Self-Blanching Celery

[Trevor_D]

Advice needed, please....

My only previous attempt to grow this, a couple of years ago, was a total failure. I did everything I was told to on the packet (at least, I thought I had, but obviously hadn't!) but they didn't grow. I planted them out in a block, watered them well and they just sat there for months, barely doubling in size. Everything else was romping away, but not the celery. I used a few leaves in the stock pot, but the bulk of the crop went for compost.

OK, I'm trying again. A variety called "Lathom Self-Blanching", sowed in the propagator at the end of February; now in the GH ready to prick into modules. The packet says plant out May/June. Shall I manure the site now? (I've got masses of horse dung.) For convenience, I put them in the same bed as the carrot & beet last time, but would the tomato bed be better, as they seem to need the same sort of treatment (ie. lots of goodness & watering)?

Anyone grown it successfully?

(My father used to grow the wonderful blanched celery the old-fashioned way, in trenches. But he did use rather a lot of soot!)

[Trevor_D]

[tim]

Don't know about which site, but choose the wettest.

1. Yes to manure. Lots. And some general fertiliser.
2. Can't suggest why yours should not have grown.
3. Water - what is 'well'? But doubt that that would have prevented them at least getting going.
    When they do get going, I would think at least 1/2 gal per plant per day?
4. Also, when growing, liquid fertiliser once or twice.
5. Usually slugs are the biggest problem. I have to use pellets - & keep them renewed. Because the plants are so close together, no 'friend' can get at them.
5. It is recommended that you put straw amongst the outer plants to help blanching, but there may be some danger of this encouraging slugs?
6. It can be grown - we used to sell it at the WI.
7. Ours was poor last year because it produced as many side shoots as heart ones. But still worthwhile. Best to have succession?

[allaboutliverpool]

I grew celery for the first time last year and each one was enormous, about three times the weight of a shop one :) Unfortunately each comprised of about 20 heads and were full of soil. :(  The whole lot went on the compost. Someone must know the secret. ???

[Trevor_D]

Obviously I didn't water enough. Nor liquid fertilizer. Thanks Tim - I think I've got tomorrow's job sorted: dig out a bed, plenty of muck. Chicken pellets when I plant? And a comfrey feed? Yes, think I'll put them on the end of the tomato bed. Hope OH will be delighted - she loves celery!

[manicscousers]

even if they're not good for eating raw, they make lovely soup and bits for in stew  :)

[cornykev]

I'll have to get mine started thanx for the reminder Trevor.   ;D ;D ;D

[Trixiebelle]

Why is a question about celery in the Edible Plants section?  ;) Please get Dan to move it  ;D

[cornykev]

Lovely crunchy celery dipped in salt  yum yum. ;D ;D ;D :P :P ;D ;D

[tim]

Hen food, Trixie??

[cornykev]

I think shes feeling PECKish.   ;D ;D ;D

[Barnowl]

We grew a block of 20 self blanching. during the dry spell gave them one large watering can every other day or so.

[tim]

Lucky you if it worked - but NOT enough!!

[Trevor_D]

Well, She Who Must Be Obeyed thinks it's edible. So He Who Must Do The Work is under marching orders to pour buckets-ful of water on their heads every day without fail! Just off to the plot to dig a barrow-load of manure into their intended site.

[manicscousers]

I'm putting them in a slight trench so any water runs into the celery  ;D

[tim]

Crafty?

Wonder if planting through weed-suppressant/slug off-putting fabric would help?

[Georgie]

Obviously I didn't water enough. Nor liquid fertilizer. Thanks Tim - I think I've got tomorrow's job sorted: dig out a bed, plenty of muck. Chicken pellets when I plant? And a comfrey feed? Yes, think I'll put them on the end of the tomato bed. Hope OH will be delighted - she loves celery!

I'd say Lathom self-blanching is a good choice.  I grew some for the first time last year in pots.  Good homemade compost mix, organic fertiliser and watered daily and they were fine.  Here's the proof.  G x

[flossie]

What a superb crop.  I'll be really pleased with myself if my crop is as half as good as that  :)

[Georgie]

Thanks Flo.  I think it's just that when you only have a very small space in which to grow things they tend to get a lot more attention?  Bit like being an only child versus one of many!   ;D

G x

[Barnowl]

Tim, I'm puzzled. We have sandy free draining soil, although I had bunged in a fair bit of compost, so presumably we ought to have watered even more than you recommend, but the crop was good. Do you think that we got away with less because it was sheltered by enviromesh?

They were only under mesh because we ran out of space and I planted them next to some brassicas which needed protection against the flying rats. Have put together a net cage so the same won't apply this year.

[tim]

Me too - truly don't know. Just know that on a clayey/loam, I never seem to water enough. It's always powder dry in the middle of the block.