Features of planting and caring for petiole celery in open ground

Petiole celery is characterized by a long growing season and, depending on the variety, ripens in 80-180 days. This feature dictates its own rules for planting. Sowing work begins at the end of January and ends in April, focusing on the climatic characteristics of the growing region and the phase of the moon.

In this article we will talk about the features of planting and caring for petiole celery in open ground, methods of bleaching stems, and harvesting dates.

Features of planting petiole celery

Rules of agricultural technology for petiole celery:

• soil preparation - plowing and normalizing the pH of acidic soils;
• planting seedlings in beds on the sunny side;
• maintaining constant soil moisture - without stagnation of water and drying out;
• thinning of plantings;
• bleaching the petioles to obtain a delicate taste without bitterness;
• fertilizing with nitrogen and potassium.

Timing for planting from seeds to seedlings

Timing for sowing celery seedlings depend primarily on the growing region. The varietal characteristics of the crop do not play a special role; in any case, gardeners are guided by the weather conditions of each individual area. Experienced farmers recommend focusing on the lunar calendar.

Depending on the variety

Varieties of petiole celery are divided into early and late. In Russia, this type of crop is not very popular compared to root and leaf crops, so there is a modest selection of seed material on store shelves. Almost all petiole celery seeds are imported.

Manufacturers indicate the timing of sowing seeds on the packaging. for seedlings and planting in open ground.

For example, the early variety Malachite ripens within 90 days from the moment of germination. In the southern regions, it is rational to sow directly in open ground in mid-May; in other regions, the crop is grown through seedlings. To harvest the crop in late August - early September, sowing work begins no later than mid-March.

For reference. Late varieties of petiole celery are sown in February.

From region

To calculate the sowing time for petiole celery, the following factors are taken into account::

• seed germination period - 7-14 days;
• planting in soil heated to a minimum temperature of +6°C;
• the appearance of 4-5 true leaves in 60-70 days.

By adding up the time of seedlings and the time required for germination, a total of approximately 84 days is obtained. Based on this, sowing of petiole celery is carried out on the twentieth of February.

In regions with late spring and frequent frosts in May, the dates are shifted to late February - early March. Planting in the ground is carried out at the end of May - beginning of June.

Approximate timing of sowing petiole celery:

• in the south - late March - early April;
• in central regions - March;
• in the north - February - first ten days of March.

According to the lunar calendar

Favorable days for sowing petiole celery by moon phases for 2020:

• in February: 1-7, 24,25, 28, 29;
• in March: 2-6, 17,18, 27-30;
• in April: 1, 2, 5-8, 14, 24, 28;
• in May: 2, 3, 5-7, 25, 26, 30, 31.

Planting seeds for seedlings

Growing petiole celery through seedlings - painstaking work. However, to obtain a high-quality harvest, you cannot do without it. Seed material and soil are prepared in advance.

Seedling care is based on timely watering, maintaining optimal air temperature and lighting, and fertilizing.

Preparing seeds and soil

The quality of the seeds affects the final result - the health of the plant, the thickness of the petioles, taste and aroma. To get the desired result due attention is paid to the selection of planting material:

• purchasing fresh seeds that expire next year;
• selection of Dutch selection material with high yields;
• selection of early varieties with a period of full ripening of about 90 days.

Before sowing, the seeds are stratified: soak in warm water for 24 hours, wrap in gauze soaked in water, and leave for a week in a warm room. The tissue with the seeds is then placed in the refrigerator for 2 weeks. This allows you to create natural conditions: the seeds overwinter in the soil and sprout together in the spring.

Suitable for growing seedlings a ready-made substrate from a gardening store or a soil mixture prepared with your own hands. In a large bucket, mix turf, river sand, peat, sawdust and crushed eggshells in equal proportions.

Soil mixture options for seedlings:

• peat, vermiculite, humus (3:1:1);
• peat, humus, wood ash (3:1:1);
• vermicompost and sand (1:1).

The mixture is poured with a hot solution of potassium permanganate or disinfected with Fitosporin.

Sowing

Clean containers (boxes, tetrapacks, pots, trays) are filled with moist soil, seeds are planted to a depth of 0.5 cm and watered with warm water through a sieve. Glass is placed on top or film is stretched.

Clean snow is used instead of water. A layer of snow is placed on the ground and seeds are placed on top. Melt water pulls seeds along with it, creating natural conditions favorable for seedling growth.

Snails are used to grow strong seedlings of petiole celery. To roll the rolls, take thick cellophane or a laminate backing and secure them with elastic bands.

A 10 cm wide tape is cut out of the substrate or cellophane, a 1 cm layer of soil is poured on top. The sprouted seeds are carefully laid out with tweezers at intervals of 1-2 cm, 2 cm away from the edge of the film. The tape is carefully rolled up and secured with rubber bands. The snails are placed in wide trays, seed side up. The film is pulled on top.

Seedling care

The film is not removed until the sprouts appear. The boxes are kept in a dark room with an air temperature of +20…+22°C, then transferred to the windowsill.

As soon as the first leaves hatch, the temperature is reduced to +12...+16°C, and after 10 days it is increased to +20...+25°C. Strengthened seedlings of petiole celery with 3-5 leaves are transplanted into individual glasses with a capacity of at least 300 ml, choosing the strongest seedlings.

The container is filled with substrate, depressions of 2-2.5 cm are formed and watered with clean water. Seedlings are carefully dug up with a teaspoon and transferred. Soil is poured on top. The seedlings are watered with water at room temperature.

Reference. The norm of daylight hours for petiole celery is 14 hours. The optimal air temperature is +18…+22°С.

Seedlings water carefully, through a sieve, 1-2 times a week, mixing Fitosporin-M into the water. The substrate is loosened with a peg without touching the roots.

Feeding seedlings:

• two weeks after sowing - chicken manure (1 tsp per 3 liters of water);
• then every 10 days - “Nitrophoska” (1 tsp.per 3 liters of water).

20-25 days before transferring to an open area, the seedlings are taken out to the balcony for hardening.

Timing of sowing in open ground

Early varieties are planted directly into the ground with seeds in the second ten days of April. This method is used in the south of the country, but it also has its risks.:

• there is no guarantee of successful germination even taking into account the preliminary preparation of seed material;
• caring for young plants is difficult due to the slow germination of seeds, so weed control is carried out extremely carefully;
• Protecting tender seedlings from weather surprises is problematic.

Petiole celery seeds are planted in open ground in the south, taking into account weather conditions and the lunar calendar. Favorable days for sowing in April: 1, 2, 7, 8, 14, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28.

Sowing in open ground

Seeds for direct sowing in the garden are prepared in the same way as for growing seedlings. To speed up the process of awakening planting material, in addition to stratification, additionally they carry out:

• soaking in warm water for 5-7 days;
• germination in a damp cloth or gauze for 7-10 days (water is changed periodically);
• soaking in hot water at a temperature of 50°C (seeds are placed in a linen bag);
• germination in wet sawdust.

After all procedures, the seed material is dried.

Preliminary preparation speeds up germination. Shoots appear two weeks earlier than expected.

For direct sowing of seeds in open ground, the site is prepared in the fall: carry out deep plowing and fertilize with humus. In the spring, the ground is plowed again, loosened and the beds are watered with a solution of potassium permanganate or copper sulfate.

Sowing scheme and technology

Sowing seeds carried out after warming up the soil to +10°C. In the southern regions this occurs in mid-April. Furrows are made in the soil 1-1.5 cm deep, wood ash is poured in and seeds are planted at intervals of 2-3 cm. Sprinkle a layer of peat on top and water generously with warm water.

To protect against night frosts, the beds are covered with black agrofibre.

Planting and caring for petiole celery in open ground

The transfer of petiole celery begins when the height of the seedlings reaches 20 cm. The best period for planting is late April - early May, depending on the region.

Optimal conditions for the growth and development of culture - moderate air temperature and sufficient soil moisture.

Ideal soil for growing - light sandy loam, rich in organic matter. The best crop predecessors are cabbage, potatoes, zucchini, and cucumbers.

Soil acidity is neutral (pH=6.8-7) or slightly acidic (pH=5.6-6.0). Celery grows slowly in acidic soils. To normalize acidity, dolomite flour, chalk, lime, and ash are added to the soil.

Deep plowing is carried out in autumn, fertilizing the soil with humus, fermented food waste, and compost.

In the spring, re-plow, loosen and water the soil with a dark solution of potassium permanganate.. Form depressions of 25-30 cm at a distance of 40 cm. The row spacing is 60 cm. Wood ash is placed at the bottom, and a layer of soil is poured on top so that the level of the furrows is 8 cm below ground level.

The seedlings are carefully taken out of the glasses along with the earthen lump and rolled into the furrows. The beds are mulched with sawdust or straw.

Caring for petiole celery:

1. Watering 2-3 times a week. Stagnation or water shortage should not be allowed.
2. Loosening and weeding - as necessary. Care procedures provide additional aeration of the root system.
3. Remove side shoots as they grow. Cut off yellow, unsightly and thin stems with a sharp knife, leaving thick and strong ones.
4. Petiole celery needs to be fed weekly, alternating potassium and nitrogen fertilizers: “Superphosphate” or “Nitrophoska” (25 g per 10 l of water), nettle infusion, vermicompost, urea solution (10 g per 2 l of water).

Protection from diseases and pests

The table shows the main diseases of petiole celery and methods to combat them.

Most often, stalked celery is affected by celery and carrot flies and bean aphids.

To get rid of insects:

• Onions are planted nearby;
• dust the plants with a mixture of dry mustard, sand, tobacco dust (1:1:1);
• water the beds with dandelion infusion (0.5 kg of flowers per 10 liters of water);
• treat the plants with an infusion of orange zest (300 g of zest per 3 liters of water).

It can be useful:

Growing leaf celery in open ground

Where to use leaf celery

Guide to Planting Celery Root Seedlings

Bleaching petiole celery

The bright green stems have a pungent aroma and bitter taste. To give the petioles a pleasant taste, a bleaching procedure is carried out at the last stage of the growing season..

Stems 30 cm high gathered into a bundle and tied loosely with strips of fabric or rope. Then they wrap it with available materials so that the wrapper fits tightly to the ground.

Used as a wrapper newspaper, wrapping paper, cardboard, straw, pipes, tall boxes, penofol. Do not use dark film - the petioles quickly rot in such a wrapper.

Reference. Classic bleaching of petioles involves high hilling. However, gardeners did not like this method because of the unpleasant earthy taste that the stems subsequently acquire.

Harvest dates

Harvesting petiole celery depends on the ripening period. Early varieties ripen in July–September, late varieties in October–November.

It is important to collect the petiole variety before frost. due to rapid withering in the cold and loss of taste.

Reference. The main signs of technical ripeness of the petioles are the white color of the stems and the loss of a sharp, spicy aroma.

Re-forcing the stem

In English there is a word regrowing - literally translated as “re-growing”. To do this, cut off the lower root part and place it in a container of suitable size. (mug, glass), pour water to half the outlet and place it on the windowsill.

Water is added periodically and wait for shoots. After 2-3 days, green leaves will appear, and after 1-1.5 weeks, sprigs of greenery will appear.

Conclusion

Planting petiole celery as seedlings is the best way to get a rich harvest due to the long growing season. Direct sowing of seeds is carried out only in the southern regions, but even in such conditions it is not always possible to achieve the desired result. The timing of sowing seedlings varies depending on the region. In cold regions (Siberia), sowing begins in January - February, in the Moscow region - in March, in the south - in April. Varietal characteristics are rarely taken into account.

The main task of the gardener is to start sowing work on time, having previously prepared the material. Care procedures after planting seedlings in open ground are aimed at sufficient watering, fertilizing, weeding, loosening, and bleaching petioles.