Root celery is still rarely found in our gardens. Growing and caring for them poses some difficulties. More than five months must pass from sowing to harvesting root celery, and this forces any gardener to tinker with it. Root celery is a rather difficult crop. When growing it, you need to know some subtleties and features. But celery has a lot of useful properties, it’s tasty, so I think it’s worth the effort.
Growing root celery in open ground, varieties
Technology of sowing, growing seedlings, planting root and petiole celery is the same. Therefore, here we will talk about the root one, but know that the petiole one should be grown in the same way. There are some differences in care, but these will be discussed below. Leafy species can be sown immediately in open ground.
The first subtlety when growing celery is choosing the variety. Old varieties of root celery, such as Yablochny and Gribovsky, are still sold. They form not very large root crops, weighing no more than 200-350 g. In modern varieties, the root can reach a weight of 900 g. There is another drawback in old varieties - they produce a large lobe of branched roots. Peeling such a vegetable is not very convenient - there is a lot of waste. Try to purchase those varieties that produce even, good, large root crops.
The second feature is that this plant has a very extended growing season - from germination to ripening. For example, for mid-early varieties it is 160-180 days. In fact, this is more than 5 months of waiting for the harvest.
Whatever we talk about growing, the basis of the harvest is seeds. It is important which seeds to choose. Gardeners should pay attention to varieties such as Esaul, Edward, Maxim. These are excellent root varieties, store well and ripen easily.
Maxim (root) is a very early variety. In terms of maturity, he is the same as Esaul, but he has more a long period growth. That is, it can potentially produce an even larger root crop than Esaul. Those gardeners who have not grown this crop before should pay attention to these root varieties. These are problem-free varieties.
Celery seedlings, how to grow
Sowing for seedlings - late January-early February ( Krasnodar region), February-early March (middle band).
You can’t grow root and petiole crops without seedlings - most likely it will be a bunch of greenery, but there will be no root crop itself. Leafy can be sown immediately in open ground. But preparing seeds for sowing is the same for everyone.
The seeds are first soaked in hot water at a temperature of 60°C. The seed shell contains many essential oils. Hot water is needed to remove them, since it is the essential oils that prevent the seeds from germinating quickly.
Keep the seeds in hot water until they cool completely. Hot water does not dissolve essential oils; when heated, they rise to the surface. We wash the seeds with running water - this removes the oils. Pour the seeds onto a cloth and dry them slightly until they become free-flowing so that they stop sticking to each other.
Celery seeds germinate only in light. We sow the seeds on the surface of the soil without covering them with soil. Lightly press them with your palm to the surface of the earth. This is the main condition for growing celery. The soil layer in the nursery should be 7-10 cm high. There should be very good lighting. Cover the top of the nursery with film or glass.
Celery sprouts slowly, shoots appear in about twenty days. At first, you should use a sprayer when watering.
You can grow seedlings in peat tablets. After 3-4 leaves appear, you can dive - choose individual cups with a volume of 200-500 ml.
The choice of location for planting seedlings is very important for celery. It should be an absolutely bright place. Even slight shading reduces the weight of the tuber. The soil should be very loose, fertile, and moist. If you have clay soil, or, like mine, black soil - be sure to add sand, compost, and sawdust when planting. It will be difficult for the root head to expand its volume if the soil is dense.
Planting celery seedlings into the ground
Seedlings are planted in the ground according to a 40 × 40 cm pattern. Do not save space in the garden bed. This vegetable should have plenty of room. Plants should not shade each other. I repeat once again - he loves light very much. Thickened plantings, when large spreading leaves shade each other, lead to the formation of small root crops.
Seedlings are transplanted into open ground when they reach a height of 8-10 cm. By this time, they already have 6-7 true leaves.
The most important condition when transplanting root celery: do not bury the root collar, the place where the leaves transition into the root. If you plant below the level at which it grew as seedlings, the root crops will grow small, with many lateral roots. This, of course, will greatly affect the quality of the harvest - you will only be able to use the leaves for food, there will be no root crops.
The photo above is indicative: pay attention to the distance between the seedlings - this is very important for the root seedlings - it should be spacious.
Experts advise planting celery in ridges. The root crop has a very rich root system. Remember what the root looks like after digging? That's right, shaggy. Planting in the ridge gives the fetus additional area for growth, allows you to reduce the “shaggyness” of the root.
Video - planting root celery seedlings in the ground in Holland ( mechanized method for industrial cultivation):
Celery root - what care is needed in the garden?
Needs good, regular watering. Root varieties do not tolerate dry soil at all. On dry soil, the root crop loses its taste and aroma. It is advisable to mulch the beds to retain moisture. But when mulching, make sure that the root collar of the celery is not covered with mulch.
Very often there is a temptation to pick off young aromatic leaves, for example, for salad or soup - as we usually do with parsley leaves. It is advisable not to do this. And if you have already decided to feast on young leaves, then pull the plant out by the roots - it will no longer be of any use. Because the plant gains strength precisely from the leaves. You can pick the leaves only after the petioles become thick and thickening appears, i.e. a root crop began to form.
How to feed a celery bed? If you added compost and ash to the bottom of the holes when laying it, then you can do without fertilizing. But this vegetable grows for a long time, the growing season is very long, so it would not be amiss to feed it with complex fertilizer once a month. It should be taken into account that root vegetables remove calcium from the soil at the macronutrient level. Therefore, at the same time as complex fertilizers, you can add calcium fertilizers, for example, calcium nitrate, to the fertilizing.
Root celery is not spudded, only petiole celery is spudded. Instead of hilling, you can use paper to bleach the petioles. This is usually done two weeks before harvest. The stems should be pressed tightly against each other and wrapped in light-protective material (newspaper, sheet of paper). By the time of harvesting, the petioles become tender and white, and the bitterness disappears.
Petiole celery two weeks before harvesting Another important technique is removing lateral roots. We carry out this operation only for root celery. We cut off the side roots directly in the ground, tracing the contour of the main root with a knife. This procedure is carried out twice per season. Dates: mid-summer. Old varieties usually require this treatment. Therefore, if you don’t want to bother, choose new varieties.
When the main shoot of the celery root begins to thicken, several outer leaves cut off so that only the internal socket remains. Leaves that should be plucked usually begin to bend toward the ground. Only those that grow vertically are left. This promotes root growth. Starting in mid-summer, yellowed old leaves are picked off.
Another agrotechnical technique for obtaining larger root crops: unhilling or raking away the soil from the root crops that have begun to form.
Unlike root crop leaf celery we get it earlier. We use the leaves for food. The rosette of a leaf vegetable is more powerful than that of a root vegetable - the number of leaves ranges from 30 to 100. Varieties for cultivation - Zakhar, Senezh, Vanyusha. The variety of curly celery is called Oddball.
How to distinguish leaf celery from stalk celery? A leaf petiole will have a void inside, while a petiole leaf will have dense pulp without voids inside.
Take your time digging up the celery root. Because it's a plant short day. It turns out that all its nutrients accumulate in the fall, when the weather is already cool at night. The harvest is harvested late - September-October. If they did not have time to remove before frost, a layer of straw and mown grass 15 cm thick is placed around the base of the stems to protect the rosettes from freezing. It is advisable that the mulch be dry.
Good neighbors for root celery are leeks and cabbage. In addition, it itself protects many plants from pests. It can even be planted next to flowers - it will drive away aphids, for example, from roses.
One of the storage methods is to dig up the celery, wrap the root crop in paper and place it in a box with damp sand, roots down. Store the box in the cellar.
oksi writes: Somehow my experiments were not crowned with success. The petiole withers, and the leaves on the root burn. What's happened? I water every other day.
Reply to oksi: The leaves are burning - it’s probably just a mite eating it. Have you noticed the cobwebs on the burning leaves?
hunter 1
I always sowed in the snow. You can clearly see where the seeds are. Then the snow melts and the seeds fall to the ground, then I cover it with film and spray it with dewdrops as needed and add soil through a strainer. The hardest part of the growing process for me is picking. A very, very delicate and thin plant, but it takes root well. In the summer I water through a drip tape and regularly pick off all the leaves that have fallen to the ground. In the fall, you get quite large celery, 1 kg or more.
http://fermer.ru/forum/otkrytyi-grunt/50871?page=1
I sowed celery in liter juice boxes, in 2-3 lines. At first I poured it into separate cups. Then she stopped - she planted the seedlings directly into the ground. But my mistake was deepening it too much and not digging it out. I waited from the depths of Yablochny, Gribovsky, but never received anything. I was content with the leaves.
Ivanovochka
I planted the Egor variety, the seedlings were strong. It was poured into cups. It took root very quickly, but the root crop was small - I didn’t even dig it up and left before winter. Now I think that my mistake in growing it was this: I didn’t cut the roots and, apparently, didn’t rake the soil enough, I didn’t tear off the leaves at all.
http://www.tomat-pomidor.com/newforum/index.php?topic=7132.0
As soon as the growing point reaches 1.5-2 cm in diameter, loosen the soil around the celery (if it’s dry, water it in advance). Rake the soil away from the growing point so that it is outside. If there is a formed (even a slight hint of) root crop, remove all the roots in the upper part. I take an old canvas mitt and just wipe down the top of the root vegetable. Rake away all the soil from the root crop so that it is outside (only those roots that grow down should be left underground). If the ground begins to float after rain, the operation will have to be repeated. Remove ALL drooping leaves (angle of inclination less than 40°-45°) mercilessly. You need to remove it in the following way - just pull it to the side (not up at all) and the petiole will calmly break off right at the root crop without leaving any “tails”. The leaves are great for multivitamin juices, salads (the leaf is a bit harsh, you need to cut it very finely) and more. For those who don't like the taste, it goes into compost or cosmetics. And one more piece of advice - it won’t good watering- you won’t get a big root, a drop is very welcome (tested!). Petiole celery tolerates partial shade, but root celery does not.
http://www.tomat-pomidor.com/newforum/index.php?topic=7132.0
How to use celery for benefits
Celery can be leaf, petiole, or root. Among the leafy ones there are varieties with curly leaves. Leaf celery is often used in the preparation of soups, salads as a spicy herb or for decorating dishes. It is often prepared from the petiole with the addition of other vegetables. delicious juices, mousses. Raw bark celery is delicious in salads, and cooked it tastes like potatoes. The root makes very tasty cream soups. It is also good to bake the root, cut into large pieces, with meat. Especially healthy is a salad made from grated root vegetables with apples, carrots, herbs, seasoned vegetable oil with lemon juice.
This root vegetable (or petiole, leaves) is a storehouse of unique nutrients for our body. It is valued not only for its rich composition useful substances, but also for its low calorie content. This allows it to be used as a dietary product. Freshly squeezed juice from it is useful. It is useful as one of the components of salads or soups, as well as stewed, boiled, baked. Regular inclusion of celery in your menu slows down the aging of the body, contains a lot of biologically active substances, vitamin C.
Beneficial features celery may be of interest to men. The root and stem contain phytoandrogens, substances that stimulate testosterone production in men. For greater effect, the root or stems must be eaten for at least 1-1.5 months every day.
If you are fasting, then especially eat celery. Due to its high content of amino acids and tyrosine, it is a good meat substitute. It will help you lose weight. Essential oils stimulate digestion and the production of enzymes by the pancreas. Improves the production of gastric juice, hence the digestion of food goes better and faster.
This vegetable is rich in calcium. One hundred grams of this plant is thousands of milligrams of calcium, that is, practically daily norm. This vegetable helps flush out salts, therefore cleanses the body.
Pay special attention to celery leaves: the beneficial properties of a decoction of them will help calm your nerves and even out your sleep.
Is there any harm? It is unlikely that this word can be used in relation to celery. Moderation is important in everything. People with stomach problems, acute pancreatitis or cholecystitis just need to be careful with this vegetable.
The root plant has practically no waste - they eat both the leaves and the fruit. This is an excellent flavorful addition to any dish.
Don't be afraid of the difficulties in growing and caring for root celery; they will pay off in the benefits that you will undoubtedly feel.
Additions made in December 2018
The human body is computer system and the coherence of its work partly depends on the quality of the products consumed. One of the representatives of plant foods that brings undeniable benefits to humans and has a number of advantages is.
Celery comes in several varieties, so choose yours.
The official name of the crop is “scented celery.” This is a biennial plant. In the first year it produces a tuber and luxurious greenery, in the second - an umbrella-shaped flower with small, faded flowers and seeds.
The most famous and widely used are three types of celery: leaf, petiole and root. The first two types of celery produce greens and stalks ranging from green-yellow to dark green. Root celery bears fruit in beige-brown tubers up to 12 cm in diameter and weighing about 500 g, which are perfectly stored in winter. Small root vegetables are planted in boxes to produce greens.
The plant has a number of advantages. In terms of the amount of vitamins and microelements, it is one of the top places in the ranking of vegetables. It has a very low calorie content (13 Kcal per 100 g of product).
The root vegetable contains 11 times less potassium than greens and petioles.
Celery has beneficial effects on human health:
- Is a good antiseptic
- Positively affects the immune system
- Rejuvenates the body
- Treats obesity and neuroses
- Tones the heart
- Tidies blood vessels
- Improves appetite, digestion and sleep
- Normalizes water-salt metabolism
- Activates kidney function
The listed list of advantages of celery is convincing enough to include it in the diet of essential foods and cultivate it in your garden.
How to grow petiole celery
This type of celery loves sunny, moist beds and prefers neutral soils rich in minerals and microelements. In the absence of these conditions, the plant grows poor and inconspicuous with thin petioles.
Soil is the most important thing when growing celery.
In the fall, in preparation, you can apply per 1 sq. m. plot of land:
- 1 bucket of humus
- 1 tablespoon superphosphate
- 1 cup ash
- Lime (for acidic soil)
The proposed option for preparing beds is not the only one; many other schemes have been accumulated that can be used in relation to the composition of the soil.
Sowing seeds and caring for petiole celery seedlings
This plant develops slowly, so it is better to plant it as seedlings in the garden. It is necessary to sow seeds in late February - early March. In the presence of good lighting (on the windowsill in a planting box), they germinate faster (no more than three weeks). To further enhance development, soak the seed material for a day in the Immunocytophyte solution, diluting one tablet in 20 ml of water.
Fill the planting box with an earthen mixture consisting of earth and humus in equal proportions, adding a little sand to make the mixture light and flowable, moisten it a little with water or sprinkle snow up to 2 cm thick. Sow seeds on top, cover with film or glass. The snow will melt and draw the seeds into the soil to the optimal depth. If there is no snow, simply sow the seeds shallowly.
For better germination, keep the box at room temperature on the windowsill. Seeds need light.
After a week and a half they germinate. It is recommended to remove the film or glass from the box and place it in a cool (10-11 degrees) but bright place to avoid stretching the seedlings. Water warm water. Cold watering can cause blackleg disease.
Feeding your plant will help you grow a good harvest.
Replant plants selectively, removing weak and pale ones. It is important that the growing point of the stem is above the soil.
The next step is fertilizing with complex mineral fertilizer in a proportion of 1.5 g per 1 liter of water. If the color of the leaves fades, pour urea (0.5 g per 1 liter of water).
The frequency of feeding is 1.5 -2 weeks. It is important to note that these solutions can cause leaf burns, so it is recommended to wash the plants with water from a spray bottle after fertilizing. If necessary, loosen the soil and moisten it wisely.
It is important to harden for a week at a temperature not lower than 15 degrees, starting from 2 hours and then increasing the hardening time.
If there are few seedlings, you can thin them out by removing worst plants(cutting with scissors), or immediately sow in pots. This way the plant will avoid unnecessary injuries, which will speed up its further development.
Planting petiole celery seedlings in open ground
Indicators for planting seedlings in open ground are:
- Plant height 12-15 cm
- Stem with 4-5 leaves
- Root system holding soil
Plant your crops in warm soil- this will help avoid the appearance of arrows
It is important to plant seedlings in warm soil to avoid bolting. Petiole celery produces a luxurious bush, so it is planted at a distance of 0.5 m on all sides. The growing point, again, cannot be covered with soil, which will allow you to get good quality petioles.
When caring for seedlings in the garden:
- View the distance between plants, remove or replant unnecessary ones
- Regularly loosen the soil and feed the plants with available ingredients
- Water regularly, not allowing the soil to dry out
- Avoid contact of water and solutions with
Petiole celery has one important feature. It must be gradually hilled in order to bleach the petioles; they have better taste. But at the same time, the petioles smell of earth. Fans of this variety of celery have come up with many other ways to prevent light from shining on the petioles.
One of them, the simplest, is that the celery bush is carefully collected from above and tied with cloth or soft twine. Next, the petioles are wrapped tightly and right down to the ground with soft, but thick-textured paper. This is done 3 weeks before harvest. The petioles bleach well even in the basement in the absence of light.
Harvest before frost. Dig it up with roots, burying it in the basement. Good air exchange is necessary for quality storage. If the plant did not have time to grow to the desired size before the frost, you can grow it in the basement or in a pot.
The plant does not require special care
It is strong, unpretentious and amazing plant can enrich the diet with a minimum of human time and effort.
How to Grow Root Celery
Due to the fact that root celery has a long growing season, it is grown seedling method. When growing seedlings, you can use the method indicated above as a basis, only the seeds need to be sown 1 month earlier. Another one important feature necessary for the formation of a root crop is that seedlings of this type of celery need to be pricked twice, each time pinching the central root by a third.
It is undesirable to collect greens during the growth of root celery, since only in the fall do all the valuable substances from the leaves sink into the root crop. During the growth process, its upper part should be above the soil; this plant cannot be hilled.
The harvest is harvested in mid-October. 3 weeks before this, you need to remove the side greens and open the top of the tuber more. Celery is stored very well in the basement.
As a result, the investment of time and labor will be repaid by the pleasure from the resulting harvest of a high-quality and valuable product.
Growing Leaf Celery
The plant is unpretentious and can withstand light frosts. Seeds sown in open ground do not germinate well, so gardeners prefer to grow seedlings first. To obtain it, you can use the recommendations used for growing petiole celery. At the same time, the central root of leaf celery seedlings must be pinched to develop the root system. The plant is planted in open ground at a distance of 25 cm on all sides.
Try to remove weeds around celery
Apart from regularly removing weeds, moistening and fluffing the soil, leaf celery does not require any other care. In mid-summer you can already get an abundance of luxurious greenery.
Of all the types of celery, leaf celery is the easiest to care for.
Plant growth stimulants and their use
From the list of growth stimulants, the most harmless and used when growing celery is Immunocytophyte. It not only stimulates plant growth, but also produces in them defensive reaction from various herbal diseases such as late blight, powdery mildew, black leg and others that provoke various diseases. Unlike Immunocytophyte, its analog Kornevin is toxic. And it is often used for watering seedlings that have just been planted in the ground. Substitute for Kornevin - Heteroauxin.
There is also Zircon, a broad-spectrum drug. It has a beneficial effect on both seeds and root system seedlings. It is useful to treat seedlings with this preparation before planting in the garden. At the same time, it should be noted that Zircon, in comparison with others, is a potent growth stimulant. In case of overdose, plants may die. It should be diluted in a ratio of 1 ml per 10 liters of water.
The chemical industry is developing rapidly, so it is necessary to keep an eye on new products, given that manufacturers are focused on products that cause the least harm to the environment and break down into components after their expiration date.
Pests, pathogens of celery and their prevention
Celery strong plant and itself is an antiseptic, but is also susceptible to diseases and pests. Given the value of this product, it is important to preserve the harvest.
Celery can be attacked by several pests at once
The most common pests are celery and carrot flies, the larvae of which live in the soil. To combat them, it is important to dig the bed deeply in the fall, constantly loosen it in spring and summer, and sprinkle a mixture of tobacco dust and dry mustard in equal proportions several times between the rows. The same mixture also works against carrot psyllids, which feed on the sap of the plant.
In the presence of diseases such as early and late burns, the pathogen is located in the soil, on plant remains. Prevention consists of disinfecting seeds before sowing and high-quality care of the garden bed.
Another whole list of troubles can befall celery during the growth process. Practical advice The tips outlined above will help you deal with this.
While watching the video you will learn about planting celery.
Celery is living plant, it does not know how to talk, it will not talk about its problems, like other representatives of the living World who do not have intelligence. Our attention and attentiveness, responsibility for the work started, creativity to him and love for nature will allow you to get the desired result. Good luck!
Celery leaves slightly resemble parsley in appearance, but the smell and taste will prevent you from confusing them. Leaf celery is not as frequent a guest at our dachas as other spicy greens; until now it was grown only by gourmets. But the abundance of information about its beneficial properties makes us take a closer look at this wonderful plant. The unique composition of vitamins, microelements and essential oils determines its general strengthening, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and sedative properties.
Almost all varieties of leaf celery produce abundant greens and good flavor characteristics. You can choose among them only based on their agrotechnical characteristics: ripening time, growing conditions. So there are early, mid-ripening and late-ripening varieties, some are better to grow in open ground, and some - in a greenhouse or even on a balcony. If you plant varieties with different terms ripening, then the greens will be on the table all season, and all need the same care.
When buying seeds, you should pay attention to the timing - after 4 years of storage, their germination rate drops sharply. “Samurai” is the most unpretentious of all varieties of leaf celery cultivated in our country. It easily tolerates drought and low temperatures, the rosette grows up to 65 cm, its curly leaves with corrugated edges are very tasty and look attractive. They can be picked 75 days after seed germination.
“Zakhar” is chosen by those who want to receive big harvest. This is a mid-late variety with pubescent leaves, a semi-raised rosette 26 cm in diameter and up to 35 cm in height. Up to 120 leaves are formed on one plant, and after cutting they quickly grow back. The leaves can be consumed 105 days after germination, but they are considered ripe only on the 150th day.
“Kartuli” is a mid-season variety of Georgian selection, the rosette is erect, the petioles are dark green, and the leaves can be cut after 65 days. Plants of this variety very courageously tolerate a lack of moisture or heat. “Tender” produces a green harvest 110 days after germination; its semi-vertical rosette forms many side shoots.
“Cheerfulness” is not afraid of temperature changes, tolerates cold weather and short-term drought well, its carved, aromatic leaves ripen 70 days after seed germination. The “Local” variety is distinguished by a high content of ascorbic acid; the leaves on long hollow petioles grow up to 65 cm. From 1 square meter plantings you can collect up to 3 kg of greenery.
"Improved Green" forms a semi-spreading rosette, which can consist of 100 - 120 leaves. “Sail” is also a high-yielding celery variety with a semi-spreading rosette. Leaf celery is much less commonly grown in dachas than root celery, which probably explains the small selection of varieties of this species.
Video “Planting celery”
Landing
Celery is considered a cold-resistant plant, but its seedlings may suffer from spring frosts; cutting of leaves begins 1.5 months after seed germination - all this determines the cultivation of leaf celery through seedlings. Indeed, sowing seeds in the ground in the spring (and this is not earlier than May) means getting leaves in the middle of summer. It is better to plant strong seedlings and feast on the fragrant leaves at the beginning of summer. Therefore, they begin to plant seeds in March.
First, they are soaked for several hours in warm water, preferably a weak solution of potassium permanganate, then kept on wet gauze for a couple of days. When the seeds hatch, they are laid out on the prepared soil in boxes or pots, lightly sprinkled with peat on top, and watered with a spray bottle. The boxes are then covered with glass or film.
The soil is prepared as follows: take leaf soil, peat, humus and sand in equal quantities. It is advisable to leave the boxes in the light and maintain a temperature of +20 – +25 degrees. After 5–6 days, shoots should appear. Celery seeds have very uneven germination, and it increases during storage, so it is best to sow planting material two or three years ago, not last year.
There is also this method of sowing: the prepared seeds are placed on snow laid on the ground in a dense two-centimeter layer, the boxes are covered with glass on top and placed on a sunlit windowsill. After the shoots emerge, the glass is removed and the sprouts are lightly covered with soil or peat. With this germination, the glass is not removed for watering, and the seeds get enough moisture from the melting snow.
After the sprouts appear, the glass is removed, and the seedlings are transferred to a bright room with a lower temperature - from 15 to 18 degrees. More heat will force weak sprouts to stretch upward, this will not make them stronger, but rather weaken them. The same thing will happen if there is a lack of light.
When the plants have 2 true leaves, they need to be picked. Each sprout is transferred to an individual glass (maybe peat) or at least at a distance of 5 cm from each other, pinching the main root. After this, the seedlings begin to be prepared for planting in open ground - they are taken out to the ground every day. Fresh air, accustomed to sunlight.
May, when it’s already warm - great time for planting seedlings in the garden bed. Plants are planted at a distance of 25 cm from each other, this must be done very carefully so as not to expose the roots, but also not to deepen the growth point, it should remain above the surface of the earth. It is best to do this in the evening or choose a cloudy day. Leaf celery should not be planted after parsley, carrots, parsnips or dill.
The soil for its cultivation should be light, fertile and neutral. Loam or sandy loam is best. If the soil is heavy, in the fall you need to add sand, sawdust (when there is no rotted sawdust, fresh ones are specially prepared) or peat. Then, in the fall, humus or compost is added for digging. Celery thanks good care It will also grow in slightly acidified soil, but it will have a slightly different aroma.
Care
2 weeks after planting the seedlings in open ground, they are fed for the first time. This can be nitrogen-potassium fertilizers from the store or a solution chicken manure, diluted 1 to 10. Repeat feeding every other month. When growing leaf celery, nitrogen-potassium-phosphorus fertilizers are used several times. Some owners prefer to feed the plantings only with a solution bird droppings, mullein or herbal mash. After watering with fertilizer, the leaves are usually washed clean water, and the earth is loosened.
Growing celery does not require special care; this crop cannot be called capricious. A biennial plant is cultivated as an annual; from planting seedlings in the ground to autumn harvesting, several cuttings of leaves are made. To wait for your seeds, you need to protect the plant from the winter cold.
In the south, it is enough to simply cover the plant for the winter, and then in the second year of cultivation do not cut off the flower stalks, allowing the real fruits with seeds to bloom and ripen. If the weather does not allow wintering in the ground, then the plant with a lump of earth is simply transferred to the cellar, the shoots from it are pre-cut, and kept in a dark, cool, fairly humid room. And in the spring they return to the garden.
Caring for leaf celery involves timely watering, weeding and loosening the soil. It loves a lot of moisture, but excess water should not stagnate. High humidity and the density of plantings can contribute to the breeding of slugs, snails, cutworms or infection with blackleg, rot. That’s why it’s so important when caring for celery to avoid shading and breeding weeds.
Plant residues should not be stored between rows. After watering or fertilizing, it is necessary to loosen the soil; crusting must not be allowed to form. Many summer residents solve all these problems with the help of mulching.
Growing leaf celery does not have any pitfalls, does not require too much effort or time, and a novice gardener can take care of it. The benefits of spicy leaves are worth much more trouble. The leaves are not only consumed fresh, they are traditionally dried or frozen to promote health or simply enjoy adding to food. all year round.
Video " Growing celery, sowing seedlings»
Video instructions for planting leaf celery seeds. Soak, sowing and care behind a young plant.
Celery is very healthy vegetable, which 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 can cope with this task.
Growing technology
Celery belongs to the Celeraceae family. At the moment, about 20 species of this plant are known. The most famous is considered to be fragrant or otherwise fragrant celery. This vegetable crop is biennial. The leaves are pinnately dissected, the inflorescences resemble an umbrella containing small flowers. It is sometimes confused with parsley. Celery has a taproot. Leaf celery is propagated by seeds, but due to the fact that they take a long time to germinate, 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, prepare the seeds and soil. 4-5 days before sowing, you need 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. Or place the seeds in a small bag and then dip the bag first in hot water for 15 minutes, and then cold for the same time.
You can also use growth stimulants, which are sold in specialized stores. You can also buy soil there. But you can do it yourself. To do this you will need:
- leaf soil;
- humus;
- lowland peat;
- sand.
You can sow leaf celery seeds directly into open ground. This plant is usually planted starting in 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 generously with water. Then carefully distribute the seeds over the entire surface. After this, you need to lightly sprinkle everything with peat on top. This is done in order to avoid picking in the future.
Leaf celery has a short growing season and does not require powerful seedlings. Then it will be enough to thin out the young seedlings and provide the seedling with space for development. The container is covered plastic film or glass and is placed where the temperature ranges from 20 to 24 degrees plus. You can place it close to the battery.
After 6-8 days you will notice that the first shoots appear. And now the film can be removed and the seedlings 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.
The main process is watering. It should be regular and moderate. Also, seedlings should be well lit. If you notice that leaves are beginning 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 permanent place 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 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. Best temperature for growing leaf celery +17 degrees is considered.
27-30 days after you planted the seedlings in the ground, you can 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.
During the entire period of growing leaf celery, it is necessary to feed it twice. The first time this should be done 3 weeks after the appearance of the first shoots and use:
- 1/20 part Biuda;
- 1/20 part of bird droppings;
- 1/10 part mullein.
If the above components are 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 useful fertilizing, then water, then loosen.
You can cut celery a month and a half after the shoots have appeared. And at the same time you need to leave a small stalk. Over the entire season, you can collect 2-3 harvests of greenery. The amount of harvest can increase if you water and feed the plant after each cut. Cut leaves can be placed in plastic bag and they can be stored in the refrigerator for a week. Can be used as a preparation for the winter.
The main mistakes of gardeners
You already know how to grow celery, but here are some mistakes that can happen during this process:
- Temperature too low or high during sowing.
- Improper watering when growing seedlings from seeds. The stems have just sprouted and if you pour water on them from above, they are unlikely to rise later. During this procedure, it is necessary to water the celery through a fine sieve or into a tray. You can use a regular medical syringe.
- Irregular watering.
- Enough light for the plant. Leaves may turn pale and begin to fall off. If you plant them in direct sunlight, the celery will begin to stretch.
- Before growing celery in an open area, 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. Every day, take the container of celery out for a few hours.
29.06.2012 Naturalist No comments yet
Celery root, petiole and leaf - benefits and differences
Useful properties of celery. This is a biennial cold-resistant plant of the Apiaceae family. Moreover, it is one of the few in which all parts are suitable for human consumption. Celery (Apium) is distributed on almost all continents. More often you can find fragrant celery.
How to eat celery? There are leaf, petiole and root celery:
- Leaf celery (also called chives) is put more in salads, used to decorate dishes, and dry leaves are used as a spice.
- Petiole celery is distinguished by juicy petioles-stems. It is often used in salads. It comes in white and green. The color depends on the amount of light that hit the plant while it was growing. White has a more delicate taste. When adding to salad, the stems can be cut finely; for heat treatment, it is better to cut them coarsely.
- The root is used fresh or dried. If you want to feel more aroma, then the fresh root needs to be peeled, cut and fried without oil on both sides. Then add to soup or main course. To preserve vitamins, immerse celery in hot water and cook with the lid closed. You can stew it separately or with vegetables. To prevent the root from darkening, keep it in salt water. Freshly grated root vegetables are useful with apples in a ratio of 1:3, with carrots and herbs. Boiled resembles the taste of potatoes.
All parts of this plant can be used in canning vegetables.
Celery promotes the absorption of proteins, so it is often found in dishes made from poultry, meat, fish, mushrooms, and is suitable for fatty soups. It also adds a spicy taste to dishes made from eggplant, beans, carrots, potatoes, and cabbage.
But he will bring more benefit in his natural form as a fresh side dish for the dishes listed above.
How to choose celery? The stems and leaves should be fresh and not yellowed. The root should not be rotten or withered, but strong and heavy.
You can store celery stalks and roots in the refrigerator in a sealed bag.
It is better not to leave leaves and stems for a long time. The faster you eat them, the more nutrients you get. Leaves can be revived by adding cold water. And if you have a lot of them, rinse and dry. Then you can add them to salads all winter.
Dried leaves and seeds should be stored in the dark, protected from moisture.
What's in celery? Root vegetables contain 2-4% sugars, 1-2% protein, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, vitamin C - 110 mg, carotenes, vitamins B2, B1, B6, B9, PP, E, K, flavonoids, oxalic acid, purines, essential oil, glutamic, nicotinic acid. 100 g – 16 kcal.
What's good about celery? It contains a lot of coarse fibers, which makes it useful for those losing weight. On the one hand, the product itself is low in calories, on the other hand, a lot of calories are spent on its digestion.
Fiber cleanses the intestines, as well as the body from heavy metals. More than 10% of bad cholesterol can be eliminated by eating fiber. The most fiber is in the stems, then in the roots, and least in the leaves.
also in large quantities it contains vitamin K, which increases blood clotting. In this connection, patients are advised to consume celery on the eve of surgery.
Another feature: celery is high in organic sodium. Moreover, it is 4 times more than calcium. Therefore, it is very useful to use for those whose diet is dominated by starch and sugar. For kidney disease, gall bladder disease, and osteoporosis, the stems are recommended to be used instead of salt.
In medicine, celery is used as a diuretic. The root has a general strengthening, diuretic effect; extracts from seeds, leaves, and roots are used for diseases of the reproductive system, as well as as a diuretic and cardiac remedy.
The juice frees the blood of toxins, prevents the appearance of tumors and blood clots, improves appearance skin and hair, promotes good digestion, normalizes metabolism.
Celery is good for vision; the juice is used in the treatment of ophthalmological diseases.
A diet with a predominance of celery is recommended for diseases of the thyroid gland, allergies, colds, and inflammatory processes. Celery improves immunity, reduces blood pressure, helps with nervous tension, and strengthens the heart muscle.
Thanks to its balanced substances, it is easily digestible and has a general strengthening and rejuvenating effect. Essential oil has disinfecting properties.
Oddly enough, men's food is not meat and sausage, but tomatoes and celery. The latter is not only an aphrodisiac that increases strength, but also a good prevention of prostatitis and the development of prostate adenoma.
Celery in Ayurveda It has an astringent taste, cooling energy, and is easily digestible. Increases vata, decreases pitta and kapha.
Celery removes toxins, strengthens nervous system, raises the overall tone of the body, enhances performance, both mental and physical, and is used to treat the genitourinary system.
Celery should not be confused with ajwain (ajgon), despite the fact that it is called wild celery. This is also a plant of the Umbrella family, but of a different genus. And its properties are different: ajwain seeds reduce vata and kapha, but increase pitta. Their energy is hot and their taste is pungent.
Recipe. Garlic and celery sauce
You will need: 500 g of tomato sauce, 2 cloves of garlic, 100 g of parsley or dill, 100 g of celery root, black pepper - half a teaspoon.
Preparation: grate the celery on a fine grater, squeeze out the garlic, finely chop the greens. Mix everything with the sauce, add black pepper. Let it brew for half an hour. Can be served with any main course, including vegetarian ones.