Growing celery - care, varieties, types, useful properties, just secrets and tips. Pantry of health - celery

Planting and caring for celery (in a nutshell)

• Landing: sowing seeds for seedlings of root celery - at the end of February, leaf - two weeks later. Planting seedlings in the garden - in early May.
• Lighting: bright sunlight.
• The soil: loose, light and fertile loamy or sandy loamy soils of slightly alkaline or neutral reaction.
• Watering: once a week with a consumption of 20-25 liters of water per m² of land.
• top dressing: 4 times per season: in the seedling period a week after picking - with a solution of Nitrofoska; a week after planting seedlings in the ground - herbal infusion; after another 2 weeks - a solution of mullein or chicken manure; at the end of July - with a solution of superphosphate.
• reproduction: seed.
• Pests: celery (borsch) flies, carrot flies, bean aphid.
• Diseases: rust, septoria (late burn, or white spot), cercosporosis (early burn), downy mildew and cucumber mosaic virus.

Read more about growing celery below.

Celery plant - description

What does celery look like? Celery vegetable is a biennial herbaceous plant up to 1 m high with a thickened root. In the first year of life, it forms a root crop and a rosette of pinnately dissected, glossy, dark green leaves, and only in the second year does a celery stalk form, and by mid-July the plant blooms with greenish-white flowers collected in umbrella inflorescences. Celery is a cold-resistant and moisture-loving plant, the seeds of which germinate already at 3 ºC, although the optimum temperature for germination of celery seeds is 15 ºC. Emerging shoots are able to endure frosts down to -5 ºC. The fruit of celery is round in shape, it is almost double, with filiform ribs on each half. In culture, three varieties of celery are grown - root, leaf and petiole, or stem. Today, dill, celery and parsley are the most popular green crops in the garden and on the table.

We will tell you everything about growing and caring for celery: how to plant celery, how to grow celery, how to grow root celery, how to grow leaf celery different from growing petiole and how to protect all types of celery from diseases and pests. We hope that the information collected in our article will be useful to you.

Growing celery from seeds

When to plant celery for seedlings.

Since the growing season of celery is from 120 to 170 days, it has to be grown seedling way. Planting root celery for seedlings is carried out 70-75 days before planting seedlings in open ground- that is, at the end of February, and leaf celery seeds are sown two weeks later. The planting of celery is preceded by the preparation of its seeds. The fact is that the presence of essential oil prevents the rapid swelling and germination of celery seeds - sometimes you have to wait up to 3-4 weeks for seedlings. To speed up the germination of celery seeds, they need to be bubbled - hold for a day in oxygen-saturated water, then pickle for 45 minutes in a one percent solution of potassium permanganate, then rinse in clean water and dry. There is another way of pre-sowing treatment: first, the seeds are etched for 45 minutes in a one percent solution of potassium permanganate, washed and soaked for 18 hours in a solution of 2 drops of Epin in half a glass of water.

After processing, celery seeds are scattered thin layer on a damp cloth for germination at a temperature of 20-22 ºC, and only when they hatch, they are sown in boxes with nutrient soil mixture, consisting of one part of soddy land, three parts of lowland peat, and one part of humus with the addition of coarse sand. In a bucket of substrate, you need to add a teaspoon of urea and a glass of wood ash.

As soon as some of the seeds begin to peck, mix all the seeds with sand and sow them in boxes with a moist substrate in grooves made at a distance of 3-4 cm from one another, sprinkle them through a sieve with a thin layer of wet sand, cover the crops with film or glass and put them in a warm place.

Caring for celery seedlings.

Shoots begin to appear in about a week. If necessary, moisten the soil in the boxes with a fine spray warm water. The temperature while waiting for germination should be 22-25 ºC, but as soon as the seeds begin to germinate, the cover is removed and the box is moved as close to the light as possible, and the temperature is lowered to 16 ºC.

The first month and a half, celery seedlings grow very slowly. In the phase of development of one or two true leaves, seedlings of petiole and leaf celery should be thinned out so that the distance between them is 4-5 cm, or they dive into a more spacious container. Seedlings of root celery dive into separate peat-humus pots, while the central root is shortened by a third. When transplanting into pots, seedlings are immersed in the ground up to half of the hypocotyl knee. After picking, the seedlings are protected from direct sunlight for several days with damp paper. At this time, the following temperature regime is set for seedlings: during the day 15-16 ºC, at night - 11-12 ºC.

Growing and caring for root celery during the seedling period is no different from caring for seedlings of leaf or stem varieties: seedlings need to be watered and fed, and the soil around them should be loosened. The first dressing of seedlings is carried out a week and a half after picking or thinning with a nutrient solution of a teaspoon of Nitrophoska in a bucket of water at the rate of 2-3 tablespoons per plant. If it seems to you that the seedlings look too pale, feed the seedlings 2-3 times with urea at intervals of 10-12 days. To prevent seedlings from getting burned, wash off the nutrient solution after feeding. clean water through a sieve. A week and a half before transplanting seedlings to the garden, begin to harden it: daily, for some time, take the seedlings to Fresh air, gradually increasing the duration of the procedure, until the seedlings can be on the street around the clock.

Growing celery on a windowsill

How to grow celery at home.

Planting and caring for celery grown from seeds at home is not much different from growing celery seedlings that we just described. At home, you can grow celery from the root - this method is much easier to perform and gives faster results, but celery grown from seeds will serve you longer. You can plant a new root crop every 2-3 months, or be patient and grow celery from seed that will feed you fresh herbs for over a year.

To grow celery from a root crop, you will need a pot about 20 cm high, in which, depending on the size of the planting material, one to three root crops are planted, the upper part of which should remain above the ground after planting. The soil in a pot, consisting of one part of biohumus and two parts of coconut fiber, is compacted and watered. The composition of the soil for celery may be different. Where to get a root crop for planting? Dig in the country or buy in the market from grandmothers. The first greens will appear in two weeks.

Celery from seeds, planted as described by us in previous section way, it will give the first greens for cutting only after a month and a half, but you will receive an increase in greens for a year, or even more. For sowing, it is better to take the seeds of early varieties of root celery. After presowing treatment, they are sown in moist soil to a depth of 5 mm and covered with glass or film.

Watering celery.

Celery is moisture-loving, therefore, in summer period needs frequent and plentiful watering. Winter watering should be more rare and modest. To moisten the soil, tap water that has been settled for at least a day is used. room temperature. Keep a container of celery on a drip tray so you can drain excess water from it.

Feeding celery.

In order for home-grown celery to feed you fresh herbs for as long as possible, do not forget to feed it. Apply once every 2-3 weeks upper layer soil a teaspoon of Agrolife or dilute a cap of Growth in 2 liters of water and water the celery with this solution once a week. With proper care, celery from the root crop will serve you three to four months, and from the seeds - more than a year.

Planting celery in open ground

When to plant celery outdoors.

Planting celery in open ground is carried out at the stage of development in seedlings of 4-5 leaves with a growth of 12-15 cm, when 50-60 days have passed since the emergence of seedlings. 2-3 hours before transplanting the seedlings to the garden, they are watered abundantly. Best time transplant seedlings to the site - the middle of the first decade of May. Do not overexpose root celery seedlings, otherwise it will be difficult to expect quality root crops from them. Before planting, the seedlings are watered abundantly to make it easier to remove them, along with a clod of earth, from pots or a box.

soil for celery.

Celery cultivation and outdoor care begins with site preparation. Celery loves loose, light, fertile sandy soils of neutral or slightly alkaline reaction. A bed for celery is located in the open sunny place. The best predecessors for celery are legumes, cabbage, tomatoes and cucumbers, but after crops such as dill, parsley, parsnips and carrots, it is better not to grow celery.

The site for celery needs to be prepared in the fall: the soil is dug up to the depth of a shovel bayonet, distributing 3.5-4 kg of humus or compost and 20 g of double superphosphate for each m². In the spring, the soil is loosened on the site, at the same time introducing 35-40 g of complex mineral fertilizer for each m².

Planting celery in the ground.

How to plant celery outdoors? Seedlings of root celery are planted on the bed at a distance of 40-50 cm in a row with row spacings of the same width, and stem and leaf celery are placed after 15-20 cm, maintaining a distance between rows of about 30 cm. Celery can be planted between beds of crops such as garlic , potatoes , onions . Add a handful of humus and ash to each hole, mix them with the ground and plant each seedling to the cotyledon knee when planting, then compact the soil around the seedlings and water the area. After planting, the seedlings are shaded from the bright sun with paper for several days.

Growing celery in the ground.

Growing and caring for stalk celery differs in some ways from growing root or leaf celery. In general, you will perform well-known procedures - mulching, watering, weeding, loosening the soil, and, if necessary, treating pests and diseases. In order to prevent the rapid evaporation of moisture from the soil and the formation of a crust on it, the area with celery immediately after planting is covered with a layer of peat, sawdust or mowed grass.

Three weeks before harvesting petiole or stem celery, its bushes are highly hilled, which helps to whiten the petioles, reduce their bitter taste and the content of essential oils with a pungent odor.

If you are growing root celery, free the upper part of the soil from the soil in the middle of summer, cutting off the lateral roots, and press the root celery leaves to the ground. Do not worry about the fact that they break - this will not harm the plant, on the contrary, this technique contributes to the formation of the largest possible root crop.

When it comes time to harvest, petiole celery, as well as root celery, is completely removed, and leaf celery can be used for forcing at home in the winter: dig up plants with a clod of earth before the first cold weather and plant them in pots.

Watering celery.

Since celery is moisture-loving, it is watered at the rate of 20-25 liters of water per 1 m² per week. Don't let the soil dry out. In drought, you will have to water the celery daily. The soil in the garden should be slightly damp at all times. Watering celery is carried out under the root.

Feeding celery.

For celery to give good harvest, it is fed four times during the season. You already know about feeding during the seedling period. A week after planting on the garden bed, celery is fertilized with herbal infusion, and two weeks later, celery is fed with infusion of mullein or chicken manure. IN last days In July, superphosphate is added to the soil on a bed with celery at the rate of 30 g per m².

What to plant after celery.

On the next year an area where celery grew can grow onions, garlic, legumes, tomatoes, and potatoes.

Pests and diseases of celery

Diseases of celery.

Celery in the open field can get sick with such diseases:

Rust- it manifests itself in early summer by the appearance of red-brown pads on the underside of the petioles, leaves and stalks of celery. With the development of the disease, the affected parts of the plant turn yellow and dry out, losing their taste. To combat rust, plant treatment with Fitosporin-M is used, diluting 4-5 ml of the drug in a liter of water - this amount of solution is enough to process 10 m²;

Septoria, or white spot, or late burn, affects celery at the end of summer: numerous yellow spots appear on the leaves, on the petioles - oblong depressed brown-brown spots. Cold rainy weather stimulates the development of the disease. To treat celery from septoria, the plant is sprayed with solutions of Fundazol or Topsin-M. The last treatment session must be carried out no later than 3 weeks before harvesting;

cercosporosis, or early burn, manifests itself in a damp, cold season with sudden changes in temperature: on leaves in in large numbers there are rounded spots up to 5 mm in diameter with a brown rim and a light middle. On the petioles, the spots are oblong in shape, and if the air humidity rises, the spots become covered with a purple bloom. As a result of the development of the disease, the affected petioles and leaves dry. To combat the disease, the same methods are used as in the treatment of septoria;

downy mildew affects the ground part of the plant, settling on it with a whitish cobweb coating, which eventually turns into a felt film with black dots. The disease progresses with cold dews and sudden changes in humidity and air temperature. The best folk remedy powdery mildew- infusion of field thistle, 300 g of which in crushed form should be poured into 5 liters of water and infused for about 8 hours;

cucumber mosaic- a viral disease. Depending on which strain of the virus affected celery, it manifests itself as large rings on the tops of plants, causing their deformation, or small rings, slowing down the growth of celery. Sick plants should be removed from the garden immediately. Insofar as viral diseases are incurable, they fight against insects that carry viruses - aphids and mites.

The best protection of celery against diseases is their prevention. In order not to resort to treating plants with chemicals, it will be enough to treat the seeds before planting, observe crop rotation and agricultural practices of the crop, do not plant plants too close to each other, remove all plant residues from the site after harvesting and carry out deep digging of the soil.

Celery pests.

Of the insects, celery is most often harmed by the following:

Celery (borsch) fly, which at the end of May flies from the hogweed and lays eggs under the skin of celery leaves, from which tubercles form on them. The larvae of the fly eat away the tissue of the leaves, leaving long passages. From this, the celery stalks acquire a bitter aftertaste, and in general, the crop yield decreases. To prevent this insect from appearing in your garden, remove the weeds in time, and plant an onion next to the celery that repels the celery fly;

carrot fly flies out in the spring and lays eggs under the plants, and the larvae that emerge from them damage the roots, stems and leaves of celery. During the season, this pest gives two generations. To get rid of the carrot fly, several times at weekly intervals sprinkle the soil between the rows of celery with a mixture of dry mustard, sand and tobacco dust in equal parts;

bean aphid- most large view aphids. Each generation develops in just two weeks. Aphids are sucking pests that bite through celery leaves and feed on their juice. In addition, the aphid is a carrier of dangerous and incurable diseases, so it must be fought mercilessly: at the first sign of its appearance, spray celery with a decoction or infusion of tomato, potato or dandelion tops. You can use an aqueous infusion of citrus peels: pour 1 part of the peels with 10 parts of water and leave for 3-5 days.

As preventive measures, it is necessary to remove weeds from the garden in a timely manner, remove plant debris after harvesting, and carry out deep digging of the site.

Types and varieties of celery

As has been said more than once, root, leaf and petiole, or stem celery is most often grown in culture.

Celery root

grown primarily for its root, the healing properties of which are comparable to ginseng root. Celery root crops reach a weight of 500 to 900 g. Since the growing season for celery is at least 120 days, there is no need to talk about early varieties of culture, so we offer you an acquaintance with the best medium-early, mid-ripening and late varieties of celery. The most popular mid-early varieties of celery include:

• – Prague giant- 120 days pass from the emergence of seedlings to the ripening of celery roots of this variety. The roots of the Prague giant are large, turnip-shaped, their flesh is light, tender, fragrant, great taste;
• – Apple- depending on the weather conditions this productive and disease-resistant variety ripens from 90 to 160 days. Its roots are rounded, weighing from 80 to 140 g, with snow-white pulp, rich in sugars. The fruits of this variety are perfectly stored;
• – Gribovsky- the growing season of this variety is 120-150 days, the weight of rounded root crops is from 65 to 135 g, their flesh is fragrant, light with yellow spots. Root crops of this variety are consumed both fresh and dried;
• – globe- a variety with large rounded roots weighing from 150 to 300 g with white, juicy, dense pulp with slight voids;
• – Diamond- the growing season of this variety resistant to bolting is about 150 days. Smooth, rounded roots reach an average weight of 200 g. The flesh remains white even after heat treatment.

Mid-season varieties of root celery include:

• – Albin- this one is high productive variety matures within 120 days. It has rounded roots with a diameter of about 12 cm with white, juicy pulp without voids;
• – Egor- matures in 170 days. Root crops are large, rounded, smooth, weighing up to 500 g, yellowish-gray with greenery. The pulp is fragrant, white and sweet;
• – Esaul- large, weighing up to 300 g, rounded grayish-white root crops of this variety ripen in 150-160 days. The roots of the root crops of this variety are concentrated in the lower part;
• – Strongman- It takes about 170 days to ripen the rounded root crops of this variety. They weigh up to 400 g, white color from yellow tint. The pulp is fragrant, white, sweet;
• – Giant- light beige root crops of this highly productive variety reach 700 g in weight. Their flesh is white, dense, sweet and juicy.

Of the late varieties of root celery, the most popular are:

• – Anita– ripening time 160 days. This productive variety is resistant to bolting, round or oval roots weighing about 400 g of light beige color are distinguished by snow-white pulp that does not lose color even after heat treatment;
• – Maksim- rounded root crops of this variety weighing up to 500 g are ripe for about 200 days. They have creamy flesh with a delicate spicy taste.

leaf celery

grown in order to obtain fragrant leaves with a high content of vitamins throughout the summer. This variety of celery does not form root crops. The most popular of the varieties of celery of this variety are:

• – Kartuli- medium-early Georgian variety, resistant to drought and low temperatures, with fragrant leaves on dark green petioles, growing several times during the summer. The leaves of this variety are used both fresh and dried;
• – Gentle- also a medium-early variety, the technical maturity of which occurs 105-110 days after emergence. The leaves of this variety are also consumed both fresh and dried;
• – Sail- fruitful early ripe variety, ripening in 85-90 days. The leaves have a strong aroma and good taste;
• – Zakhar- mid-season high-yielding variety, giving greenery two to three times more than other leafy varieties. The leaves are tender and fragrant;
• – cheerfulness- mid-season universal variety, resistant to drought and low temperatures and ripening in 65-70 days. The leaves are strongly dissected, glossy and fragrant;
• – Samurai- one of the most popular mid-ripening varieties of leaf celery with strongly corrugated fragrant leaf blades, similar to curly parsley. This variety ripens in 80-85 days;
• – Spartan- a variety with large dark green fragrant leaves, ripening in 80-85 days.

Celery petiole (stem).

The value of stem celery is in fleshy petioles, the thickness of which reaches 4-5 cm. Like leaf celery, petiole celery does not form root crops. Known varieties of stem celery include:

• – Malachite- to obtain thick, juicy and fleshy petioles of this medium-early variety, it will take about 80 days. The leaves of this variety are dark green;
• – Gold- also a medium-early variety, ripening in 150 days. Petioles of this variety not only have excellent palatability, but also bleach themselves;
• – Tango- medium-late stem variety, ripening in 170-180 days, with bluish-green, strongly curved long petioles without coarse fibers;
• – Triumph- mid-late variety, giving juicy and fleshy petioles of dark green color 25-30 cm long.

In addition to the described varieties of celery, varieties such as Yudinka, Snowball, Pascal, Odzhansky, Non Plus Ultra, Cascade, Zvindra, Delicatessen and others.

Properties of celery - harm and benefit

Useful properties of celery.

What is the benefit of celery? The leaves and roots of celery contain amino acids valuable for the human body, carotene, nicotinic acid, essential oils, boron, chlorine, calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium, zinc, potassium, selenium, phosphorus, sulfur, vitamins A, C, E, K , B1, B2, B3, B5, B6 and fiber.

The unique set of proteins, vitamins, acids and minerals contained in celery ensures the stability of cells in the body and slows down the aging process. Celery has a calming effect - celery greens are used in the treatment of nervous disorders caused by overwork. Essential oil of celery stimulates the secretion of gastric juice. Celery is included in the menu of patients with diabetes, as its leaves normalize metabolism. It is indicated for elderly people who need stimulation of water-salt metabolism.

Celery contains coumarins that relieve migraine headaches. As an anti-inflammatory agent, celery reduces swelling and relieves joint pain from gout, arthritis, and rheumatism.

Celery has antiallergic, wound healing, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and laxative properties. It improves the overall tone of the body and stimulates mental and physical performance.

Celery juice cleanses the blood and relieves skin diseases, especially if mixed with dandelion and nettle juice. It is used to treat gastrointestinal diseases, diathesis, urticaria and urolithiasis. For external use - the treatment of ulcers, wounds, burns and inflammation - you need to pass celery greens through a meat grinder and mix it in equal proportions with melted butter.

Celery preparations regulate the activity of the kidneys and liver, enhance sexual function in men, relieve pain, relieve insomnia, are used to combat obesity, normalize metabolism and prevent atherosclerosis.

For the treatment of pathologies of blood vessels and the heart, celery root is used - its use lowers cholesterol in the blood, it lowers blood pressure, improves the functioning of the heart muscle.

Contained in celery large quantities fiber improves intestinal motility, relieving constipation. Men with chronic prostatitis simply need to use celery root, as it actively affects the functioning of the prostate gland, improving its blood supply. In addition, celery is considered one of the strongest aphrodisiacs that enhance sexual desire.

So, let's sum up. Healing properties celery are manifested in the fact that it:

• - helps to treat vascular and heart diseases;
• – strengthening the immune system, prevents infectious diseases;
• - is a prophylactic against atherosclerosis;
• - relieves anxiety and has a positive effect on nervous system;
• - helps to get rid of hypertension, diseases of the genitourinary system and kidneys;
• - encourages work digestive system;
• - eliminates putrefactive processes in the intestines;
• - relieves pain and inflammation in stomach ulcers and gastritis;
• - facilitates the digestibility of proteins.

Celery - contraindications.

People with high acidity of gastric juice, suffering from stomach ulcers or gastritis are not recommended to use celery, as it has a stimulating effect on the digestive system. Celery is not indicated for thrombophlebitis and varicose veins. Contraindication to the use of celery is pregnancy. Nursing mothers are also not recommended to eat celery because of the essential oils that can get into the milk.

First you need to decide what type of celery you want to grow on your site. There are currently three of them:

• Leafy - grown to produce greens rich in vitamins;
• Petiole - to get juicy petioles:
• Root - for obtaining root crops.

When deciding how to plant celery, you need to know that, of course, not so much really depends on the species, but there are still certain nuances.

After you have decided on the type, it is necessary to pay due attention to the choice of seeds, of which there are a great many on the market today. It would seem that the whole difference lies only in appearance and in some agricultural technology. In fact, celery different varieties differs in taste, application, properties. Therefore, everything is individual here and, probably, you will have to try several options in order to choose the most suitable variety for yourself.

Varieties that have received the greatest demand and popularity:

• Root: Diamond, Maxim, Apple.
• Sheet: Cheerfulness, Spartan, Kartuli.
• Petiole: Atlas, Malachite, Jung.

Growing leafy celery

Before wondering how to plant leaf celery, it must be said that the seeds of this plant germinate rather slowly, and in the initial period it itself does not show activity in development. Therefore, seedlings in this case are the best way out. However, not wanting to pre-germination seeds, you can sow them immediately in the garden, but you need to do this in early spring. It is also worth saying that this culture is quite cold-resistant: both seedlings and seeds can endure slight frosts.

Before the seeds are sown, they must be pre-treated. Here, each gardener has his own method, but the most popular is soaking them in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, literally for several hours. After that, the seeds are germinated on a damp cloth, and only then they are sown for growing seedlings in boxes with pre-prepared soil. For the soil, a mixture is prepared consisting of humus, sand, peat and leafy soil. They try to take the same parts, but it's okay if some component turns out to be slightly larger. All actions are carried out around the beginning of March.

After the first shoots have appeared, the seedlings, so that they do not stretch out, need to create the appropriate conditions - to ensure the ambient temperature is 14-15 degrees Celsius and observe the light regime.

As soon as the plant has two true leaves, a pick is made - pinching the main root, which has a positive effect on the formation of the root system. Planting of finished seedlings or sowing seeds into the ground is carried out in mid-April - early May, using a 25x25 scheme.

We grow celery

Growing seedlings of petiole celery is similar to growing leaf seedlings. There is a slight difference only when planting seedlings in open ground. The prepared material is planted in grooves, the depth of which is approximately 10 centimeters. This method has a beneficial effect on the formation of the petiole.

Root celery must be grown only by seedlings, since sowing seeds in open ground will not give the expected results - the root simply does not have time to grow. Planting root celery for seedlings should take place in early to mid-February, since the vegetative period for this crop is from 150 to 200 days.

Before sowing seeds, they must be pre-treated. This can be done with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Or take the seeds and put them in cheesecloth, rinse under running water hot water and then soak in water at room temperature for 3 days. After soaking, the seeds must be dried slightly. And only after that you can start planting them.

The soil for growing seedlings can be prepared in the manner described above, or you can simply take the prepared soil from the garden in the fall, adding sand and humus to it.

Until the first shoots appear, the box with the sown seeds should be in a room with a temperature of 20 to 25 degrees Celsius. When the first shoots appear, it is necessary to place the seedlings in a cooler place where the air temperature was approximately 16 degrees. Also, in order for the seedlings not to stretch out much and start to fall sideways, it should be provided with additional illumination.

An important point in this case is considered a pick. Moreover, the procedure must be carried out twice until the seedlings are planted in open ground, and each time the main root is shortened by about a third. During the second pick, it is better to immediately transplant the plant into a separate, fairly spacious container, which will allow the root crops to develop properly, which means the root will be even and smooth.

It is better to transplant celery in open ground in good warm weather. And it would be better to know that such grace will last for about a week. Landing takes place at a distance of at least 30 cm. from each other.

How to care for celery

All questions have already been resolved: when to sow celery, how to properly process the seeds, and indeed the plant itself has already been planted in the garden. Now you need to decide how to properly care for the crop so that it pleases with a good harvest. In general, care is about the same for all three types of celery. But let's dwell on this issue in more detail.

So, common to all three types is that celery does not like it when even a light crust forms on the surface of the earth, so loosening the soil when growing a plant plays a significant role. In addition, the culture does not like thickening, so experienced gardeners it is advised not only to plant seedlings at a sufficient distance from each other, but also to regularly weed the bed from growing weeds. Do not forget about watering - the soil where celery grows should be moderately moist, so watering the beds with the planted crop must be carried out as the earth dries.

In addition, it is necessary to regularly feed the plants, applying appropriate fertilizers approximately 2 times a month.

Due attention when growing celery must be given to soil mulching. This will prevent the soil from drying out too quickly, and the mulch will also keep the soil from crusting.

Concerning individual features, then the following should be taken into account:

• Leaf celery does not like deep landing, preferring to grow on the surface
• Petiole celery is planted in grooves up to 10 cm deep. In addition given type requires more frequent hilling, which helps the petiole to form
• Root does not need hilling at all. The earth is even raked from the top of the plant so that lateral roots do not appear.

In general, if you make a little effort and take proper care of the plant during the summer, the result will exceed all expectations and you will get a good harvest.

Foreword

Cultivation of leaf celery for seedlings is very popular among most gardeners in our country. This culture is widely used for salads and other dishes. Celery leaves have many beneficial properties, among which it is worth highlighting the ability to improve digestion and increase immunity.

Celery belongs to cold-resistant plants, however, in northern regions of our country, young shoots of culture are not able to withstand frequent spring frosts. It is best to sow celery seeds in mid or late April to get juicy, vitamin-rich leaves as early as late June. To be in time for the April planting, the seed must be prepared since March.

celery seedling

First, soak the seeds for several hours in warm water or a weak solution of potassium permanganate. After that, drain the water and put the seeds on wet gauze. As soon as the seeds hatch, they must be laid out in containers with soil, sprinkled a little with peat. Prepare the soil for planting using the following components:

• humus;
• sand;
• land from the garden;
• peat.

Take each of the components in equal amounts and pour into large containers. Mix the soil thoroughly and take the boxes to a warm, well-lit room with an air temperature of 18-23 ° C. In the room, the earth should warm up for at least a week. After a week, make shallow grooves in the boxes and place the seeds in them at a distance of 3 cm from each other. Sprinkle the seeds with peat on top and put glass on the container. After the appearance of the first seedlings, the glass must be removed, and the containers with celery seedlings should be transferred to a room with a temperature of 15–20 ° C.

Just like with , leaf crops Transplant when seedlings have 2 true leaves. Each of the sprouts must be transplanted into a separate cup or into other boxes, keeping a distance of 5 cm between seedlings. At the same time, pinch the main root of each of the plants. After picking the plants, start preparing them for planting in open ground. To do this, take the containers with seedlings to fresh air and leave them outside for 1 hour.

Planting seedlings in the ground

May is considered a suitable period for transplanting seedlings into open soil. Plants should be planted at a distance of 20 cm from each other, trying not to expose their roots. For picking, it is best to choose a cloudy day or a late cool evening.

We do not recommend planting seedlings in the soil where parsnips, carrots or dill were grown before. The soil for growing celery should be neutral, light and fertile. Sandy loam or loam is best suited for these purposes. If the soil is quite heavy, then in the fall it will be necessary to add sand, peat and rotted sawdust to it. At the same time, you need to make - compost or humus. At proper care celery will germinate without problems in a slightly acidified soil, but it will already have a slightly different smell.

2 weeks after picking into open soil, seedlings need to be fed for the first time. To do this, use store-bought nitrogen-potassium supplements or chicken manure at the rate of 100 g per liter of water. Fertilize next month. In the case of growing leaf celery, nitrogen-potassium fertilizers need to be applied several times. Immediately after fertilizing, wash the lower leaves of the seedlings with warm water. For better germination, loosen the soil after top dressing.

Celery before picking

Cultivation does not require special care and doesn't take much time. However, it is important not to forget to cut off dry leaves. This is done several times during the entire period of germination. To further breed a crop from your seeds, shelter your celery from the winter cold. Inhabitants southern regions In Russia, they cover the bed for the winter, and in the second year of cultivation they allow the celery to bloom and form fruits with seeds. If the seedlings are grown in colder areas where the shelter will not protect the plants from frost, then the seedlings will need to be dug out of the soil and transferred to a cool room. Before this, shoots must be cut from the plants. In the spring, when the earth warms up, the plants return to the garden.

In order for celery to germinate quickly, it must be watered in a timely manner, weeded and loosened the ground. This culture is very fond of abundant moisture, but seedlings do not need to be transfused so that the water does not stagnate. An excess of moisture will contribute to the appearance of slugs, scoops and snails. You need to weed the beds as often as possible. Do not leave plant debris between rows. Be sure to loosen the soil after each watering so that there are no hard lumps of earth near the seedlings.

Pest control - is Fundazol useful?

Planting and growing leafy celery for seedlings requires attention. To get a rich healthy harvest, take the time to fight dangerous pests this culture. One of these is the celery fly. In May, she lays her eggs on inside leaves. The larvae eat stems and leaves, leaving small grooves inside them. To prevent the appearance of a fly, it is necessary to add lime to the acidic soil and thin out the seedlings in time. As a preventive measure, we advise you to dig deep into the soil in the autumn.

In the wet season, cercosporosis may appear on celery leaves. Symptoms include the appearance of small round spots with white centers.

With a further increase in humidity, the spots become purple. To cure infected celery, it is necessary to treat the plants with a solution Fundazola or Topsina-M. It is necessary to prepare the product strictly according to the instructions and use 10 liters of the drug per 1 m 2 of the garden.

A personal plot is needed not so much to generate income, but to obtain the most useful and fresh harvest, therefore, planning spring planting, remember that in nature there is petiole celery. Growing and caring for it does not cause much trouble. You can also grow leaf celery. These two types will help diversify the menu and enrich the diet with vitamins.

Garden preparation

First you need to decide on a place for planting celery. It should be well lit, but some shading is allowed. The plant tolerates prolonged heat and constant drying of the soil.

The soil should be loose, fertilized, if it is clayey, then rotted sawdust or compost is added. Like many other crops, celery prefers neutral acidity. It is advisable to prepare a site for planting a plant in the fall, adding 5 kg of humus to each m2.

Celery grows well after pumpkin, zucchini, watermelon, cabbage, tomatoes. In areas where carrots, parsley, parsnips or other umbrella plants were planted in the previous year, it is better not to plant it. Otherwise, the spread of diseases, a poor harvest, is possible.

Variety selection

Effective cultivation of petiole celery from seeds is impossible without choosing a variety and purchasing seed. Early varieties Golden and Malachite are popular. Many people like the long, thick stems of the late Tango variety, prized for its pleasant smell and long shelf life. There are also varieties Pascal, Triumph, Golden Pen and others. Each of them is characterized by its ripening period, stem size, resistance to high and low temperatures. The taste and aroma of the petioles may vary slightly.

Varieties of leaf celery are much larger. They differ in duration growing season, leaf shape, aroma intensity, drought tolerance. Of the most famous varieties one can distinguish Samurai, Gentle, Sail, Kartuli, Cheerfulness.

When buying seed, pay attention to the expiration dates on the package. Small celery seeds store a maximum of 2 years. The longer they lie, the more they lose their germination.

How to grow seedlings

Celery cultivated (odorous) is a herbaceous biennial plant. All species and varieties easily tolerate frost of -6 ° C, they can winter under the snow. The seeds are very small, germinate for a long time, so seedlings are grown first, and then the plant is transplanted to permanent place in a garden or greenhouse.

Sowing begins at the end of February or in the first days of March. You should pay attention to the recommendations for the cultivation of a particular variety, since leaf celery usually sprouts faster than petiole. Only the timing differs, but otherwise the cultivation of seedlings is similar.

• Celery seeds are soaked for 2-3 days in slightly warm clean water, it is convenient to use a cloth or paper napkin for this.
• In a tray 7 cm deep, soil is poured for growing seedlings, loosened, leveled and watered from a watering can or spray gun so that the top layer is well moistened.
• The seeds are slightly dried so that they do not stick to the hands, and evenly scattered on the ground.
• Can be sprinkled on top with a thin layer of soil or covered plastic wrap. This is necessary so that moisture does not evaporate.
• Seeds will germinate in 2, maximum 3, weeks at a temperature of +20 °C.
• When 2 permanent leaves appear, the seedlings dive or thin out. The distance between the bushes should be 5-6 cm.

Counting 70 days from the day of sowing, you will get the approximate time for planting celery in the garden under the open sky or in the greenhouse. To increase the germination of seeds, they can be stratified. Stratification is done in the following way:

• Seeds are wrapped in a damp cloth, and kept for 5 days at room temperature (+22 ° C), wetting from time to time.
• For 10 days, a cloth with inoculum is placed in the refrigerator.

After cold treatment, seedling growth is faster and better. If you purchased seeds granulated or inlaid (coated with a special shell), then you do not need to soak them, otherwise the agricultural technique is the same as for ordinary seeds.

Transplanting and caring for petiole celery

Landing in the ground begins in May, when the soil warms up enough. Rows are dug every 40 cm, and bushes are planted at a distance of 20-25 cm from each other. You can select a separate area or plant celery between ridges of other vegetable crops (tomato, onion, cabbage, etc.).

For planting, furrows or individual holes are made about 10 cm deep. It is important not to cover the place where the stem begins to branch with earth, so that the petiole can develop quickly.

Top dressing begins only after the celery takes root. It is preferable to feed a liquid infusion of cow dung or chicken manure. If there is no manure, then it is replaced with nitrogen fertilizers. Petiole celery improves growth when potassium salt is added.

To retain moisture, the soil around the rooted plants is mulched. In this case, you can not fill up the place where the root passes into the stem.

When the thickening of the stem is noticeable, hilling is carried out. Diligent loosening of the soil, pulling out weeds discourages slugs from stalks and contributes to the formation of a juicy petiole. When hilling, try not to fill up the root collar.

Petiole whitening

In celery, stretched 25-30 cm, thick green stalks have a specific bitter taste. There are several ways to whiten them and take away the bitterness.

• About a month before harvesting, carry out a high hilling. The earth will not allow sunlight to penetrate to the petioles, and they will gradually become light green, almost white.
• The leaves are loosely tied with soft twine, and the stem is covered with cardboard to the ground.
• Instead of cardboard, you can use newspaper, pipe scraps, dark plastic bottles, straw.

When light access to the petioles is limited, they lose excess essential oils, the vegetable acquires a more delicate pleasant taste and turns white.

When using packaging material, it should be remembered that it should not smell of anything, because celery strongly absorbs surrounding odors.

If there is no desire to engage in hilling, tying and fencing, then they buy self-bleaching varieties. But some of them do not tolerate cold well and are not stored for long.

How to get a big crop of leaf celery

In salads and seasonings, leaf celery is popular; productive cultivation from seeds of this species has some features.

In leaf celery, the seeds germinate a little faster than in the petiole, the leaves develop more intensively. This allows the plant to be cultivated in the northern regions. Sowing seeds begins in the first half of March. And at the end of the first summer month you can already cut the greens, adding it to salads, soups, sauces.

Perhaps it is worth starting with what culture is. This is a member of the Umbrella family, a vegetable crop and herbaceous plant that can be biennial or perennial. More than twenty plant species are found worldwide.

Most often, biennial specimens are grown in our country, which bear fruit in the form of roots and greenery in the first year, and in the second they bloom and form a fruit with seeds.

types of celery

First of all, I would like to outline the main types that we will talk about today. These are leaf, petiole and root celery.

Growing leaf celery makes it possible to obtain green and juicy leaves of the plant, which can be cut throughout the warm period.

Growing a petiole variety is practiced by summer residents, as well as large trade enterprises working with fresh herbs to get juicy plant petioles for preparing a variety of dishes and even alcoholic cocktails.

Growing root celery helps to get roots, respectively, which in a good season can be up to 600-800 g per plant.

Varieties for planting in the country

Each individual variety differs not only appearance, but also the taste and scope of the plant.

At the moment, enough individual varieties are known, but the following are in greatest demand:

• Leaf celery - Gentle, Kartuli, Cheerfulness, Zakhar;
• petiolate - Young, Malachite, Golden, White feather;
• root - Maxim, Diamant, Esaul, Gribovsky, Apple.

Time-tested variety of cucumbers "Nezhinsky"

Among the presented varieties of plants, you can choose absolutely any, since by creating certain conditions and observing the agricultural cultivation technique, you can get good results. But pay attention to which particular plant variety is most suitable for you, early or late.

How to grow celery in the country

The plant prefers quiet places with fertile soil and good lighting. But, a good harvest is also quite real on slightly acidic soils, in partial shade, in which case you will not lose in the harvest, but only get some of its changes, for example, a change in the aroma of celery leaves.

Outdoor cultivation

Leaf celery is considered a fairly cold-resistant plant that can tolerate frost or even winter as an adult without loss. At the very beginning of its development, it grows weakly, and this is very noticeable. This happens due to small seeds and their not very good germination, and therefore, experienced gardeners prefer the cultivation of leaf celery seedlings.

Seed preparation

In order to change the germination of seeds for the better, they must be prepared. To do this, the seeds are soaked in a special solution, for example, in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, and left for several hours. After germinating on moistened gauze for several days.

Sowing seeds of leaf celery

When the seeds are prepared, they can be sown in a special soil mixture. The best mixture for this is considered to be a mixture of sand, leafy soil, humus and peat, in a ratio of 1: 1: 1: 1. Sowing is carried out in the first days of March, in ready-made wooden boxes with the specified soil mixture. Seeds should be sown shallowly, covered with peat powder. Further, for almost a week, until the seeds germinate, you will be required to maintain a stable temperature environment within +17+20°С. After the seeds sprout, the temperature should be lowered to +15°C. Growing seedlings requires a clearly normalized daylight hours, determined temperature regime and accurate, timely watering (preferably through a sieve), only in this case the seedlings will be strong and suitable for transfer to open ground. If errors are allowed, the greens can simply grow. At the moment when a young plant gives two true leaves, it should be dived with pinching of the main root, which will contribute to the confident development of the seedling root system. Transfer to open ground occurs in April or early May, the planting pattern is 25-25 cm.

Planting garlic in autumn and winter in the Urals, Siberia and other regions of Russia

plant care

Celery growers say that the plant should not be planted very deep in the ground so that the growing point is on the surface. After planting, the care of the culture itself is very simple and does not steal much time.

First of all, follow the timely cleaning of weeds between the rows of planted plants, as well as systematic watering. So that a crust does not form and stagnate on the surface of the soil, which does not benefit celery, it is constantly loosened, preferably after each watering. But, to reduce time costs, you can mulch the soil, which will enable it to retain the amount of moisture necessary for the growth and development of the crop, eliminate the lush vegetation of weeds inside the celery beds, as well as the formation of a crust. By adhering to the correct cultivation technology, you will be able to harvest as early as mid-July - early August.

Growing root celery

Due to the very long growing season, it is desirable to grow only by seedlings. Growing from seeds is almost the same as in the case of leaf celery, it is only necessary to plant the crop a month earlier, having previously prepared the seeds well.

Also, there are certain features of growing celery root, including double picking during transplanting seedlings, proper preparation of seedlings and fertilizers to enhance growth and harvest strength for the season.

We also recommend that you think about the very type of plant from which you need the root. Of course, during the growth process, you can also collect leaves, but it is worth limiting the amount of collection to a minimum, since only at the end of the season, the main organic substances from the leaves will begin to accumulate in root crops. Otherwise, a good harvest will not be possible.

Caring for celery root

Care is practically the same as caring for a leafy species, which means loosen the ground and water the plants systematically, arrange mulch in the celery bed and remove weeds that may appear near the planting.

Crop rotation of vegetable crops at their summer cottage: table

The agricultural technique of growing celery root has some features, and the most important of them, which can affect the quality of the root crop, is the hilling of the fruit during growth. This is strictly prohibited, it is even recommended to clean the upper part of the root crop from the soil.

Harvesting requires some preparation. 15-20 days before the start of the collection, it is necessary to cut off the side leaves of the plant, and further rake the soil from the upper part of the fruit. Further, after the required period, approximately by mid-October, you can start harvesting.

Growing petiole celery

Initially, growing stalked celery from seed to seedlings is no different from growing a leaf variety, but then, already when planting seedlings in open ground, there are some features.

Seedlings are transferred to the ground, into grooves that exceed the planting depth of leaf celery, their depth is about 10 cm. Throughout the growing season, even several hillings are possible.

Diseases and pests

All the work of a gardener can be nullified due to pests and diseases that attack plants throughout the entire ripening period. Proper agricultural technology, as well as prevention, can resist them.

To prevent the spread of bacterial spot, heart rot, white stem rot, viral mosaic, black leg and celery stem base rot in the garden and in plants, it is necessary to strictly adhere to the basic rules for growing a plant. Among them, only timely watering, the exclusion of waterlogging of the soil, the thickening of the planting, as well as the spread of weeds in the garden. Carriers of diseases can also be standard pests of celery: scoops, larvae of carrot flies, various snails and slugs, which should be disposed of on time through prevention and spraying.

Also, an excellent method to prevent crop loss can be mixed fit, for example, with others herbaceous plants or vegetables.

Video about growing celery

Proper agricultural technology will allow you to get a good harvest of celery almost everywhere. Naturally, some climatic conditions not quite suitable for growing this crop, but then you can grow it at home - prepare the seeds, grow seedlings, apply a transplant, provide care and get the desired crop.