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Moisture is very important – the compost or potting mix must be consistently moist for germination to take place, and conditions must remain moist as seedlings emerge.Seeds must be sown on the top of the growing medium, with just a very thin sprinkle of sieved compost or potting mix on top.Hold off sowing until these temperatures can reliably be maintained.īear in mind that germination can take some time, and seedlings may not emerge for 2-3 weeks. The optimal temperature range for germination is between 15-21☌. “As this can often be difficult to manage, it’s a good idea to minimise the risk of bolting by choosing bolt-resistant varieties such as Celery ‘Tango’,” says Roy Nicol, Master Horticulturist. They can be direct sown where conditions allow, and in undercover growing areas of with protection, but it is best to sow them indoors or under cover, in seed trays, modules or pots.ĭirect sowing reduces the risk of transplantation shock, but starting in trays, modules or pots makes it much easier to make sure that the necessary conditions for germination are met.Ĭelery can germinate from a minimum of 4☌, but when seeds and seedlings experience temperatures below 10☌ then they can be more likely to bolt later in the season. Seeds are typically sown between mid-March and early April. The main issue is that the seeds can be rather slow to germinate, and are also somewhat fussy when it comes to the environmental conditions required for germination to take place successfully. Growing From SeedĪs mentioned above, growing celery from seed can be somewhat challenging. It is important to prepare a growing area well before planting out celery, which you will usually do sometime between late May and July. It is unfussy as to soil pH, however, and can thrive even in more extremely acid or alkaline conditions.
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Remember, the wild celery from which modern cultivars were derived naturally grows in marshy conditions.Ĭelery will thrive in full sun, in a humus-rich and moisture-retentive yet light and open soil or growing medium. Water is the most important thing when caring for celery, so it is important to choose to grow it somewhere where adequate moisture in the growing medium can be maintained. ‘Tango’ (this variety has good resistance to bolting)Ĭelery can be grown in containers, in raised beds, or in the ground, as long as suitable moist conditions can be provided and maintained.
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Why are you throwing away your celery leaves? The Guardian. The leaves at the ends of the stalks are also edible, though stronger tasting, and are often used as a pot herb. The long fibrous stalks of the plants are the part most commonly eaten as a vegetable. This is a plant that naturally grows in marshy ground, which has been grown as a vegetable since ancient times. The celery that you can grow in your garden are cultivars of Apium graveolens. Whether you eat it raw, in a salad, or cooked in soups and other meals, this is a useful vegetable that can be great to add to a home-growing repertoire. Celery is not necessarily the easiest crop for novice gardeners to grow from seed, but it can be a great addition to a kitchen garden.
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