Topic: Can anyone advise on trench celery varieties?

[Melbourne12]

I know it'll probably end in tears, but I've a fancy to try growing some old-fashioned "dirty celery" to have with our cheese at Christmas 2007.  :)

I've got a suitably damp part of the allotment earmarked, and I am planning to construct a long and narrow raised bed especially for the purpose.

But what to grow to produce the sort of celery that I last saw in Sleaford market several years ago?

I can find "Giant White", "Mammoth White" (are these the same thing?  ??? ) and "Giant Pink", but that's about it.  Does anyone have practical experience of these or any others?  Can you use self-blanching varieties and blanch them?

Thanks for any advice  :)

[manicscousers]

i've just ordered aurora golden self blanching, dwarfing variety from kings, only grown larger varieties so far, again self blanching but still earthed them up, used most of them for cooking, very strong

[Barnowl]

Self blanching aren't frost hardy - they go soft.  Fleecing might extend their life.

[Melbourne12]

Thanks for the replies.  Since posting earlier today, I've found the Medwyn's Seeds website.  They have several, intended for showing, but by the look of it all trench varieties:

http://www.bazaarbuilder.com/cgi-bin/grifam/myshop.php?catparid=44&merchant=grifam

Google threw up a scientific paper from the 1960's, in which trench celeries were compared for hardiness.  They listed 8 commercial UK varieties:

Resistant Pink
Covent Garden Red
Liverpool Pink
Leicester Pink
Solid Ivory
Giant White
Wareing's White
Cole's Crystal White

The only one that is still available seems to be Giant White.  I guess self-blanching types have pretty well taken over.

[manicscousers]

the only one in the kings seeds is pascal, just says 'needs blanching',

[cornykev]

Will be my first time for celery I ordered galaxy lathom self blanching from alanromans.   :) :) ;) :D :D ;D 8)  :P :'(

[supersprout]

We don't like celery :'( but you might find an interesting old fashioned trench variety in Thomas Etty's selection:
http://www.thomasetty.co.uk/vegetables/seeds_other_stem_veg.pdf

[Robert_Brenchley]

There are several venerable varieties there; the oldest is Solid White, 'by 1787'.

[Melbourne12]

We don't like celery :'( but you might find an interesting old fashioned trench variety in Thomas Etty's selection:
http://www.thomasetty.co.uk/vegetables/seeds_other_stem_veg.pdf

Thanks for that link - I'd not come across those people before.  Very interesting catalogue altogether!

And a happy Christmas to everyone   :)