Early (self blanching) Celery

Discussion in 'Edible Gardening' started by Scrungee, Apr 30, 2018.

  1. Scrungee

    Scrungee Well known for it

    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2010
    Messages:
    16,524
    Location:
    Central England on heavy clay soil
    Ratings:
    +28,996
    Bit of yet another experiment this year, using some techniques gleaned from giant celery growers (who start theirs off very early), I'm trying to work out how to get an earlier crop than waiting for frosts to pass before planting outside.

    I've been making successional sowings of celery seeds for a couple of months, bringing the plants on using additional lighting from T5 growlights, and the largest plants are now almost 400mm high and in deep 2L rose pots (to avoid root disturbance).

    I'm just about to sow more seeds, plus have plants in 40x cell modules, 24x cell modules and 70mm square pots. As soon as it's warm enough to plant the largest in polytunnel borders they'll go in, together with some of the earlier sown plants. Hope to work out the optimum times/method for early and continuous crops all summer and autumn.

    17th March

    celery 17 Mar.jpg

    Today

    celery.jpg
     
    • Like Like x 3
    • kazzawazza

      kazzawazza Total Gardener

      Joined:
      May 16, 2015
      Messages:
      1,857
      Gender:
      Female
      Location:
      Midlands
      Ratings:
      +1,857
      I’ve just bought some self-blanching celery - never grown it before, so I thought I’d give it a try.
       
    • Scrungee

      Scrungee Well known for it

      Joined:
      Dec 5, 2010
      Messages:
      16,524
      Location:
      Central England on heavy clay soil
      Ratings:
      +28,996
      If planted out in open ground, it grows better planted in a block and with a low (say 300mm high) mini windbreak/screen around the perimeter.
       
      • Informative Informative x 1
      • kazzawazza

        kazzawazza Total Gardener

        Joined:
        May 16, 2015
        Messages:
        1,857
        Gender:
        Female
        Location:
        Midlands
        Ratings:
        +1,857
        I didn’t think you put collars on self-blanching :scratch: :what:

        What is the ‘mini windbreak’ for and what what do you make it from - cardboard? :)
         
      • Scrungee

        Scrungee Well known for it

        Joined:
        Dec 5, 2010
        Messages:
        16,524
        Location:
        Central England on heavy clay soil
        Ratings:
        +28,996
        I don't.

        The first couple of times I grew sb celery planted closely in a block, I noticed the plants around the outside weren't as good as those in the middle, then I planted them next to a Coldframe and noticed the plants next to the frame were better than those on the 3 exposed edges.

        When the sewing machine was out I hemmed up a long strip of Mypex woven polypropylene sheet, formed sleeves at the ends and have grown my celery inside ever since. It's held in place using short length of broom handle. Something similar could easily be produced using any suitable material [1], timber battens and a staple gun.

        The ends are overlaped and intermediate pegs sited to suit various sizes/shapes on plan:

        celery barrier.jpg



        [1] Cardboard would get soggy and disintegrate.
         
        • Like Like x 1
          Last edited: May 1, 2018
        • kazzawazza

          kazzawazza Total Gardener

          Joined:
          May 16, 2015
          Messages:
          1,857
          Gender:
          Female
          Location:
          Midlands
          Ratings:
          +1,857
          A combobulator - sounds good. I will see what I can put together. Thanks :blue thumb:
           
          Last edited: May 1, 2018
        • silu

          silu gardening easy...hmmm

          Joined:
          Oct 20, 2010
          Messages:
          3,682
          Gender:
          Female
          Location:
          Igloo
          Ratings:
          +8,083
          When I grew a few :yikes:Celery last year I grew it as Scrungee did in blocks and agree the outside ones were not as good as those in the middle of the block. As I live in Scotland which isn't the warmest part of Britain I did grow some under a 3 mtr poly cloche. These grew the best but did eventually grow too tall for the cloche but the Celery just balanced the cloche on their stalks and didn't seem to mind in the slightest! So ideally if I was growing it this year, NOT after the historic glut of last year, I'd grow it under a tall cloche.
           
          • Like Like x 1
          • misterQ

            misterQ Super Gardener

            Joined:
            Aug 25, 2015
            Messages:
            749
            Gender:
            Male
            Location:
            Stamford Hill, London N16 6RU
            Ratings:
            +1,770
            Celery do very well in our Community Garden. My plot neighbour successfully grew a mass of it in 2015, the type with big fat stalks.

            My own partial attempt was last year.

            Planted last May and neglected since mid-October 2017.
            [​IMG]


            These were spindly seedlings given to me as spares.

            I had run out of space and compost so I just plonked them into the same box as the two tomato plants I had growing there. I figured that they ought to have the same watering requirements as tomatoes and I was right!

            I didn't want to disturb the celery roots so I just cut away the tomato stems after they died off.

            The celery plants have survived rain, frost, sleet and snow unprotected so appear to be quite hardy.
             
            • Informative Informative x 1
            • kazzawazza

              kazzawazza Total Gardener

              Joined:
              May 16, 2015
              Messages:
              1,857
              Gender:
              Female
              Location:
              Midlands
              Ratings:
              +1,857
              @Scrungee when do I put the collar/band around the celery. This is them now
              20180628_175942.jpg
               
            • Scrungee

              Scrungee Well known for it

              Joined:
              Dec 5, 2010
              Messages:
              16,524
              Location:
              Central England on heavy clay soil
              Ratings:
              +28,996
              It's not a collar, but a short barrier around the perimeter of the block
               
            • kazzawazza

              kazzawazza Total Gardener

              Joined:
              May 16, 2015
              Messages:
              1,857
              Gender:
              Female
              Location:
              Midlands
              Ratings:
              +1,857
              When do I put it on @Scrunge and how deep should it be?
               
            • Scrungee

              Scrungee Well known for it

              Joined:
              Dec 5, 2010
              Messages:
              16,524
              Location:
              Central England on heavy clay soil
              Ratings:
              +28,996
              Now, 300mm high.
               
            • kazzawazza

              kazzawazza Total Gardener

              Joined:
              May 16, 2015
              Messages:
              1,857
              Gender:
              Female
              Location:
              Midlands
              Ratings:
              +1,857
            Loading...

            Share This Page

            1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
              By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
              Dismiss Notice