb visible at the base — “Celeriac J1” by Jamain is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
“Celeriac J1” by Jamain is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Celery leaf spot

Septoria apiicola

Pests

A celeriac plant with its swollen bulb visible at the base — “Celeriac J1” by Jamain is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
“Celeriac J1” by Jamain is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Snails

Gastropoda (snails, various spp.)

Slugs

Gastropoda (slugs, various spp.)

Celery leaf miner (celery fly)

Euleia heraclei

Nutrient Issues

Boron (B)

deficiency

Correction

RHS names celeriac among the boron-sensitive vegetables, alongside swedes and turnips. Boron is less available to roots in alkaline soils above pH 7, so avoid liming already-alkaline ground and test soil pH before treating.

Plan your Celeriacs planting

When to sow and plant Celeriacs depends on your own frost dates. Check the USA vegetable planting calendar. To work out where it fits in your beds, sketch your plot in the free Garden Layout Planner.

Growing Celeriac in another region

Sowing dates, frost timing and local advice differ by country. Use the guide for where you garden.

Sources

  1. Celeriac is grown exactly like celery, as a COOL-SEASON crop, but for the light brown bulb-type root rather than the leaf stalks. Harvest the root while still small so it stays tender and does not turn woody. After lifting, trim off the side roots and the leaves, then refrigerate at 32°F in high humidity for storage. (This guide is brief and does not cover sowing dates, spacing, days to maturity, watering, fertility or pests.)

These source is specific to this region. The full list of 8 sources behind this guide (AHDB, GBIF, Royal Horticultural Society and others) is in the references of our UK guide to celeriac; they describe the plant itself, which is the same wherever it grows.

Frequently Asked Questions

What problems affect celeriac?

Our data links 1 disease and 3 pests to this crop. See the sections above for each one and how to manage it.

Plan next season before the problems start

Almost everything on this page resolves to your own frost dates rather than the calendar — the last spring frost moves by roughly two months between zone 3 and zone 10. The USA Garden Planner works from your zone so the timing is already decided before the season starts.

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SoilCommander Editorial Team — under the guidance of Nitin Sharma, Co-Founder

Every growing guide is checked against RHS, USDA Cooperative Extension, and other named horticultural authorities before publishing. How we check our facts.

How this guide is put together

The growing data on this page — sowing windows, pests, diseases, soil and site requirements — comes from named horticultural sources, listed in References below, checked against USDA hardiness-zone and frost-date data, with Cooperative Extension sources cited directly where one exists for a crop. An automated pipeline assembles that verified data into the page you're reading: it selects which facts to lead with and builds the surrounding prose and layout. It does not invent a date, a source or a number — where a verified value for a field isn't available, the page leaves it out rather than guessing. A person reviews and publishes each page; nothing goes live unverified.

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Last verified 2026-09-02

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