His Majesty Celery: Planting and Caring for a Priceless Plant. Leaf celery

First you need to decide what type of celery you want to grow on your site. On this moment there are three of them:

• Leafy - grown for greens rich in vitamins;
• Petiolate - to obtain juicy petioles:
• Root - for getting root crops.

When deciding how to plant celery, you need to know that, of course, not so much actually depends on the species, but there are still certain nuances.

After having decided on the type, it is necessary to pay due attention to the choice of seeds, of which there are a great many on the market today. It would seem that the whole difference lies only in appearance and in some agricultural technology. In fact, celery different varieties is different taste, application, properties. Therefore, everything here is individual and, probably, you will have to try several options in order to choose the most suitable variety for yourself.

The varieties that have received the greatest demand and popularity:

• Root: Diamond, Maxim, Apple.
• Leafy: Cheerfulness, Spartan, Kartuli.
• Pereshkovy: Atlant, Malachite, Jung.

Growing leafy celery

Before asking the question of how to plant leaf celery, it must be said that the seeds of this plant germinate rather slowly, and even in the initial period it itself does not show activity in development. Therefore, seedlings in this case are the best way out. However, not wanting to engage pre-germination seeds, you can sow them directly into the garden, but you need to do this in early spring... It is also worth saying that this culture is quite cold-resistant: both seedlings and seeds can withstand slight frosts.

Before sowing seeds, they must be pre-treated. Here, each gardener has his own method, but the most popular is soaking them in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, literally for several hours. After that, the seeds are germinated on wet tissue, and only then are they sown for growing seedlings in boxes with pre-prepared soil. For the soil, a mixture is prepared, consisting of humus, sand, peat and leafy earth. They try to take in the same parts, but it's okay if some component turns out to be slightly larger. All actions take place around the beginning of March.

After the first shoots have appeared, the seedlings, so that they do not stretch out, need to create appropriate conditions - to ensure the ambient temperature of 14-15 degrees Celsius and observe the light regime.

As soon as the plant has two true leaves, a pick is made - pinching the main root, which has a positive effect on the formation of the root system. Planting ready-made seedlings or sowing seeds in the ground is carried out in mid-April - early May, using the 25x25 scheme.

Growing celery

Cultivation of petiolate celery seedlings is similar to growing leaf seedlings. There is a slight difference only when planting seedlings in open ground. The prepared material is planted in grooves, the depth of which is approximately 10 centimeters. This method has a beneficial effect on the formation of the petiole.

Root celery only needs to be grown seedling method, since sowing seeds in open ground will not give the expected results - the root simply will not have time to grow. Landing root celery for seedlings should occur in early to mid-February, since the growing season for this culture is from 150 to 200 days.

Before sowing seeds, they must be pre-treated. This can be done with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Or take the seeds and put them in cheesecloth, rinse under a stream hot water and then soak in water at room temperature for 3 days. After soaking, the seeds must be dried a little. And only after that you can start planting them.

The soil for growing seedlings can be prepared in the above way, or you can simply take the prepared land from the garden in the fall, adding sand and humus to it.

Before the first shoots appear, the box with the sown seeds should be in a room with a temperature of 20 to 25 degrees Celsius. When the first shoots appear, it is necessary to place the seedlings in a cooler place where the air temperature was approximately 16 degrees. Also, so that the seedlings do not stretch too much and do not start to fall to one side, it should be provided with additional highlighting.

An important point in this case is a pick. Moreover, the procedure must be carried out twice before planting seedlings in open ground, and each time main root shortened by about a third. During the second pick, it is better to immediately transplant the plant into a separate, sufficiently spacious container, which will allow the root crops to develop correctly, which means the root will be even and smooth.

It is better to transplant celery outdoors in good warm weather. Moreover, it would be better to know that such grace will last about another week. Disembarkation takes place at a distance of at least 30cm. apart.

How to care for celery

All questions have already been resolved: when to sow celery, how to properly process the seeds, and you have already planted the plant itself on the garden bed. Now you need to decide how to properly care for the crop so that it pleases with a good harvest. In general, the care is about the same for all three types of celery. But let's dwell on this issue in more detail.

So, common to all three types is that celery does not like it when even a light crust forms on the surface of the earth, therefore, loosening the soil when growing a plant plays a significant role. In addition, the culture does not like thickening, so experienced gardeners it is advised not only to plant seedlings at a sufficient distance from each other, but also to regularly weed the garden from growing weeds. Do not forget about watering - the soil where celery grows should be moderately moist, therefore watering the beds with the planted culture should be carried out as the soil dries up.

In addition, it is necessary to regularly feed the plants, applying appropriate fertilizers approximately 2 times a month.

When growing celery, due consideration should be given to mulching the soil. This will prevent the soil from drying out too quickly, and the mulch will also prevent crusting on the ground.

Concerning individual characteristics, then here it is worth considering the following:

• Leafy celery does not like deep planting, preferring to grow on the surface
• Petiole celery is planted in grooves up to 10 cm deep.In addition, this type requires more frequent hilling, which helps the petiole to form
• The root does not need hilling at all. They even rake the earth from the top of the plant so that lateral roots do not appear.

In general, if you make a little effort and take proper care of the plant during the summer, the result will exceed all expectations and you will get good harvest.

Growing celery is not such a difficult task, but there are some nuances you need to know. Considering that this plant has several species, I will tell you about the peculiarities of growing each of them.

Despite the fact that celery was known as far back as Ancient Greece, it began to be widely cultivated relatively recently. It gained particular popularity due to its properties, which I will talk about a little today. I will definitely tell you about why celery is useful for the garden and how it is used. Well, most of all I will pay attention to growing celery and caring for it. You will also see a useful video about growing root celery with minimal cost time.

What kind of "fruit" is this and what is it like?

You've probably seen celery root. At least, the root of celery root has certainly been met in the market or in the supermarket. But still, I will dwell a little on how celery looks like.

Celery (lat. Apium) is a plant of the Umbrella or Celery family. In nature, there are about 20 species of wild celery. Among them, the most famous is aromatic celery, which is a vegetable crop.

This plant is biennial. It is grown for one year to obtain greenery and roots. In the second year, the plant blooms, forming a fruit with seeds.

In fact, it is a herb with simple, pinnately dissected leaves. The flowers of the plant are small, collected in inflorescences (simple or complex umbrellas).
The fruit is achene.
Celery root - pivotal. And yes, root celery has a core one too. If you pull the whole plant out of the ground in your country house, you will see it. It's just that its feature is this - to form a thickened part of the root - a root crop.

This plant reproduces by seeds, but since they germinate for a long time, you need to grow seedlings. This will help you get a good harvest. Please note that seed germination improves over the years. So seeds that have lain for 3-4 years will sprout better than those harvested last year. This applies to seeds collected by you or someone you know, as you cannot know exactly when you collected seeds sold in stores.

Types of celery

There are three types of celery: leaf celery, stalked and root celery.
Leaf celery is grown primarily for its vitamin-rich leaves. Celery leaves are cut throughout the growing season, from spring to late autumn.

Petiolate celery is grown for the sake of obtaining juicy stalks. They begin to be removed at the end of summer. Well, root celery is famous for its root crops, which reach 400-800g by autumn. You can also collect leaves from root celery, but there are some peculiarities here, which I will talk about later.

Celery varieties

Celery varieties differ not only appearance, but also taste, properties and application. The choice of a variety is a strictly individual matter.
Modern domestic and foreign selection offers huge selection varieties of this vegetable crops... The following varieties are widely known among gardeners:

• leaf celery - "Vigor", "Zakhar", "Kartuli", "Tender";
• stalked celery - "Golden", "Malachite", "White feather", "Junga";
• root celery - "Gribovsky", "Root mushroom", "Diamant", "Esaul", "Maxim".

There is early varieties, as well as varieties of medium ripeness and late, therefore, when choosing them, pay attention to the ripening time.

How to grow celery?

The cultivation of different types of celery is about the same, but with some peculiarities. The common thing is that the plant prefers areas with a sufficient amount of light and fertile, loose soils with a neutral or slightly acidic environment. But it can grow in a light shade. In this case, its leaves become more fragrant.

Well, now in more detail about the cultivation of different types of celery.

Growing leaf celery

Leaf celery is a relatively cold-resistant plant. Its seedlings tolerate slight frosts, and adult plants overwinter easily.

The plant grows slowly in the initial period of development, and very small seeds germinate for a long time. That is why this culture is best grown by seedlings. But you can also plant seeds in early spring directly into the ground.

First, the seeds are treated with special solutions: a weak solution of potassium permanganate or other organic solutions. Then they are germinated on a damp cloth and sown in specially prepared boxes. For the soil mixture, peat, humus, leafy soil and sand are taken in equal amounts.

Sowing is done in early March. The seeds are sown, sprinkled with peat on top and kept at a constant temperature (18-20 ° C). Pour gently through a fine sieve. If all pre-sowing measures are observed and fresh seeds are used, the first shoots appear on the 5-6th day, after which the temperature is lowered to 14-15 ° C. To obtain strong seedlings, it is important to create the necessary temperature and light conditions, otherwise the seedlings will stretch out.

The next step in growing leaf celery is picking. It is carried out when the first two true leaves appear on the plants. This technique promotes the formation of the plant's root system by pinching the main root.

Then the seedlings are hardened and planted in the ground in April - May according to the 25 × 25 cm scheme.

Celery care

It is important to know that this plant does not like deep planting, so the growing point must be located above the ground. Celery care is simple. It consists in loosening row spacings, weeding out weeds and regular watering. Also, be careful not to crust the soil, as celery doesn't like this. By the way, very good helper in growing and caring for celery, there will be, which will cut your work by at least half. Mulching will help to get rid of tedious weeding and loosening of row spacings, and will also prevent a crust from forming on the soil.

You can start harvesting leaf celery in July - August.

How to Grow Root Celery?

Cultivation of root celery should be done exclusively by seedling method, since it has the longest growing season (150-190 days). Because of this, seeds are sown even earlier than those of its leafy relative, namely in the 1st - 2nd decades of February. When growing seedlings, remember to double dive. In this case, each time it is necessary to shorten the main root by a third.

Remember, talking about the types of celery, I said that when collecting its leaves, you need to take into account some peculiarities? So, by mid-August, organic substances that are synthesized in the process of photosynthesis leave the leaves and accumulate in roots. Therefore, to obtain large roots of celery (more precisely, root crops), DO NOT cut the leaves during the summer.

A few weeks before harvesting celery, you need to cut off the lower side leaves and shoots, and also partially shake off the ground.

Caring for root celery is the same as for leaf celery. But there are also peculiarities. So, for example, celery root does not need hilling. On the contrary, it is contraindicated, otherwise many lateral roots will form, root crops will grow ugly and with a poor presentation. To avoid this, you should even rake the soil off the top of the root celery. Also, during the growth of the root crop - from June to October - monitor the condition of the soil. It must be moist, but not wet.

Harvesting begins around October.

And here is the promised video on growing root celery:

Features of growing stalked celery

The agrotechnology of growing petiole celery is similar to that of leaf celery. The only difference is that it needs more intensive hilling, so the seedlings are planted in grooves 10 cm deep. At the same time, the apical bud is not covered with soil. After the beginning of intensive growth and thickening of the petioles, the plants must be earthed. If necessary, hilling is repeated.

This cultivation feature allows you to get the so-called bleached petioles. They are more tender and have no bitterness.

To obtain bleached petioles, such a technique is also used. 2 weeks before the start of harvesting, the petioles are tied at the top and wrapped in paper. Before freezing, the petioles are removed.

If you prefer stalked celery, pay attention to the varieties of foreign selection. She offers self-bleaching varieties (Selebrity, American Green). Such varieties do not need to be hilled, but they are poorly resistant to cold.

Celery diseases and pests

The plant is most often affected by such diseases:

• bacterial leaf spot;
• heart rot;
• rot at the base of the stem;
• "Black leg";
• viral mosaic of leaves;
• white rot of the stems.

The main method of combating diseases in the cultivation of celery is strict adherence to agricultural practices. The most important of these is pest control - the main vectors of diseases. The main pests of celery are slugs, snails, carrot fly larvae, and scoops. Pest control measures consist in the observance of the following agrotechnical methods: crop rotation, weeding, watering, thinning of crops. Well, also good method- this is mixed landings with other vegetables and herbs.

Most probable cause rot infestation is stagnation of water and, as a result, waterlogging of the soil.

How celery is used

Celery has a bittersweet taste and exquisite aroma. In this vegetable crop, depending on the type, all parts are used: leaves, stems, roots, seeds. Root crops and seeds can be used both fresh and dried. Celery leaves can be frozen.

Greens - leaves and petioles, as well as celery root are used in cooking and home canning. They are added to salads, vinaigrettes, drinks, sauces, soups, main courses, boiled for making side dishes and pates.

The seeds are used to flavor table salt and produce the so-called celery salt.

The dried and milled pieces of celery are used as component part a variety of spicy mixtures.

Why is celery useful and what are its contraindications?

By the way, do you know how celery is useful for the garden? Yes, yes, it is very useful. Firstly, earthworms like to be in the roots of celery. And you probably know what exactly they create the most fertile part of the soil, that is, humus. Take care of them and plant or sow celery in a circle, at least in one place. It will be a kind of house for earthworms. So, as you can see, growing celery will benefit your garden.

It was also noted that if you plant celery next to cabbage, then it will be protected from cabbage whites and earthen fleas. It also grows well next to tomatoes, bush beans and, oddly enough, leeks.

How is celery good for humans?
Celery has many health benefits. It contains vitamins such as vitamins of group B1, B2, B6, C, E, K, PP, as well as provitamin A. Celery is rich in micro- and macroelements, including calcium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, sodium, zinc, magnesium , manganese. There are other useful substances, incl. insoluble fiber, essential amino acids (lysine, arginine and histidine), essential oils... Even the substance coumarin has been found, which helps prevent cancer.

Celery is a powerful aphrodisiac, so it is good for men as well.

Contraindications to use and use
Celery is contraindicated in pregnant and breastfeeding women as it can make the belly swell up and reduce milk levels. Also, be careful with celery if you have varicose veins, stomach ulcers and urolithiasis.

Yes, celery is a very healthy vegetable. It doesn't matter if you grow stalked, root or leaf celery. The main thing is that the plants collected from their site will bring you double benefits. After all, they are grown with care and love!

Growing celery on your site is quite a feasible task, because it is quite unpretentious. In addition, now you know about the peculiarities of growing different types of celery.

I advise, dear readers, not to miss the publication of new materials on this blog.

The popularity of celery in Russia has grown significantly over the past 7-12 years. People have recognized in this plant a storehouse of beneficial vitamins and minerals. In addition, celery is an excellent supplier of fiber ( dietary fiber). The inclusion of celery in the diet improves metabolism, blood, gastrointestinal tract and thyroid function.

Surely you already know that celery can be:

• root (tubers are used for food);
• cuttings (cuttings are used for food - the ground part, the trunk between the root and foliage);
• leafy (leaves are used for food - they go to salads, soups, dried for the winter as a seasoning for hot dishes).

The most popular varieties in Russia:

• "Cheerfulness";
• "Gentle";
• "Athena";

• "Kartuli";
• "Zakhar" and others.

They feel good in the Russian climatic conditions.

IMPORTANT. Also, don't ignore any new items that appear in specialty stores. The selection is carried out continuously, since the demand for celery is very high.

Benefits of leaf celery

Professional agronomists and amateur gardeners unanimously agree:

• leaf celery is the most unpretentious in comparison with tuberous and petiolate varieties;
• the plant tolerates frost relatively easily;
• it has a high germination rate when sown directly into the ground (material losses are minimal);
• if the landing is done correctly, then further care does not cause much trouble;
• in the soil of average fertility, the yield is quite high (it is rare when cuttings grow frail - they are almost always juicy and benign, suitable for human consumption).

Weak spots

Unfortunately, growing directly from seed (directly into the ground) requires agronomic experience. That's why:

• beginners are encouraged to learn how to prepare seedlings;
• this path will help to avoid weak growth and development;
• will give you the opportunity to get to know the plant well - its requirements, reactions to light, humidity and temperature.

How to grow leafy celery seedlings

In order for the seedlings to be strong and hardy, the seeds must be prepared, and then meticulously buried in the ground and looked after. Strong seedlings are a guarantee that in open ground the plant will delight the gardener with excellent characteristics.

Seed preparation

What to do with the seeds:

• collect pure snow and make from it melt water;

• bring to room temperature;
• soak the seeds in this water;

IMPORTANT. Alternate pure melt water with a weak solution of potassium permanganate - in this way you will get rid of inhibitors that prevent seed germination.

• renew the water every hour;
• soak for 10-12 hours, maximum 1 day;
• transfer the soaked seeds to a dense gauze substrate, having previously moistened it with water;
• withstand another 1 day, so that the seeds finally "wake up".

Video - Sowing celery seedlings

Special soil

You need to place the seeds in the soil specially prepared in advance:

• the ideal composition is a mixture of sand, humus, garden soil and peat;
• take all ingredients in equal parts;
• mix thoroughly until smooth.

IMPORTANT. If you do not have a desire to understand the intricacies, land is sold in specialized stores that will fit ready-made (consult with the seller).

Planting seedlings

The optimal time for sowing seeds for seedlings is early or mid-March. At a later date, there is a risk that the seedlings will not gain sufficient strength before transplanting into open ground.

How to proceed:

• in no case should the seeds be placed deep - it is enough to lightly press them to the soil (because they germinate only in the light);
• seeds placed and lightly sprinkled with earth need a greenhouse effect;
• cover the container with a piece of glass or polyethylene film;

• inside the "greenhouse" there should be a temperature of plus 19-24 degrees;

IMPORTANT. If done correctly, seedlings will begin to appear in 12-15 days.

• when seedlings appear, the growth temperature should be lowered to plus 15-16 degrees;
• keep the greenhouse effect for a couple of weeks;
• during this time, 2-3 leaves should appear;

• glass or polyethylene can now be removed;
• at this stage, each plant should be dived;
• then - thin out and plant more freely (so that there is a distance of 5 cm between the plants);

• the seedlings in separate containers receive an additional margin of safety. In the future, they will grow powerful plants with dense juicy leaves;

• water sparingly, without overfilling the soil.

Video - Diving celery seedlings

Transfer to the ground

Before transplanting into the ground, the gardener will see which plants have grown stronger - only with them and continue to work further. Frail bushes will not be able to make up for lost time, unless you give them increased attention.

Timing and temperature

• transplanting time to open ground - mid-May;
• in a cold year, the period is postponed a little later (catch the moment when the frost has passed, the temperature should not fall below 9-10 degrees above zero);

IMPORTANT. The ideal temperature outside is from +18 to +21 degrees. If it's cold outside, then the plant will go not to fluffy greens, but to an abundance of peduncles.

• before planting in the ground, take the seedlings out into the open air so that they adapt to natural conditions(adaptation period is approximately 3-4 days).

Ground requirements

The plantation must be "fresh" (it must be renewed with healthy, fertile soil):

• do not plant seedlings in soil where dill, parsley, carrots or parsnips were previously grown;
• it is advisable to prepare the soil in advance (even the previous fall) - to dig up from the site, supplement with humus and compost, fertilize with superphosphate at the rate of 25 g per 1 sq. m).

IMPORTANT. Place a little clay and a mullein at the bottom of each hole - this will protect the rapid departure of irrigation moisture and at the same time give a good nutritional impulse.

Placing celery in the ground

IMPORTANT. The ideal time to plant is in the morning, on a cloudy day. This will help the plant avoid stress.

Distance matters:

• there is also a theory that optimal scheme planting 20x20 cm - experiment;

• the depth of each hole is such that the root system fits completely and there is still a margin of about 3 cm;
• lower the seedling root or seedling along with a peat pot to the bottom of the hole (if you used this container at the stage of growing seedlings);
• cover the hole with earth on top, tamp;
• A good plant protection product is to surround it with vertical paper or foil wrapping. Especially if the foliage grows lush and dense.

IMPORTANT. With the help of the wrapping, you will help the plant gain strength to grow vertically so that the bushes do not disintegrate along the ground. Subsequently, shortly before cutting the foliage, the winding can be removed.

Growing care

Care should be understood as measures aimed at improving growth and protecting plants from damaging factors - bad weather and pests. What actions need to be taken:

• weed regularly;

• water carefully. Do not allow drying to a crust at the top of the soil;

IMPORTANT. It is better to water a little every day than occasionally in large portions.

• the frequency of feeding depends on local conditions, depending on the fertility of the land. On average, two times are enough (the first time after 2 weeks from planting in the ground, the second time after another 1 month);
• prepare a fertilizer mixture from 15 g of ammonium nitrate, 45 g of superphosphate and 20 g of potassium salt (all ingredients are given for 10 liters of water);
• for the entire growing period, you can also fertilize the soil once with chicken or pigeon droppings (note that pure droppings must be diluted in a ratio of at least 1 part to 50 parts of water, otherwise the plant will “burn out);

• be sure to protect the plants from slugs. For this, special substances are sold in gardening shops;

IMPORTANT. After any fertilization, spray the plants with water from a watering can or a hose with a splitter so that nothing remains on the foliage.

• when growing without "wrapping", systematically remove excess greens (cut with a clean sharp knife);
• unlike root varieties, leafy ones do not need to be loosened too often (inside it is installed optimal ratio density and moisture content of the earth);
• harvest time - late summer (determined visually, when the foliage has not begun to coarse).

With patience, even a beginner can grow a rich harvest of leafy celery. it unique plant protects against atherosclerosis, diabetes, nervous disorders, rheumatism. Strengthens the immune system, normalizes blood pressure and metabolic processes in the body. Agricultural technology has difficulties, but they are easy to overcome with experience after 1-2 years. self-cultivation this culture.

When you want to make a delicious and healthy salad, many use twigs celery. It is not necessary to buy this product every time, because it can be grown on personal plot... Therefore, today we will talk about how to grow leafy celery in the garden.

Features of leaf celery

You may already know that in addition to leaf celery, there are also petiole and root celery. Therefore, it is worth distinguishing between very similar plants. Let's talk about the features of leaf celery. The leaves of this plant are used as decoration for salads. Juicy and aromatic twigs not only complement the dish, but also benefit. In addition to salads, celery is added to soups, broths and pickles. It is a versatile condiment that is suitable for both roasting and baking. Often celery leaves are added to various marinades, and in complex seasonings you can always find its dry crushed leaves.

Important! Leafy celery is also called chive celery. Therefore, when buying seeds, you should not be afraid of an alternative name.

Best Places to Plant Leafy Celery

You need to start growing a plant by choosing a place for planting. Not only the usefulness of the finished product depends on this, but also its quantity.

Air humidity, lighting and temperature for celery

When planting celery, you need to take into account some factors that directly affect the growth rate and taste of the leaves.... Let's start with the temperature. For rapid growth, celery needs warm weather (within 18-20 ° C). At a lower temperature, growth is inhibited, and the plant does not have time to build up the amount of green mass.

Important! Leafy celery is frost-resistant.

The leaves of the plant are used for food, which means that the quality of products directly depends on the amount of sunlight and heat. Therefore, you cannot plant celery in the shade or partial shade. Also the plant loves high humidity air. Therefore, if in the spring or summer time the air is very dry, you need to additionally irrigate the planting from a spray bottle. Do not forget that windy places are not suitable for planting celery. Besides the fact that the wind blows moisture from the soil and cools the roots, it can break a fragile plant, after which the celery will dry out.

Did you know? On the basis of celery, in ancient Greece, a drink of love was prepared for men and women (it used plant juice). Then celery was called the "moon plant".

What kind of soil does leafy celery like?

Now let's talk about the kind of soil that leafy celery loves. Many gardeners know that the yield of products can directly depend on predecessors. In the case of celery, any vegetable crops can be the predecessors. At the same time, the plant loves loose soil rich in humus. The soil should be sandy loam with a neutral reaction and the presence of peat. To achieve the desired soil fertility, humus should be embedded in the soil in the fall, which will help the plant accumulate green mass.

Features of planting leaf celery

Celery can be grown both from seed for seedlings and purchased young plants. If you could find planting material only in the form of seeds, then you should not despair, since we will consider two types of planting: seeds and seedlings.

Important! In order for the plant to have frost resistance, it is necessary to stratify the celery seeds (placed in the refrigerator).

How to choose and prepare planting material

Let's start by choosing seeds for planting in the country. There are many varieties of leaf celery, but the most popular are the following: "Kartuli", "Vigor", "Tender" and "Zakhar". After you have purchased the seeds, you need to prepare them. To begin with, treat the seed with potassium permanganate and put in a damp gauze for several days. Seeds ready for planting should germinate. Landing must not be made until this point.

Preparing the soil for planting

Site preparation for planting celery begins with autumn digging. This is done in order to destroy weeds and pests hibernating in the ground.

Important! If loamy heavy soils prevail on your site, then instead of digging in autumn, spring loosening is carried out.

In spring, on light soils, loosening of the soil is carried out manually or with the help of technology. except preprocessing soil, it is important to saturate the soil nutrients... For this, in the fall, phosphorus-potassium and nitrogen fertilizers... However, it is worth remembering that if the site is heated in the spring, then fertilization in the fall will be reduced to nothing. In addition to the autumn feeding, fertilizers are also embedded in the soil in the spring. For every square meter make up to 5 kg of humus or compost. If since the fall have been introduced mineral fertilizers, then in the spring their amount decreases to 10-15 g of phosphorus and 5-10 g of nitrogen and potassium (in the fall, twice as much is introduced than in the spring). When using complex mineral fertilizers, their dosage is 40 g per 1 sq. m.

When and how to plant leafy celery

If you are determined to plant leaf celery in your garden, but do not know how and how to plant the plant (by seeds for seedlings or buy ready-made seedlings), then pay attention to the pros and cons of each method. When planting celery seeds for seedlings, you save money, since the finished seedlings are more expensive. At the same time, you will definitely be sure of the quality of young plants. However, sowing and caring for seeds takes a lot of time, and there is always a chance that the seeds will not sprout and time will be wasted.

Did you know? In ancient Greece, the plant was used to decorate tombs and make wreaths from it for the winners of the Isthmian and Nemean Games.

If you decide to plant a leafy celery from seeds, then after preliminary preparation you need to mix the planting material with sand (this is easier to navigate when sowing, since the seeds themselves are very small and merge with the color of the soil). The seeds are sown in a special mixture that includes sheet soil, sand, peat and humus in equal proportions. This mix needs to be laid in the boxes in which celery will be grown for the first time.

Sowing seeds falls on the month of March. In prepared boxes with soil, several rows are made, the distance between which should be at least 6-7 cm. The seed does not need to be deeply buried so that the young plants have enough strength to break through. After sowing, crushed peat or humus is poured into the furrows over the seeds and poured with soil. If you did everything correctly, then the first shoots can be expected in 8-12 days. During this time, you need to maintain the temperature at 18-20 ˚С.

Important! Seedlings may slow down and occur only for 3 weeks. For celery seeds, this is quite normal, so you should not blame their quality.

Important! The celery is transplanted so that the growth point is above the ground.

How to care for leafy celery in the country

After you have transplanted seedlings outdoors, they need proper care. Even if on initial stage Since the seedlings were very strong, due to the lack of watering or feeding during the harvesting stage, you can get sluggish discolored leaves that will taste like grass.

Watering celery

Celery is picky about soil moisture and does not tolerate drought. Since the roots of the plant are not very long, they collect only the moisture that is at the surface of the soil. When watering, you need to moisten the soil so that puddles do not form on its surface. Firstly, they block the access of oxygen to the roots, and secondly, they wash out the soil, exposing root system, thirdly, they can lead to decay. Watering celery is necessary only in calm weather in the morning or evening. Watering at noon or in strong sunshine is strictly prohibited. For watering, it is best to use a spray bottle, drip irrigation, or special sprinklers. Standard root hose irrigation is not suitable.

The nuances of feeding leaf celery

Now let's move on to what you can feed the celery seedlings in the process of their growth. Before planting seedlings in the ground, they should be fed. Therefore, two weeks before diving into open ground, each plant is watered with a solution of mineral fertilizers (10-15 g of ammonium nitrate and 5-10 g of superphosphate are taken for 5 liters of water). When watering with this solution, make sure that the liquid does not get on the leaves, otherwise there will be a burn. After transferring the seedlings to open ground, it is worth waiting 15 days and applying complex fertilizers, which include sodium, phosphorus and potassium. Thus, the plant will always receive the full range of necessary mineral components for growth and development.

Weeding and soil care

Weeding between rows should be done for two reasons: to get rid of weeds and to open up oxygen to the roots of the plant. It should be understood that celery is fragile enough and does not have a large and strong root system to compete with weeds. Therefore, if you do not remove weeds from the site, they will quickly drown out the culture and it will dry out. Many gardeners use mulch to control weeds. In the case of celery, this system also works. By mulching the soil with sawdust, leaves, or agrofibre, you can get rid of weeds and reduce the amount of watering. Also, make sure that the site does not rot the remnants of vegetation and there is no stagnant water.

Did you know? The plant was considered to bring happiness, and it was often hung in rooms along with onions and garlic.

Leaf celery: harvesting and storing crops

Now let's talk about how and when to harvest leafy celery. Leaf celery is harvested in several stages. The first stage begins 2 months after picking seedlings in open ground. Leaves that have reached a length of 30-40 cm are cut off. Between cuts you need to take a break of 2-3 days. This method allows you to keep the maximum amount of nutrients in the leaves. At the same time, the cutting height directly affects the quality of the products in the future. Therefore, the leaves are cut at a height of 5-7 cm from the ground. This height does not damage the central underdeveloped leaves and makes the plant more resistant to rot in winter.

Growing celery is not considered a difficult task, but it is advisable to know some of the nuances in order to increase the efficiency of the process itself. This plant can be of different types, so each has its own characteristics, which it is advisable to take into account when planting in the garden. In this article, we will tell our readers how to grow leaf celery, how to care for it, what beneficial properties it has, as well as possible diseases and pests that can damage the crop.

Today celery is grown in almost any territory of Russia and in middle lane... Even a beginner will be able to get a harvest, since leaf celery is quite unpretentious if it is provided with the minimum conditions for growth. Growing this leafy vegetable is easy enough on any summer cottage.

We would like to draw your attention to the fact that even a basic knowledge of various vegetable crops will make it possible to understand how they should be grown correctly, which cultivation technologies will be the most optimal and effective. As a result, you yourself will be able to make adjustments to the process of growing any crop, taking into account the climatic features of your region.

Celery belongs to the Celery family (otherwise - Zotnichnykh). Currently, there are more than 20 species of this plant. One of the most common is Odorous, which is considered a vegetable crop.

Usually, depending on the variety, the celery is grown for aromatic greens or roots. The crop can be harvested in the first year after planting, despite the fact that the plant itself is biennial. It blooms and gives seeds only in the second year.

The foliage of this vegetable is dissected at the edges, the inflorescences look like small umbrellas, and several small flowers can be seen.

Celery has a taproot regardless of the type of plant. It is round in shape.

The plant propagates with the help of seeds, which are formed in the second year after planting. They germinate very slowly. In this regard, summer residents are trying to grow this vegetable crop through seedlings in order to get uniform shoots. This is convenient for growing the crop in general, but not critical to the result.

There are three types of celery - leaf, root and petiole. Each of these plant species has a number of its own characteristics.

Beneficial features

I often use celery to prepare various dishes. It improves the taste characteristics, but it is far from being combined with all products. These greens are very useful for the body, rich in vitamins and other useful substances. Improves the immune system of the human body, digestion, and also helps to strengthen blood vessels.

Celery is often included in diet food when diagnosing gastritis, stomach ulcers and other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Also useful for diseases of the genitourinary system. This vegetable prevents the formation of kidney stones, has anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and diuretic effects. For constipation weakens work digestive system, and is used for obesity.

If you regularly eat celery, you can not only normalize the work of the cardiovascular system, but also get rid of insomnia. Restores the water-salt balance in the body, raises the general tone of the body, stimulates the brain and improves physical activity.

Thanks to a wide range positive qualities, which celery has on the human body, many farmers and summer residents began to grow it.

Root celery video

Features of planting and growing root celery, see the video.

Planting and leaving

You can use seeds to plant leaf celery. Planting is almost always done outdoors. As soon as the soil warms up to 10 degrees, you can start planting.

Depending on the region, warming occurs in different time... Accordingly, in some places, planting a vegetable crop in the open field can begin in April, and somewhere at the end of May.

Since the cultivation of leaf celery through the seeds is very slow, it will not work to get uniform shoots. In this regard, you can use ready-made seedlings. Usually it is purchased in the markets, since you yourself can choose good bushes and their size. When growing a leaf crop seedling method it is also better because it can increase the yield of greens. This method allows you to increase the growing season of plants, which falls on the return of the crop.

It is advisable to sow seeds in open ground in late March or early April. It is preferable to place the seeds in a light potting mix. You can prepare it yourself or purchase it from a specialty store.

In order to make the soil, you need to use mulch, humus, rotted soil from compost. If you mix everything in equal proportions, you get good foundation... You can also use peat, some sand.

In order to accelerate the process of seedling growth, it is advisable to treat the seeds with special growth stimulants before planting in open ground. After processing, you can soak the seeds in water to soften them and gradually "activate".

For planting, you can also use small containers that can be carried from place to place. The seeds are planted in boxes, sprinkling the bushes with peat so that you can do without picking. This treatment is suitable for leaf celery, as you ultimately need to get dense greens. It will be enough to periodically thin out the emerging seedlings to give more space each seedling for normal nutrition.

Before the first shoots appear after sowing the seeds, it is advisable to cover the ground with plastic wrap so that the soil warms up better and does not get there excess moisture... If you care properly, and follow the recommendations for preparation, then seedlings can appear in a week and a half. After that, you will need to remove plastic wrap and put the drawers in the brightest and warmest place.

The optimum temperature will be 14-16 degrees. Such care will strengthen the root system, which is very important for young seedlings and will not allow the seedlings to stretch out.

The main ingredients for successful cultivation seedlings of leaf celery is regular watering, good lighting as the plant loves sunlight. You will also need to periodically loosen the soil so that water and air can better penetrate the root system. When a couple of leaves appear on the seedlings, it can be thinned out.

Then, after warming, in the middle of spring, you can start transplanting seedlings. It is advisable to maintain a distance of about 25 centimeters between the rows, and 20 centimeters between the plants themselves. After a month, the greens will get stronger and become fluffy and begin to interfere with each other. Since celery is well resistant to cold weather, they are not afraid of frost.

Regular watering is desirable for proper maintenance. It is advisable to slightly loosen the soil after each watering, as it is often nailed. And it is advisable to water the seedlings well after each time you cut the young greens. Such care will allow you to better restore strength and grow again.

In order to provide good care behind the plant, it must be grown on sunny place... The sun's rays accelerate the growth process and also affect the vegetable's juiciness and aroma.

Fertilizers can also be used for care. It will take two feeding during the season. The first will be three weeks after the first shoots appear. For proper care, are used organic fertilizers- bird droppings, diluted mullein solution, and wood ash and rotted foliage. The second top dressing is applied to the soil after another three weeks. In addition to organic matter, you can use complex mineral fertilizers, which facilitate and accelerate the process of growing leaf celery.

Growing greenery will allow you to cut the crop within a month and a half after the first shoots appear. If you provide proper care for leaf celery, then you can cut the greens 3-4 times per season. If the cultivation started with seedlings, then 4 cuts can be made.

Celery, which is 25-30 cm long, has thick green stems with a specific bitter taste. 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.

Diseases and pests

Caring for celery is quite simple, but remember that problems may arise on the site due to pests or diseases. Always pay attention to how the foliage looks. If it looks withered or begins to wither, then it is better to carefully examine the plant in search of characteristic signs of disease.

Special problems and difficulties in correct cultivation celery does not arise. Carrot fly larvae, slugs, scoops, snails can harm him. They can contribute to the development of diseases such as different types rot, viral mosaic, black leg. In order to protect plants from these misfortunes, it is important to water on time, remove weeds, and thin out plants. Excellent result gives and planting celery among other vegetables and herbs.

That's all the nuances of how to grow celery in your summer cottage. Knowing agricultural technology and applying it correctly, any gardener will be able to get excellent harvest these fragrant and healthy spicy herbs.

Root celery video

All about growing root celery is described in the video.