Monarch: discover its flavour and how to grow it

Why grow Monarch?

Vigorous, rounded swollen root for autumn and winter.

Choose Monarch for a traditional storage root. The source describes roots mainly beneath the rounded bulb, helping you clean a usable kitchen piece.

How this choice tastes

Monarch has white flesh with this crop’s mild celery aroma. Cooking softens the firm root and makes it well suited to mash.

From harvest to kitchen

Make a mixed mash with potato or cut thin slices for the oven. Remove the root base carefully and use the undamaged white parts of the swollen root.

What needs attention when growing

Start early under cover; after hardening off, plant in a moisture-retentive position. Keep young growing hearts clear and prevent soil drying out during summer.

Let swollen roots grow steadily and assess size from autumn. For storage, remove leaves and small roots carefully without deeply damaging the bulb.

Choose by flavour, shape and use

Alba: Round, white swollen root of an improved Monarch type. Grate fine strips for remoulade with a little lemon, or roast cubes. Equal pieces make the white swollen root easy to combine with potato.

The white flesh has the savoury celery character of celeriac. No separate sweetness difference is proven for Alba; the round bulb shape is the clearest selection criterion.

Monarch: Vigorous, rounded root for autumn and winter. Make a combined mash with potato or cut thin slices for the oven. Carefully remove the root base and use the sound white parts.

Monarch has white flesh with this crop’s mild celery aroma. Cooking softens the firm root and makes it well suited to mash.

Plan the spot for a whole season

Celeriac occupies the bed for a long time. Choose somewhere not needed for another crop mid-summer. Leaves develop first; swelling becomes clearer later. No visible swollen root on a young plant need not mean failure. Look for steady, healthy development.

Start early and handle the fine seed carefully

Sow indoors around March and press fine seed lightly onto compost. It needs light, not a thick soil layer. Keep moist with a fine rose. After emergence, provide light and room for individual plants to grow.

Prevent a cold interruption in young plants

Prolonged low temperatures can later cause celeriac bolting. Raise sufficiently warm; the RHS warns of periods below 10 °C. Hardening means gradual outdoor acclimatisation, not early exposure to cold nights. Assess actual local conditions in late May or June.

Do not bury the growing point

Plant roughly at raising-pot depth, with the crown clear above soil. The swollen root is not earthed up like potato. Allow roughly 30 cm between plants and more between rows; follow labels for differing variety growth.

Moist soil supports tuber growth

Celeriac tolerates drying poorly. Check below the surface in heat and water roots. Mulch can reduce evaporation but keep clear of growing points. Base feeding on soil and product. Repeated extra fertiliser cannot compensate for dry or compacted soil.

Watch for bolting, leaf condition and stalled growth

Rising flower stems move plants beyond desired harvest stages. With slow growth, first assess water, space and depth. Remove damaged or diseased leaves carefully and investigate recurring symptoms. Older horizontal outer leaves can later be removed to expose swollen roots.

Harvest for the pan or let it grow on

Harvest usable swollen roots from autumn. Loosen surrounding soil and lift without piercing. Smaller roots can already suit soup; suitable sites allow more weight with waiting. Protect remaining harvests when severe cold is expected.

Keep the tuber cool and prevent drying out

Use cut leaves promptly, for example as stock herbs. Swollen roots need cool storage protected from drying. Remove coarse soil without needless skin damage and inspect soft spots. Separate intact and damaged crops and check regularly to catch doubtful specimens.