11/3/2023 0 Comments Growing celery seedlingsThe plant will keep producing more stalks from the center!īecause celery is exceptionally sensitive to environmental stresses, watering consistently is possibly the most important key for a healthy crop. When harvesting, simply pull what you need from the outer stalks. Feeding with your favorite balanced liquid fertilizer every 3-4 weeks is helpful. As they grow, you need to keep the plants well-watered to prevent stress which will cause the stalks to flower (also known as bolting) and will make your celery very bitter and not good for eating. Plant your seedlings 8-12” apart in rows that are 2’ apart. Celery will do well with the extra nutrients compost will provide. When you are ready to transplant outside, prepare your bedding area with 3 generous inches of a good compost. This your seedlings to about 1” apart after the second set of true leaves develop, or at this time plant in individual pots. Planting and Aftercare:Ĭelery seedlings germinate best in a temperature of 55-60 degrees F, so skip your heat mat! You should plan on keeping your seedlings inside for 10-12 weeks as they are slow growers, so time this with your last frost date in spring, with the goal of planting out about 2-4 weeks after your last frost date. Some people like its softer texture and subtler flavor. Self-Blanching types have naturally lighter-colored stems, similar to the color of celery you find in the grocery store. Some people prefer pale celery, especially for fresh eating because of its mild flavor and will blanch green types by mounding soil around the stalks or using a brown paper bag to keep the sunlight from darkening the stems. Green Celery varieties have a stronger taste, are crisper, and contain more vitamins than self-blanching pale colored celeries. There are two basic types of celery: standard green celery (which includes pink and red tinged varieties) and golden celery, also known as self-blanching varieties. When harvesting just what you need from the outside of the plants, they can continue to grow all season long! To discourage pests celery is appealing to flea beetles, slugs, snails, earwigs and more cover the plants with garden fabric (row covers) during the first four to six weeks of the growing season.Celery has a very long maturing time, and can be finicky about soil nutrients, but growing your own celery is easy when given enough time and compost! Growing your own is also very economical. To freeze celery, just cut the stalks into half-inch pieces and store in freezer-grade bags. Both the stalks and the leaves can be dried or frozen for winter use. For flavoring soups, stews and other dishes, homegrown celery has far more flavor. Its stalks are also very pale (rather than green) because the stems of commercially-produced celery are protected from sunlight. Store-bought celery is almost always taller and more robust than the celery you grow in your own garden. Give your plants a drink of manure tea, fish emulsion or liquid fertilizer once a month to boost their size. It grows best in full sun, but part shade is acceptable. Young celery is as good as - or better - than the mature product.Ĭelery is not very frost-hardy, so select a variety that is suited to your climate and get an early start. But the good news is you can start picking the stalks whenever you want. It takes three to four and a half months for celery to mature, depending on the variety. or more, and when the nights don't dip down below 40 degrees F. Plant your celery outdoors when the soil temperature reaches 50 degrees F. Germination should take place in about a week. Simply press the seeds into potting soil that's formulated for seed-starting and cover the trays or pots with plastic covers to hold the moisture. To get good germination, don't cover the seeds with soil they need light in order to germinate. Start the seeds indoors 10-12 weeks before the last frost date. Grow it well and you'll be surprised to discover that homegrown celery has real flavor, not just crunch.Ĭelery is a slow grower. If you allow the soil to dry out, you will get celery, but it will be tough, bitter and chewy more fit for cows than people. Give it plenty of water and a good rich soil, and you can have a supply of celery from midsummer into late fall. In fact, it is quite easy to grow, but has some very specific needs. Celery is usually considered a crop for experienced gardeners, not beginners.
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