Hi,
Thinking about growing celery in 2008. I wonder if anyone has any tips.
Thanks,
DL
Anyone here grow celery??
I'll be growing some in EBs. (Earthboxes www.earthbox.com) My seeds are on order and I'm waiting for them to arrive. This is my first time for celery also. I'll be planting as soon as they arrive. I know the PH should be normal about 6 to 7.
Hey Guys;I grow a rare red stemmed variety as well as a couple heirloom green vars.In order to grow what is sold in grocery stores you have to blanch with cardboard or heavy paper.I don't as non blanched has a better taste but isn't that great raw.But then again I am not that into raw celery. I usually grow it in the fall/winter.Earthboxes are the perfect planter as they are techniquelly a bog plant.
We grow celery for the Farmers Market. Plant the seeds early, like early March here. Transplant them out in May. By late July to early August they should be ready to use.
The first year we sold them for 50¢ each. We now get $1.00 for each one. They are not hard to grow. We plant them about 6" apart. Put drip tape on them. They like lots of water. We plant in very heavy black loamy soil. No need to blanch them, like somebody said they are way better not blanched. We ran out of celery today. People come back for it once they try it. I don't agree with zebraman, it is a lot better raw than store bought.
People use the leaves also. They can be thrown in soup or dried.
Bernie
GOOD TO KNOW!.....
dancinglemons,
I grew celery one year. I ordered the seed from Pinetree, and started the tiny seeds in my greenhouse. I moistened seed starter mix, and pressed the seeds on top. It takes 2 weeks or longer to sprout. You have to plant it early, so it matures before the August heat. The celery was tender, and the leaves mild and delicious. But the whole plant went to seed the first week of August. The celery was Utah 52-70, and it takes almost three months for maturity. About a hundred seeds per packet for about a dollar. Good germination.
I bought this one from Johnny's. Also planted the Celariac.
http://www.johnnyseeds.com/catalog/subcategory.aspx?category=1&subcategory=18
Thanks folks!! I grow an all EarthBox garden (15 and counting) so this will be great for me to try in 2008. All of the tips on what and what not to do will really help me.
Thanks again,
DL
CG --- What is celeriac and how do you use it? I looked it up at Johnny's. Looks interesting....
Hey Tplant; it is a root vegetable.The bulb grows above the ground,like Kohlrabi and tastes similar to celery/parsley.It is used in Soups/stews and vegetable grautins.
We cubed one last night & boiled it. Texture like potato & celery flavor.
Good raw also. A chef at an upscale restaurant served it & carrots sliced thin with a dressing for a salad. Person telling me said it was very good.
Bernie
Live and Learn! Thanks...
Zebra, what varitety is your red one?
TPlant, I love celeriac. It is worth growing just to have it around for the smell. Tastes good too.
I am trying this year.
Is it a very sloooow grower? It took forever to germinate
BB
When I raised celery, it was small and slow at first, but really took off soon. I tried about 3 varieties and all were stringy for me....does it need extra , extra water to be tender?
We didn't add extra water last year. This year was dry so we put T-Tape along the row. Watered quite a few times. It was way better this year.
Hey Agrinerd; The celery is called "Red Stalk".It's an English heirloom, doesn't produce seeds until the second year.I have seeds to another English heirloom var. "Solid Red" but haven't grown it yet.
Thanks. I'll look them up.
Since I can never find celeriac plants, I have to start from seed. Germination is slow, but success for me is iffy. Plants take forever to size up under lights and some years I don't get any plants big enough to survive transplanting outside. Still, I think its worth the effort.
Thought I would revive this thread. This was my first year to grow both celeriac and red adventure celery..
We had a strangely cool and wet Spring and Summer.. I started them all from seed.. I thought the celery was a little stringier than I would have liked.. but great flavor..
I was going to try to bring the celeriac into the GH.. I just had one plant left..
I am wondering what will happen if I leave the celery in the ground.. Will it survive the winter here? What if I mulch it heavily? It is beautiful and healthy..
It dies suddenly at 30º.
We have been growing it for years.
It's great in soups & stews. A little tough for celery sticks.
Flavor is suburb!
Bernie
Good to know Bernie.. So , I won't leave it in the ground then..
Oh yeah.. so far great in soup... lots of celery flavor.. wow! stew next..