Summer Edition
It may feel like the winter weather will never let up, but planting season is just around the corner! And whether you have a green thumb or have never grown a thing in your life, this is the perfect year to gear up your garden with some new gardening know-hows.
Celery
Summer is approaching fast and so are our favorite summer snacks. What does this have to do with gardening? Celery. That’s right; an oldy but a goody, ants on a log (or no ants) is tasty, healthy, and the celery sticks to go with your peanut butter and raisins can be started in your own backyard. With these tips below, you’ll be spreading the peanut butter in no time!
- Choose your own adventure. Celery can be planted a few ways, depending on what’s available to you. You can choose from seeds, transplants at your local nursery, or the cut-off roots of store-bought ones. Using seeds ensures you know what variety you have, but they must be planted in your greenhouse or pots in advance for best results (10-12 weeks before the last frost). Purchasing transplants or using kitchen scraps means you’ll have results much sooner, though you may not get the kind you want.
- Prep your seed (or transplant). Because these leafy little guys take up to 140 days to mature, it’s important to start early. For those of you who’d like to grow celery this year, try the Bottle Garden idea below, as it may be too late for successful outdoor results.Celery prefers rich, moist (not soggy) soil with compost or well-rotted manure (found at local farms or in store garden sections). Fill a box of the desired size four inches deep, then sprinkle a generous handful of seeds on the surface, followed by burying them just enough that they can’t be seen. When they have three or four mature leaves (around three inches tall) and the ground averages 50°F, transplant them eight inches apart in the garden or into gallon-sized containers with drainage holes.
- OR, alternatively, purchase a bundle of celery. Cut the stalks about three inches above the base, removing the outermost material, then place the base into one inch of water for twelve days. Be sure to change the water every few days. At the end of this time frame, there should be some new greenery sprouted and at least a few roots. For placement in the garden or a container, be sure to thoroughly soak the hole and bury the base one inch deep. Again, be sure the ground is the proper temperature.
- Maintain your plants. When growing in containers, you may want to provide extra nutrients through amending the soil with organic potting mix or applying half-strength liquid organic fertilizer every couple weeks. Make sure they receive six or eight hours of sunlight a day and daily watering. Failing to water them often enough may lead to a bitter flavor, stunted growth, or a lack of producing edible stems completely (soak but don’t puddle!). Spreading mulch will also help keep celery from drying out.
- Reap the rewards. A fun thing about celery is it will grow back as long as the weather is favorable. It’s okay if it gets chilly out occasionally (in the 50s) and there’s no need to cover them up because this plant actually prefers a cooler environment. Cut the stalks an inch above the ground, taking one at a time as needed or even the whole bunch. Also, note that leaving the innermost ones will mean the outer ones will grow faster.
Growing Ideas
- Bottle Garden. As explained above, celery and containers get along well. One creative way you can grow them is in a bottle garden. Cut a 2-liter pop bottle midway up, then flip the top half upside down inside the other part like a funnel, poking a few holes near the base of said funnel for the roots to pass through. Fill the top half with dirt and the bottom with water. Cut the second bottle the same way, using the bottom half as a top for the first one. When he’s outgrown the lid, simply take it off. And voila!
- Square-Foot Filler. If you’re thinking about having a square foot garden, celery makes a great filler as it gets along with bush and pole beans, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, onions, chives, spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, and, well, many more plants. Not only that but you can grow four plants in one space, maximizing your harvesting potential.
—Grace Desotell, Gardening Editor