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Is it possible to freeze celery? I have a fair bit left to harvest, and want to store/freeze it before a real hard frost hits. I'd like to put it in loads of DP's minestrone soup!! Had it again, DP was lovely!!! Thanks Lottie  ;D

So when are you likely to get these 'real hard frosts'??

Celery is best left in the ground unless you expect a period below 30F??

Otherwise, for cooking, just chop & cook? Obviously, you'll lose any 'crunch'.

No idea, Tim!! But first year of growing, has done really well. But the seed pack said be sure to lift by October, so I panicked, as I do!!! Will leave it then, for now, and chop, chop, chop...! Thanks Lottie  ;D

Oh. is it 'self-blanching'?

Yes, can definitely say it is! Phew, knew that one. ;D
Why? Does that make a huge difference? Oh dear, bad news awaits, methinks..... :-\

Only that it is not frost-hardy. But don't panic - it's in such a tight plot that it would take a lot of frost to do major damage. And you can always cover with double fleece.

OK, not a disaster then!! I've covered it anyway, to be on safe side, so will just leave that on. Thanks for help, Tim. Lottie  ;D

Lottie as mine goes into stews and soups (glad you are enjoying the minestrone!) I chop them up and freeze them, then just chuck a handful into whatever when needed!

Yes - of course - but save some in the ground as long as possible?

Tim mine has been very dissapointing this year, grew Utah green and it suffered in the drought, pathetic spindley stems!

Do you blanche it first, DP? Or just bung it in freezer straight from chopping? I'd like to lift some to make space, and get a start on muck spreading etc. Thanks!

I bung it in raw, it ends up in soups n sauces anyhow! :)

Yes - but, as always, for long term storage, blanching is recommended?
And you think you've had a bad year? Despite watering & feeding, our Full White (Emma, how's yours?) has produced 7/8 'cooking celery', & there's a limit to how much stock you want? This is a metre tall. But the flavour is SO different from shop bought.

My celery looks pretty, and smells amazing, but the stems are still very slim.  I guess, a finger or two thick.  Useable though.  The smell when they are harvested or if you accidently damage a plant whilst pottering lingers in the air for days!

Love that smell!! Have decided to blanche some, freeze some immediately, leave some in ground, then go down pub....... ;D ;D ;D Thanks all