Celery is a very healthy vegetable that is rich in vitamins and minerals. It can be consumed both fresh and after heat treatment... Using celery in various dishes is perfect solution, which will give the dish not only more taste, but also enrich it with all the useful components. The rules for growing leaf celery from seeds are simple and even a novice gardener will cope with this task.
Growing technology
Celery belongs to the Celery family. On this moment about 20 species of this plant are known. The most famous is considered to be fragrant celery or otherwise fragrant. This vegetable crop is two years old, the leaves are pinnately dissected, the inflorescences resemble an umbrella, in which there are small flowers. It is sometimes confused with parsley. Celery has a tap-stem. Leafy celery propagates by seeds, but due to the fact that they germinate for a long time, many gardeners use ready-made seedlings.
To get a rich harvest, you need to study the technology of growing this vegetable crop and, first of all, start preparing seeds and soil. 4-5 days before sowing, it is necessary to choose several methods in which the seeds will grow faster. You can use the most in a simple way and soak the celery seeds in plain water for several days. Alternatively, place the seeds in a small bag and then dip the bag first in hot water for 15 minutes, and then cold at the same time.
You can also use growth promoters that are sold in specialty stores. You can also buy soil there. But you can do it yourself. To do this, you will need:
- leafy land;
- humus;
- low-lying peat;
- sand.
You can sow leaf celery seeds immediately in open ground... This plant is usually planted from mid-April. Of course, it all depends on the region.
We begin the sowing process. Pour the soil into the prepared container and water it abundantly. Then carefully spread the seeds over the entire surface. After that, you need to lightly sprinkle everything with peat on top. This is done in order not to carry out a pick in the future.
Leaf celery has a short growing season and does not require strong seedlings. It will then be enough to thin out young seedlings and provide the seedling with an area for development. The container is covered plastic wrap or glass and placed where the temperature ranges from 20 to 24 degrees with a plus sign. You can put it near the battery.
After 6-8 days, you will notice that the first shoots appear. And now the film can be removed and the seedlings can be placed on the south side. But here the temperature should not be high from +13 to +16. This is necessary so that your seedlings do not stretch out and the root system begins to develop well.
Watering is considered the main process. It should be regular and moderate. Also, the seedlings should be well lit. If you notice that leaves begin to appear on the seedlings, then this is a signal that it is time to thin out the beds.
Seedling care
Planting and caring for leaf celery in their permanent habitat is a simple procedure. You can start planting celery seedlings at the end of April. There should be a distance of 20 cm between the plants, and 25 cm between the beds. You all know that celery is a cold-resistant plant. It can withstand frosts down to minus 5 degrees. Better temperature for growing leaf celery it is considered +17 degrees.
27-30 days after you have planted the seedlings in the ground, it will be possible to weed the beds and the distance should be no more than 6 cm. Next time this should be done after 3 weeks and the interval will already be 19 cm.
For the entire period of growing leaf celery, it is necessary to feed it twice. The first time this must be done 3 weeks after the appearance of the first shoots and at the same time use:
- 1/20 part of Biuda;
- 1/20 part of poultry droppings;
- 1/10 part mullein.
If the above components were not at hand, then you can water the seedlings with fermented grass.
The second time feeding is applied three weeks after the first. For this process you only need mineral fertilizer... First, they give a useful top dressing, then watered, then loosened.
You can cut celery in a month and a half after the shoots have appeared. And at the same time, you need to leave a small stalk. For the whole season, you can collect 2-3 harvests of greenery. The amount of assembly can be increased by watering and feeding the plant after each cut. Cut leaves can be put in plastic bag and so in the refrigerator they can be stored for a week. Can be used as a blank for the winter.
The main mistakes of gardeners
You already know how to grow celery, but here are some mistakes during this process:
- Too low or heat when sowing.
- Improper watering when growing seedlings from seeds. The stalks have just emerged and if you pour water over them from above, they are unlikely to rise later. It is necessary during this procedure to water the celery through a fine sieve or into a pan. You can use a regular medical syringe.
- Irregular watering.
- Picks up light for the plant. Leaves may turn pale and begin to crumble. If they are planted in direct sunlight, then the celery will begin to stretch.
- Before growing celery outdoors, you forgot about hardening. Even if it seems to you that your seedlings are healthy and strong, it is better to play it safe and harden them a week before planting in the ground. Take out the container of celery for a few hours each day.
For a long time I have not written articles about my favorite green crops, and I have quite a lot of them in my garden, both annual and perennial.
Every year I try to plant and try something new, but I don’t forget about old, proven green plants. For example, celery is our store of health!
That's what they say about it amazing plant among the people. Was born celery in the hot Mediterranean. From there he began his triumphal march around the world.
Growing celery was spread all over the place. it sacred plant revered and idolized. Housing was decorated with its leaves, the winners were honored. Celery was praised by Homer in his famous Iliad.
And only at the beginning of the 15th century, curious Europeans decided to try the leaves and root of the plant. From that moment, another page in its history began - much brighter and more famous.
Celery became a vegetable and received three subspecies at once: leaf, petiole and root. Now this most valuable vegetable takes pride of place in the garden, receiving deserved respect from people.
Dear celery
And there is a reason to respect him. Celery is the only plant where the most valuable components for the body are evenly distributed throughout all its parts.
Everything is useful for this vegetable: roots, stem and leaves.
◊ The King of Cooking. Growing celery pays off in the kitchen. Delicious vitamin salads, aromatic sauces and soups, healthy juices and condiments, side dishes and spices are all celery.
- its seeds are indispensable for first courses;
- any celery salad will make the most useful;
- the roots, stem and leaves, cut into small slices, will add an exquisite taste to any soup;
- a spice from a dried plant will give an amazing aroma to vegetable and mushroom dishes, pickles and pickles.
◊ Doctor from the garden. This vegetable has a cumulative effect, the more often it is consumed, the more benefits it brings to the body.
- a delicate diuretic that preserves all minerals in the body;
- mild sedative and anti-allergenic drug;
- assistant for joint diseases, rheumatism, pneumonia;
- the orderly of the gastrointestinal tract, effectively removes all toxins and harmful toxins from the body;
- normalizes blood pressure, restores immunity.
◊ Personal cosmetologist. V Ancient Greece the cultivation of celery was especially appreciated by local beauties. They used this vegetable for anti-aging treatments and always carried a sprig of the plant with them to attract fans.
- masks with celery will rejuvenate the epidermis, give elasticity to the skin, increase tone, relieve puffiness;
- lotions and tonics with plant juice stabilize the work of the glands of external secretion, improve the condition of oily skin, give deep moisture to dry;
- celery oil will deeply cleanse the epidermis, relieve the skin from acne and inflammation;
- The aroma of this vegetable has soothing, tonic and refreshing properties, it will banish feelings of fatigue and depression from you.
The magic knight of the garden is simply necessary for us for health, full life and good mood.
Types of golden vegetables
Celery is a biennial plant. It has increased cold resistance (seedlings easily tolerate small frosts, and adult plants easily overwinter).
The king of the garden favors white cabbage(growing celery next to her is very good for the growth of both plants). Celery drives away cabbage butterflies from it, and cabbage, in turn, stimulates the growth of its neighbor.
- This vegetable grows well next to tomato, cauliflower, onions and lettuce;
- he does not like the neighborhood of parsley, corn, potatoes and fennel.
The tall plant will love the soil after the beans and cucumbers. It has over 200 types different varieties that differ in appearance, taste and use.
We will focus on those varieties that are most suitable for growing in our gardens.
Leafy celery
Leaf celery has a rich, branched crown, its greens are distinguished by a spicy, original taste. Growing this type of celery is the simplest and easiest.
- Cartouli. This plant of Georgian selection will give you fragrant leaves 65 days after germination. It is generous in harvests and can be cut several times during the summer. It has very fragrant leaves and dark green stems. Cartouli resistant to low temperatures and drought.
- Cheerfulness. As unpretentious and stable as his Georgian counterpart. The vegetable will allow you to harvest the first harvest of glossy, very fragrant leaves already 70 days after germination. Its greens can also be cut several times per season.
- Gentle. A very productive variety of celery. The vegetation period of the plant is 100 days. The attractive dark green glossy greens are very odorous.
- Zakhar. After 105 days, you can already enjoy the delicate leaves with an enhanced, very pleasant aroma. This variety is quite tall and differs in size among the leafy cousins. After cutting, the leaves grow back instantly.
If you take good care of leafy celery, it can also give you delicious, fleshy petioles.
Petiolate (or stem) celery
In our country, the cultivation of stalk celery is not very common. Some varieties that do not need additional bleaching have a more delicate and richer taste.
- Malachite. The most popular variety in our country. Celery will quickly be put on the table - just 80 days after germination. Its petioles are especially fat and appetizing.
- Triumph. This is a mid-late vegetable, you can cut it on the table 130 days after the sprouts appear. A fairly tall plant (up to 65 cm) has an emerald and very juicy stem.
- Gold. This variety can be harvested in 150 days. The plant has its own advantages: its stem does not have a cavity inside and it is self-bleaching.
- Tango. One of the most beautiful stalk celery. Its petiole is bluish-green, without tough fibers, with a very delicate, aromatic taste. It is ready for use 180 days after germination. This variety is one of the most productive and attractive.
Petiole celery has no root crops. He has especially thickened, succulent stems with a wide base. They have delicate flesh and are very healthy.
Root celery
The cultivation of this type of celery requires great care. He is the most capricious and demanding. But on the other hand, with proper care, the vegetable will delight you not only with the most valuable root crops, but also with leaves that are not bad in taste.
- Albin. 120 days after the appearance of the first sprouts, this vegetable stores for you rounded, with sugar white pulp, roots, the diameter of which can reach 12 cm. Very productive and delicious variety, but its roots can form voids.
- Anita. This species will mature in 160 days. Oval roots with white juicy pulp and weighing up to 400 g do not change their pure color during heat treatment. The variety is high-yielding and very healthy.
- Strongman. Large, with a slight yellowish tinge, root crops can reach a weight of 400 g, they ripen for about 170 days. This aromatic variety is especially rich in mineral salts and sugars.
- Egor. The growing season for this species is 180 days. Smooth, fairly large roots have a high sugar content. This vegetable is especially appreciated for its excellent yield, good presentation and rich aroma.
Root celery forms very appetizing, juicy root vegetables, filled with the richest supply of nutrients.
Growing celery
Stem and root vegetable varieties are grown only seedling method(otherwise we will get a skinny bunch of greens with a thin stem). But the leaf allows you to use the sowing of seeds directly into the open ground.
Seedling method
Cooking seeds. First, we need to disinfect them. To do this, we will make a solution of a weak 1% potassium permanganate with a 0.2% solution boric acid... Heat the mixture to + 50 ° С and soak the seeds in it for 20 minutes. Then we dry them at room temperature.
Sowing. Sowing celery is best in early March if you live in middle lane, for more southern regions, vegetables can be sown in early February. Prepare the soil for sowing in advance.
Earth. Ideal soil for seeds should consist of turf, humus and sifted sand (proportion 1: 1: 0.5). We put the earth in wooden boxes measuring 50 x 30 x 8 cm and pour water abundantly in the evening.
It is better to sow seeds in the morning. We sow them in even rows with a row spacing of 5 cm. Sprinkle them with the same earth on top, cover the planting with glass and put the boxes in warm place for a week.
Growing celery should take place at a temperature of + 20 ° C. Make sure that the seedlings are well lit.
Water the seeds in moderation, it is best to use a sieve or spray bottle. A week later, celery will delight us with the first shoots. When our young prince gives the first real leaf, it's time to dive.
- Picking. Transplanting the plant into a separate container (200-500 ml cups), while the central roots are slightly pinched (this will enable the vegetable to form a strong root system).
Landing in the ground. As soon as our celery gives 5-6 true leaves (usually this happens in two months), it must be transferred to adult living conditions, to the garden. We need to select the highest quality, strongest seedlings.
Two weeks before transplanting, celery needs to be fed. For the first liquid top dressing, you can use the following mixtures per bucket of water:
- nitrogen, phosphorus fertilizers (30 g each) + potassium supplements (20 g);
- mullein (1 part) + water (10 parts) + double superphosphate(20 g);
- slurry (1 part) + water (3 parts) + potassium salt (20 g).
Fertilize a young vegetable carefully, make sure that the fertilizing does not fall on the leaves, in this case, immediately rinse the fertilizer with water.
For the seedlings to take root better, make a mumble of clay and cow dung and dip the roots of the vegetables in it. The best time for transfer - rainy, cloudy weather or late evening.
Growing celery requires careful selection of the location in the garden. This should be a very well-lit area.
The vegetable loves the earth loose, moist and fertile. You need to plant seedlings according to the 40 x 40 cm scheme. Celery loves space.
If the planting is done more closely, the plants will cast a shadow on the neighbor, which will adversely affect the growth of our pets.
Celery care
Never let the soil dry out, this vegetable requires good watering... The taste and aroma of the plant depend on regular drinking. Be sure to mulch the beds to retain moisture.
- Mulching. Covering the soil near plants with a variety of materials (you can cover the ground with a dark film, sprinkle with organic matter or compost). Mulch conserves moisture, strengthens the immune system and protects the health of vegetables.
Add some ash or compost to the bottom of each plant before replanting it into the plant hole. So you can do without the first feeding.
But celery is notable for its unhurried growth, so you still have to feed it. For feeding, use complex fertilizers with the addition of calcium nitrate.
Add them to your celery once a month. You can use the following mixtures, which must be added weekly:
- In the autumn. Manure (6 kg) + compost (2 kg) per m2
- In the spring. Urea (20 g) + superphosphate (40 g) + potassium chloride (15 g).
Attention! When growing celery, you cannot pick off young leaves of the plant, even if they look very appetizing. Remember - this vegetable gains its strength precisely due to the growth of leaves, so wait until it is fully ripe.
Celery loves water. It needs to be watered often (especially in late summer - early autumn). If the plant does not receive enough water, its growth will slow down, our harvest will be weak and frail.
But also do not allow waterlogging of the soil - this is also detrimental to him.
Care features
Different types of plants require individual approach in some cases. To learn how to grow celery to the maximum benefit for yourself, you need to get acquainted with its character.
Hilling. We need to huddle (roll the fine moist soil to the plant stem at the same time as loosening) when caring for leafy and petiolate species. The root does not need such an operation.
Whitening. Only stalked celery is bleached. This procedure must be carried out 14 days before harvest. We will press the stems of the plant tightly together and wrap them with paper. Then our stems will acquire a pure color, become very delicate in taste and completely get rid of bitterness.
Removal of lateral roots. This requires only root celery. Right in the ground, we will need to trim the side roots. For this sharp knife we will outline the ground around the main root. We will carry out this procedure twice during the growing period.
Growing celery, its diseases
In addition to diseases, full growing celery pests can also threaten: carrot flies, snails, slugs, which are also not averse to feasting on a fragrant plant.
Check plantings regularly and use preventive pest control measures:
- Pour chopped tomato tops (5 kg) with water (10 l). Boil the mixture for half an hour, after cooling, add soap (30 g) to the solution.
- Finely chop the potato tops, mix a kilogram of tops with water (10 l), infuse it for 4 hours, then add soap shavings (50 g).
- Take tobacco (200 g), chopped heads of garlic (200 g), and onion skins(150 g). Pour this mixture with water (10 l) and boil for 2 hours. After that, cool the mass and add more water to 10 liters and add soap (80 g) to the mixture.
When growing celery, such solutions are applied to plantings by spraying. It is best to carry out these procedures in a calm evening.
Harvesting
◊ Sheet. The leaves are cut neatly at the level of the head, while not touching the central bud. If you decide to cut the leaves in large quantities, additionally feed the vegetable with a mullein - the celery will grow fresh leaves within a month. In total, 3-4 massive leaf cuttings can be carried out per season.
◊ Petiole. The stems must be cut before they become fibrous. The best time to clean is early autumn... Gently cut the stems of the plant at the root and store them.
◊ Root. When harvesting, the lower roots are trimmed, leaving them 2-3 cm in length. It will not be difficult for us to determine the already ripe plants - the yellowed tips of the leaves will testify to the maturity of the root crop. There is no need to rush to dig out root celery. It accumulates all the most important nutrients in the fall, when it gets chilly at night. Try to completely remove the crop before the first frost.
Now you know how to properly grow celery - this amazing green crop. Also on the site you can read articles on how to successfully grow on your summer cottage no less wonderful green plants - and, if you want to plant something exotic, then pay attention to.
And finally, I suggest watching a video about some of the nuances in growing root celery.
See you soon, dear readers, and a rich harvest!
This vitamin greens have long been known and loved by gardeners for their excellent taste and medicinal properties... Growing celery and caring for it in the open field will not be difficult, even for beginners, if you follow the simple rules of agricultural technology. But in return, you can get tops, and roots, and even petioles! True, for this you have to plant celery of all three types.
General information about celery
Celery varieties are divided into three varieties - leaf, petiole and root. In the conditions of the middle lane, all species can be planted in seedlings, since this culture has a long growing season. In practice, only the last two are grown in this way, and the leaf is sown directly into the ground. in early spring or before winter.
Growing celery outdoors requires early soil preparation. Beds for all types are prepared in the fall:
- make phosphoric and;
- add well-rotted manure or compost;
- add ash or dolomite flour for acidic soil;
- dug with a pitchfork, removing the roots of weeds;
- form the beds.
For planting in the ground, choose open sunny places... The recommended doses are indicated on the packaging, organics plants need an average bucket per square meter, and the number dolomite flour can be calculated based on the level of soil acidity at the site. In a weakly acidic one, 350-450 g per square meter are added, for an acidic one you need twice as much. If the soil is alkaline, you can get by with the introduction of 100-150 g to saturate it with calcium and magnesium.
Growing celery and caring for it in the open field requires frequent watering and regular fertilizing with liquid - mullein or nettle infusion.
With a lack of water, the leaves and petioles will be rough and fibrous, and the root crop will not reach the desired size.
When to sow seeds
Petiole and root types of celery are sown for seedlings in February or March. Late-ripening varieties should be sown earlier. Before planting, it is advisable to keep the seeds in a pink solution of potassium permanganate, rinse and remove for 10-12 days on the lower shelf of the refrigerator, wrapped in wet cloth... Thus, celery seeds undergo stratification and germinate faster and more amicably in the future.
Timing of planting in the ground
When to plant celery in open ground - the weather will tell you. By the time the seedlings are planted, the soil should warm up to +8 degrees. In the middle lane, this usually occurs in mid-May. Seedlings by this time should have several strong leaves, a developed root system and be hardened. To do this, she is regularly taken out to the balcony or street during the day.
Features of agricultural technology
Celery is planted in the ground in rows. Optimal distance between them - at least 50-60 cm, and between plants - 25 cm.
Plants planted more densely will not receive nutrients and light. After planting, the seedlings are watered abundantly with water.
Further for good growth and the development of celery is regularly watered, weed and loosened.
Growing stalked celery in the open field has some peculiarities. Starting from the middle of the season, the bushes are slightly huddled, and at the end of summer, when the petioles have almost reached their presentation, they can be huddled harder and wrapped in light paper. 
These procedures are carried out in order to obtain bleached stems - they are softer and juicier than unbleached ones.
Growing root celery in the open field also has subtleties, without knowing which it is difficult to get an even and large root crop. Seedlings should be planted on the ridges without deepening. 
After the plant begins to form a root crop, it is necessary to regularly tear off the outer leaves, carefully trim the side roots and make sure that there are only a few thick lower roots in the ground. The soil is regularly shoveled and loosened from the roots. Otherwise, there is a great risk of getting a root brush instead of a rounded root crop. A few well-developed young leaves and the lowest roots are sufficient for normal growth of root celery.
When removing excess leaves and roots from root celery, one must not forget about regular feeding. organic fertilizers... Then the plant will form a large root crop.
When the celery is harvested
Harvesting of leaf celery begins as soon as the first greens grow. Per summer period it is cut off several times. After cutting, the plant is watered and fed.
Cleaning of petiole and root species carried out selectively, as individual bushes mature. It must be completed before the onset of autumn frosts, that is, until mid-October.
Root celery growing video
A personal plot is needed not so much to generate income as to obtain the most useful and fresh harvest, therefore, planning spring planting, remember that in nature there is petiole celery. Growing and caring for it is not a big deal. You can also grow leafy celery. These two types will help diversify the menu and enrich the diet with vitamins.
Garden bed preparation
First, you need to decide on a place for planting celery. It should be well lit, but slight shading is allowed. Prolonged heat and constant drying out of the soil is difficult for the plant.
The soil should be loose, fertilized, if it is clay, then rotted sawdust or compost is added. Like many other crops, celery prefers neutral acidity. It is advisable to prepare a site for planting a plant in the fall, adding 5 kg of humus to each m2.
Celery grows well after pumpkin, zucchini, watermelon, cabbage, tomatoes. In areas where carrots, parsley, parsnips or other umbrella plants were planted in the previous year, it is better not to plant it. Otherwise, the spread of diseases, poor harvest is possible.
Variety selection
Effective cultivation of stalked celery from seeds is impossible without choosing a variety and purchasing seed. Popular are early varieties Gold and Malachite. Many people like the long, thick petioles of late grade Tango prized for its pleasant smell and long shelf life. There are also varieties of Pascal, Triumph, Golden Pen and others. Each of them is characterized by its own ripening period, stem size, resistance to high and low temperatures. The taste and aroma of the petioles may vary slightly.
There are much more varieties of leaf celery. They differ in the length of the growing season, leaf shape, aroma intensity, and drought resistance. Of the most known varieties you can select Samurai, Gentle, Sail, Kartuli, Vigor.
When buying seed, pay attention to the expiration dates on the packaging. Small celery seeds can be stored for a maximum of 2 years. The longer they lie, the more they lose germination.
How to grow seedlings
Cultivated celery (odorous) is a herbaceous biennial plant. All species and varieties easily tolerate frost -6 ° C, they can winter under the snow. The seeds are very small, germinate for a long time, therefore, the seedlings are first grown, and then the plant is transplanted to a permanent place in the garden or greenhouse.
Sowing begins at the end of February or in the first days of March. You should pay attention to the recommendations for the cultivation of this or that variety, since leaf celery usually emerges faster than petiole. Only the timing is different, but otherwise the cultivation of seedlings is similar.
- Celery seeds are soaked for 2-3 days in a lukewarm clean water, it is convenient to use a tissue or paper napkin for this.
- In a tray 7 cm deep, soil is poured for growing seedlings, loosened, leveled and watered from a watering can or spray bottle so that the top layer is well moistened.
- The seeds are slightly dried so that they do not stick to the hands, and they are evenly scattered over the ground.
- Can be sprinkled on top thin layer soil or cover with plastic wrap. This is to prevent moisture from evaporating.
- Seeds will germinate in 2, maximum 3 weeks at + 20 ° C.
- When 2 permanent leaves appear, the seedlings are dived or thinned out. The distance between the bushes should be 5-6 cm.
By counting 70 days from the day of planting, you will get the approximate time for planting celery in an open-air garden or greenhouse. To increase seed germination, seeds can be stratified. Stratification is performed in the following way:
- The seeds are wrapped in a damp cloth and kept so for 5 days at room (+22 ° C) temperature, wetting from time to time.
- For 10 days, a cloth with inoculum is placed in the refrigerator.
After cold treatment, growing of seedlings is faster and better. If you purchased seeds that are granulated or inlaid (covered with a special shell), then you do not need to soak them, otherwise the agricultural technology is the same as for ordinary seeds.
Transplanting and caring for stalked celery
Planting begins in May, when the soil warms up enough. Rows are dug every 40 cm, and the bushes are planted at a distance of 20-25 cm from each other. You can select a separate area or plant celery between the ridges of other vegetable crops (tomato, onion, cabbage, etc.).
For planting, furrows or separate holes are made about 10 cm deep. It is important not to cover the place where the stem begins to branch with earth, so that the petiole can develop quickly.
Top dressing is started only after the celery has taken root. It is preferable for feeding a liquid infusion of cow manure or chicken manure. If there is no manure, then it is replaced nitrogen fertilizers. Petiolate celery improves growth with the addition of potassium salt.
To retain moisture, the soil around the rooted plants is mulched. In this case, it is impossible to fill up the place in which the root passes into the stem.
When the thickening of the stem is noticeable, hilling is carried out. Diligent loosening of the soil, pulling out weeds, discourages slugs from the stalks and contributes to the formation of a juicy petiole. When hilling, try not to fill up the root collar.
Petiole whitening
Celery, which is 25-30 cm long, has thick green stems with a specific bitter taste. There are several ways to whiten them and take away the bitterness.
- About a month before harvest, carry out a high hilling. The earth will not allow sunlight to penetrate to the petioles, and they will gradually turn light green, almost white.
- The leaves are loosely tied with a soft twine, and the stem is covered with cardboard to the ground.
- Instead of cardboard, you can use newspaper, pipe cuttings, dark plastic bottles, straw.
When the access of light to the petioles is limited, they lose excess essential oils, the vegetable will acquire a more delicate pleasant taste and become white.
When using packaging material, it should be remembered that it should not smell like anything, because celery strongly absorbs surrounding odors.
If there is no desire to engage in hilling, tying and fencing, then they buy self-bleaching varieties. But some of them do not tolerate cold and do not store for long.
How to Get Large Yields of Leafy Celery
Leaf celery is popular in salads and seasonings; productive cultivation from the seeds of this species has some peculiarities.
In leaf celery, seeds germinate a little faster than in petiole, leaves develop more intensively. This allows the plant to be cultivated in the northern regions. Sowing of seeds begins in the first half of March. And at the end of the first summer month, you can already cut off the greens, adding them to salads, soups, sauces.
A newcomer from the Mediterranean, odorous celery, today has firmly established itself in our beds, having won a place for itself thanks to its specific pleasant aroma, as well as its excellent taste and medicinal qualities.
Sowing celery in the ground should be done as early as possible, but not earlier than April 20. Previously, the seeds must be soaked for a day in water at room temperature, this will significantly accelerate their germination, then sow to a depth of about 0.5-1 cm in prepared holes (grooves).
Growing celery seedlings
Root celery is sown for seedlings in early March, shoots appear about a month later. Sowing celery is best in, filled with a light soil mixture, consisting of 3 parts, 1 part each, turf and. For every 10 kg of such a mixture, you need to add 20 grams and a glass of wood.To get more friendly and strong shoots, celery seeds are necessary: we place them in wet gauze, keep them at room temperature for about 6-7 days, and put them in the refrigerator for 12-14 days (on the lowest shelf). Only after carrying out all the above procedures, we sow the seeds.
Immediately before sowing, the soil should be well watered. When the moisture is absorbed, sprinkle the celery seeds (we put the stratified seeds to a depth of 0.5 cm, leave the seeds without pre-sowing treatment on the surface, without covering them with earth) and, covering the container on top with a film, leave it at room temperature. Before the emergence of shoots, as the soil dries up, it must be moistened from the sprayer with warm, previously settled water. Approximately two weeks after sowing the seeds, the soil should be sprayed with trichodermine (10 mg / m2).
Immediately after the emergence of celery shoots, it is necessary to reduce the temperature in the room with seedling containers to a level of +13 ° С ... + 16 ° С. With the appearance of the first true leaf, seedlings of root celery, and 14 days before planting in the ground. You need to dive the seedlings carefully so as not to damage the taproot of the plant, otherwise the root crop will grow ugly and small. Root celery seedlings are planted in a permanent place by the end of May.
It is possible to grow celery seedlings without picking, but in this case it will grow weaker and take root worse during transplantation.
If you do not have the opportunity to grow celery seedlings, you can purchase one, but remember: good planting material- these are plants, the height of which reaches 13-15 cm, with a strong root system and four to five leaves.
Planting celery
Celery prefers a light sandy loam rich in humus, neutral and open sunny places, and it can be any vegetable crops... Even in the fall, humus must be added to the site intended for planting celery. Celery is planted in open ground from the second decade of May, planting according to the scheme 20 × 20 cm in rows or between beds, and so on. Vegetables will only benefit from such a neighborhood, since the strong smell of celery frightens off many.
During planting, handfuls of humus and ash must be poured into each hole, and the celery seedlings themselves must be buried to the cotyledonous knee. Immediately after transplanting, the celery seedlings are thoroughly watered, the soil is processed again using trichodermin (10 mg / m2), and shaded with damp paper for a day.
Celery care
Caring for celery consists in timely watering, loosening and feeding. So, in order to prevent moisture evaporation and provide more oxygen to the roots of the plant, immediately after planting celery, the soil around it is necessary with peat, or simply mown grass.
Approximately one and a half weeks after planting, celery is fed with complex fertilizer, for which 2 g is diluted in 1 liter of water. Repeat this feeding again - two weeks later. If the celery leaves become pale, then the plant must be fed with urea, diluting 0.5 g of powder in 1 liter of water.
When growing celery different varieties plant care should also be different. In addition to a number of the above-mentioned agrotechnical measures, three weeks before harvesting, stalked celery plants need to be high. This will help whiten the petioles, reduce the number of sharp-smelling essential oils as well as the disappearance of bitterness.
Caring for root celery should also include several specific techniques. So, in order to get the highest quality root crop, in the middle of summer you need to free it from the ground upper part by cutting off the side roots. Thanks to this simple agronomic technique, in the fall, the plant will form the largest root crop possible. To enhance the growth of root celery, it is necessary to press its leaves to the ground, the petioles crack during this procedure, which is only beneficial to the plant, and does not in the least harm the growth of the root crop.
All types of celery must be harvested in October. The petiole and root are removed completely, and the leaf can be used on greens in winter period time, for which the plants need to be dug up with a small clod of earth even before the onset of the first frost and planted in small pots.
Types and varieties of celery
There are three types of celery: root, leaf and petiole: all of them were obtained as a result of selection from a wild-growing form, which was distinguished by a hard, thin, unsuitable root.Root celery
The main reason for cultivating root celery is a root vegetable that reaches a weight of 500-900 grams. There are many varieties of root celery, but only a few of them are cultivated by gardeners:- ‘Root Gribovsky’;
- 'Snowball';
- 'Apple'.
All varieties of celery root, in comparison with leaf and petiole, differ in later ripening periods - 140-190 days, and should be grown only through seedlings.
Leafy celery
Leaf celery is cultivated to obtain fortified, fragrant leaves throughout the summer-autumn period, but it does not have a developed root crop.
One of the most popular varieties is the 'Samurai' with its attractive curly leaf shape with jagged edges. The ‘Samurai’ variety is characterized by high taste, has increased resistance to low temperatures and drought.
Petiolate celery
Petiole celery is grown to obtain fleshy petioles, the thickness of which reaches 4-5 cm. Petiole celery, like leaf celery, does not form root crops; only its leaves and petioles are eaten.
Perhaps the most popular variety (high-yielding mid-season) of petioled celery - 'Tango' - is distinguished by excellent taste and long time preserving presentation.
What kind of celery do you grow?