Two years ago I really knew nothing about growing celery, but my chicken soup has got to have it. I only use organic celery because celery is one of the top 10 pesticided (new word :-) vegetables out there. ....and since organic is getting a little pricey, I wanted to learn to grow it. So, I started on a quest. It really isn't something we regularly grow up north with our short growing season. (Wisconsin)
Last year, I started celery from seed in the house and then transplanted it. It took a LONG time for it to get going, and then got smothered by a volunteer pumpkin plant I let grow. I decided starting them from seed was a little too much bother, seeing as I don't have a green house.
Enter Pinterest this year. Pictures of the end of a celery stalk growing new leaves, were everywhere. I had to try it. I cut off the end of my organic celery stalk and set it in a bowel of water. Within 2-3 weeks I had new stalks and leaves. I planted it today. When it gets planted in the garden I expect to keep cutting the tops off and getting a huge good crop to dehydrate or freeze. I'll have to let you know how it goes. If anyone has more advise on how to grow celery please share! I'm trying to learn it all :-)
Two years ago I really knew nothing about growing celery, but my chicken soup has got to have it. I only use organic celery because celery is one of the top 10 pesticided (new word :-) vegetables out there. ....and since organic is getting a little pricey, I wanted to learn to grow it. So, I started on a quest. It really isn't something we regularly grow up north with our short growing season. (Wisconsin)
Two summers ago I bought 6 started plants. They grew beautifully, and I kept waiting for them to look like the ones I buy in the grocery store before cutting them. That never happened. Finally my husband wanted to plow that garden section for the end of the year, so I cut the tops that were there. (leaving the roots) I was not impressed with the yield, and it had a rather bitter taste. My husband dragged the garden.
Imagine my surprise when the celery started to grow again! He obviously hadn't pulled up the roots. I actually got a lot more yield off those plants after I figured out that you can cut the top off and it just keeps growing. .....like I said, I knew nothing about growing celery!
Last year, I started celery from seed in the house and then transplanted it. It took a LONG time for it to get going, and then got smothered by a volunteer pumpkin plant I let grow. I decided starting them from seed was a little too much bother, seeing as I don't have a green house.
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| My own picture of growing celery :-) |
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| We'll see how it goes. |
.....dr momi
20 comments:
This is just so interesting and I look forward to watching the progress!
Thank you for the great information. I'm definitely trying this. The celery from the garden has always been a bit bitter and tough. Thinking maybe our growing season isn't long enough, so I don't grow it. But this looks like something to try. I usually just use my lovage when I need celery flavoring.
Thanks so much! I'm definitely going to try this. I've planted celery in the garden only once and it never did look like that we buy (same experience you had) and mine was also bitter. Am I dreaming or do I remember reading that celery needs to be hilled up (sort of like potatoes) when it starts growing . . . keep all but the tops covered? Obviously, I need to study up on growing celery! I have been thinking of trying it again so I'm happy to see this post. Next stalk of (pricey!) organic celery I buy will be experimented with per your instructions here!
that's pretty cool! i saw someone re-growing green onions in water the other day and thought that was neat, too!
I just read about this the other day! I am going to try it too!Since yours is already going I can follow along behind and see what happens!
I've been told you have to blanch your celery while it's growing. A friend told me she cuts the bottom out of a quart milk jug and has the celery grow inside it.
How awesome is that! Now you KNOW I'm going to try this immediately!...:)JP
I have never had much luck with celery! I will try this. Thanks!
Hmm. I may have to try this as well. I've never tried celery. My Mom had a 'cutting celery' a few years ago that only grew the leaves, never big stalks. But she uses the leaves as much or more than the stalks so it was great for her.
Judy
Can't wait to see how it goes! This is fascinating! I never even thought about how celery grows! :)
I find this so fascinating! We have no luck growing celery in our hot and humid climate.
fullfreezer is right, most of the flavor is in the leaves anyway but you just don't get that crunch. :)
I too have heard that you need to "hill-up" celery to get good results. I can't wait to see how your celery growing goes! :)
I was just explaining to my daughter last weekend why it's important to buy organic celery, but *NOW* I can start what's left of my celery and have my own plants!!! Like you, I wasn't happy with the results I had with my celery patch but here's a great QUICK-start! And you're absolutely right about celery and chicken soup. Gotta have it!
You can also re-grow celery from the store - just keep about 2" of the bottom and plant it. When it's tall enough to harvest, cover with soil to the top for 10 days (blanching) and that will remove any bitterness.
I am SO excited to try this! God I love blogging : )
I hope eveyone has been following the comments -- there's been some good tips on growing celery! I've learned a lot, especially about the blanching of the celery to remove the bitterness. I'll be practicing that this summer. thanks for all the comments everyone!
Oh, that's a great idea! We'll try it too!! :)
OMG!! What a great idea, thanks!! This is one I will definitely try.
Have a great weekend!!
I use a 5-gallon buckets as small compost bins. A couple of months ago, I threw an old celery stalk in there. Imagine my surprise a week later when I opened the lid and saw new stalks growing on the old stub. I took it out and placed it in the garden, and it was doing real well until my sweet potato vine grew over top of it. I guess it died from lack of sunlight, but I'm going to try again. Thanks to the comments, I'll know to blanch before I harvest. Thank you.
Susan....you've done it before us all! Glad to hear it worked!...and welcome to blogland :-)
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