Self blanching celery

[bluecar]

Hello all.

I've got some self blanching celery on the go - Victoria F1. I will be planting them out in a block of 6 x 6 plants 9" either way. Apart from plenty of water is there anything else I need to do to ensure they 'blanch'?

Regards

Bluecar

[bluecar]

[davyw1]

Appart from some well rotted manure underneath them to go with the water as they are a greedy plant.
Even though they are self blanching i would collar them two thirds up the plant when its developed, this will encourage it to grow taller, stop the stalks from flopping down and also blanch the stalks.
Celery is very attractive to slugs, i put pellets inside the colliers.

[bluecar]

Hello Davyw1.

Thanks for your reply. By 'collar them up' do you mean, for example put them in plastic guttering? If so at what stage do you do this. They'll have the well rotted manure beneath them.

Regards Bluecar

[davyw1]

Well rotten manure is what they like but any equivalent IE pellets, groworganic will do.
I just use cardboard rolled into a tube tied with string so i can open it and inspect the plant for slugs and remove any shoots coming away on the outside. The tube is supported by a stick pushed into the ground inside of the string, then as the plant grows i can lift the tube up so it is always just below the foliage.

When i plant them into the ground at i put stand pipe over them or 6" bottomless plantpots to stop the stalks from flopping and to draw the plant. As the plant grows taller than the cover i let it fatten out till it starts to look like the width i want, its then when i coller it to increase its hight.

The biggest problem is Heart Rot caused by to much water, they need to be moist but not swimming.

I hope this makes sense

[ed dibbles]

Rather than collars I just tie mine up around july so the outside leaves are kept off the ground and lets the hearts blanch. Agree 100% about the slugs and the watering, last years celery loved the wet conditions.

The longer the time before use the worse the slug damage can get. Constant monitoring is the key. Mine are to be planted out tomorrow.

[pumkinlover]

First time clery grower here so found this interesting but..........

I only just pricked mine out yesterday, they are tiny maybe as they will be ok?