Home-grown celery does not usually make the top ten vegetable favorites list. It gets beaten by the lowly radish, and is even overshadowed by the ever-popular tomato, which is technically not a vegetable at all. This plant has a reputation for being difficult to raise, and requires more care and attention than carrots, for example. Even so, there are good reasons to grow celery at home.
This plant’s reputation as a bland diet food overshadows its colorful history. Long-ago references to this herb often call it smallage, or marsh parsley. Like most herbs, it had medicinal uses long before it became salad garnish. The entire plant was utilized, including seeds and roots, and even the oils. It was said to aid indigestion, lower blood pressure, act as a diuretic and aphrodisiac, and even have sedative properties.
There are also sound nutritional reasons for eating this vegetable. In addition to potassium, calcium and magnesium, the vegetable is an excellent source of vitamin C and the naturally occurring beneficial compounds known as phthalides. In other words, it is very good for most people, contains no fat, and very few calories.
The familiar bunches of stalks in the produce section are actually cut during the first season of this biennial. Even though it is now available at any time of year, the best flavor is found during its natural summer peak season, and home-grown bunches can be picked any time they are ready. Regardless of geographic location, however, growing it successfully requires a bit of gardening patience.
For the best results, overall temperatures should not be too hot, and the growing areas should have the right combination of rich soil and good drainage. Without those factors, the plants may look good externally but will have a stringy, tough texture. A mixture of compost and manure should go into the soil, and a little lime for extra calcium is beneficial.
The soil should be allowed to rest for a couple of weeks before planting. In colder areas, seedlings grown from two-year-old seeds are best started indoors. The seeds are extremely tiny, and each container requires only a few. Trim down the seedlings until there is only one healthy plant cluster left, but do not put them outdoors until the threat of frost has disappeared.
The plants take up to five months to mature, and require constant moisture and adequate fertilizer. While they do not like really hot weather, they are fond of direct sunlight. Watch out for threats such as hungry insects, slugs and other environmental toxins. Leaf spot is relatively easy to see, and should be removed immediately before it can spread.
The other plants in your garden can benefit from the nutrients the herb produces during its life cycle, and from certain insecticide-like properties. If you decide to grow celery for its nutritional and therapeutic benefits, the crunchy stalks may be harvested individually any time they seem ready. Celery fresh from the garden is perfect alone or with peanut butter, as well as in soups, salads, and many other dishes.
Lastly, keep reading on how to grow celery and growing celery at home.
