Celery - Self Blanching

SKU:
CA$3.25
3.25 8.05 CA$3.25 - CA$8.05
Unavailable
Approximately 2094 seeds per gram.
Apium graveolens
Lot# CE24302

Golden Self-Blanching Celery is an heirloom variety from Europe.  The plants are stocky, solid, thick, with the stalks that blanch easily. It is vigorous growing with upright medium green foliage. The roots are round, smooth and have good inner quality with high yields.  The stocks grow vigorously, with large ribs, very thickly and closely set.  Growing to a height of 40 - 60cm (16 - 24”) this dwarf variety is ideal for smaller gardens and unlike traditional celery which needs soil added around the stalks to produce pale stems, it produces naturally cream-coloured stalks with a crisp, crunchy texture and mild flavour, and if given a little light shading, the juiciness and delicacy of taste will improve even further. Golden Self Blanching has a compact growth that is ideal for an allotment or for smaller gardens.

 Planting Instructions:
  • Celery seeds should be started indoors about 8-10 weeks before the last frost in your area.   Optimal soil temperature: 15-24°C (60-75°F).  Seeds can take anywhere between 7 to 21 days for germination.  Soak in water over night before planting.  Celery seed is very small, so mix it with sand or vermiculite to make it more manageable. It is one of the few plants that germinate in the light, so scatter seed as thinly as possible on top of the moist compost. Celery germination rates aren't high so if you are sowing seeds plan for extra plantings, sow about 5 seeds per station, a few inches apart.  Sow seeds no more than 5-12mm (¼-½") deep.  Sow 3-6 seeds per pot or heavier, and thin to the strongest plant. Once the seedlings have five to six leaves, which should occur around 2 to 3 weeks before the last average frost date, they may be transplanted to the garden.   Select a cool location to transplant as celery does not like heat whatsoever.  Celery has a compact shallow root system that does not like to be disturbed and it is a heavy feeder so keep soil moist.  Space at 20-25cm (8-10”) in rows that are 61cm (24”) apart. Ideal pH:  6.0-6.9. Tie growing celery stalks together to keep them from sprawling – we use Velcro strips and keep soil moist- cover with mulch or use drip irrigation.
  • Soil Conditions:  Well worked, rich compost, loose well-drained soil. Ideal pH: 6.0-6.9.
  • Planting Depth:  6-12m (¼-½”) deep. Sow seeds no deeper than 12mm (½”). Seed require light for germination . Space at 20-25cm (8-10”) in rows that are 61cm (24”) apart.
  • Germination:  7- 21 days.
  • Height at Maturity: 45-61cm (18-24”) tall.  Spread is about 30cm (12”).
  • Days to Maturity:   90-140 days for maturity
  • Watering:    Celery needs a steady supply of moisture.
  • Sun/Shade:  Full Sun      Can tolerate some shade.
  • Spacing after Thinning:  20-25 cm, (8-10") apart.   Plants in rows that are 61cm (24”) apart.
Additional Information
If your celery has a bitter taste, try blocking out sun light from the plant with cardboard or mounding up the soil around the base of the plant around 10-14 days prior to harvesting.  This process can help slow down the enzyme development before harvest. Your crop won’t be as green after this blanching process, but it should taste much less bitter.  After harvest, cool stalk heads immediately in water. If freshly harvested celery is bitter, store just above freezing for a few days to improve flavor. Start harvesting your celery crop before the first hard frost is scheduled for your area. When the base of each celery plant is about two to three inches in diameter, they are mature and ready to be picked. With a sharp knife, cut the celery right at the soil level, or slightly below if you prefer. You may store celery for 7 to 14 days in a plastic bag in the refrigerator after rinsing, drying and removing any blemished or damaged leaves and/or stalks. Freezing celery causes the vegetable to lose its crispness, though it is still good to use in cooked dishes and stews. Before freezing, blanch celery stalks in boiling water after cutting them into one inch lengths. Then, you may drain, cool, and package. Celery stalks may also be frozen as is with no blanching. Celery seeds are viable for 5-8 years.