Through many centuries of evolution, this aromatic vegetable has made its way into gardens and cuisines around the world. Let’s demystify growing celery and dig into how you can successfully cultivate it in your garden with minimal effort.Ĭelery has an intriguing history as both food and medicine. After growing celery on commercial organic farms in a wide range of climates, I am proud to say that any savvy gardener can conquer this crisp umbel-family vegetable. If you’ve been wanting to test out your horticultural skills with this herby vegetable, you’re in the right place. It also can be used as a storage crop through the fall and early winter. Celery is a nutritious, hydrating, and delicious addition to any garden. Health trends like celery juice, children’s snacks like “ants on a log”, and classic dishes like holiday stuffing aren’t going away any time soon. Plus, you don’t have to worry about celery’s “dirty dozen” reputation for pesticide residues. Successfully growing celery is definitely a badge of honor in the gardening world. While many varieties have triple-digit days to maturity and the plant is a bit finicky, the truth is that celery is fairly simple to grow once you get the hang of it. But garden-grown celery is fresher, better tasting, and less chemical-laden than its store-bought counterparts. Many gardeners (and even farmers!) shy away from this aromatic biennial because it takes a long time to mature and is sensitive to both heat and cold. Transplant your celery seedlings 6 to 10 inches apart.Celery has a reputation for being very challenging to grow. I like to harden off my celery seedlings by taking them outside a few hours a day for at least a few days to get them used to the outdoor conditions. Once your last frost passes and nights remain above 50☏ (10☌), seedlings that are a few inches tall with a few sets of true leaves can be transplanted. Water them well after you transplant to reduce transplant shock. the leaves after the first two seed leaves), you can either thin them out to one plant per cell, or if you sprinkled them all in one pot, you can very carefully tease them out and transplant them into their own small pots. You can use a fluorescent, compact fluorescent, or LED grow light, but celery seedlings are very heat sensitive and will wilt if they are too close to the light – yes, I’m speaking from experience.Īfter your celery seedlings grow their first true leaves (i.e. Once they sprout, take off the plastic cover (if you’ve used one) and mist daily as the sprouts get established. One trick I’ve used is to use a clear plastic cover over them to keep them from drying out. Keep them warm and moist under lights until they germinate, which could take up to two weeks. I like to use a small 3-inch pot, but you can sprinkle them in seed-starting cells. Sprinkle them on the surface of moist potting mix and mist them with water. Planting Celery: From Seed to TransplantĬelery is one of the few vegetables whose seeds are surface sown. Transplant seedlings when they are a couple inches tall and after your last frost, when night temperatures stay above 50☏ (10☌). However, you can plant them up to your last frost date if you have a long enough growing season and still get a harvest. Because of this, you should plant your celery seeds indoors 8 to 12 weeks before your average last frost date. Celery takes anywhere from 80 to 110 days to mature. When to Plant Celery Seeds and Transplant Seedlingsįor a vegetable that doesn’t produce fruit, it’s surprisingly slow-growing. And you can also eat the leaves! They’re great in salads or used in soups. Just keep in mind that homegrown celery stalks usually aren’t as thick as those in the grocery store, but their flavor is much more intense. You also get a chance to grow many different varieties you can’t find at the nursery, like Giant Red celery or Tango celery – both super flavorful varieties. You really haven’t tasted celery until you’ve tasted it homegrown. Growing celery from seed, aside from being highly fulfilling, is a way to get great tasting organic celery harvested a few steps from your door. Planting Celery: From Seed to Transplant.When to Plant Celery Seeds and Transplant Seedlings.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |