Tips To Grow Celery At Home

Celery has long been established as a food which can aid with weight loss due to its extremely low calorie content. However it also has many other health-giving properties. It’s a good source of vitamin C, and its seeds are high in calcium. Celery is delicious raw as a snack and will often be eaten with dips or cream cheese.

There are actually several different varieties of celery that can be grown at home. The main types are trench, self-blanching, green, and leaf, and within these types are different varieties. Some examples include Giant White and Giant Red for trench celery, and Golden Self Blanching and Golden Plume for self blanching. Green varieties include Utah and American Green, and an example of leaf celery is the Par-Cel.

To grow celery effectively the soil needs to be moisture retaining but well drained. Ideally it will have a pH of 6-6.8. It should be fine and quite firm. Celery is a rich feeding vegetable, and so compost and manure should be abundantly worked into the soil. Any stones or weeds should be removed prior to planting.

Celery seeds must be germinated in a propagator until they have formed their first proper leaves. Seeds should be sown in around March or April in a small pot or seed tray. After they have germinated the seedlings can be placed in their own pots. After six to eight weeks they should be strong enough to be planted outside.

Celery will grow better if it is planted in a grid pattern rather than rows. The spacing used will depend on the type of celery being grown. Trench celery will be planted in trenches, and will be spaced around twelve to eighteen inches apart. Self blanching celery can be planted in a grid pattern with each young plant around six inches from the others.

The plants should be watered on a daily basis for the first few weeks at least. Mulching will also help with the plants’ development, due to its moisture retaining properties. The soil should also be regularly maintained to remove any weeds. If necessary, liquid fertilizer can be applied to the soil roughly one month after planting.

Gardeners must be wary of several problems which celery is susceptible to. The most common is the celery fly, which will cause blistering on the plant. Aphids and slugs are other pests which are attracted to celery. Other problems might include leafspot, cracked stems, or blackheart, where the tips of the inner stalks will turn black as a result of a calcium deficiency.

When all of these problems are avoided celery will be able to be harvested from August until the cold weather brings a ground frost. They can simply be lifted out of the ground using a hand fork. Individual outer stalks can also be removed rather than the entire plant. Celery will keep very well in the fridge for at least a few weeks.

And for more helpful tips for vegetable gardening, visit Vegetable Gardens Made Easy.