How to grow and where to use leaf celery

Leaf celery is a type of vegetable crop. Greens are very popular among the residents of our country. It is used to flavor dishes, included in menus for weight loss, and used to prepare folk remedies.

The plant has a unique set of vitamins and minerals, can replace salt in food, remove toxins and radionuclides. In this article we will tell you how to grow and use leaf celery in different areas.

Description of leaf celery

Leaf celery is a biennial vegetable plant from the Apiaceae family. In the first year of cultivation, it forms a rosette of glossy leaves of a dark green hue. In the second year after sowing, a straight stem 30-100 cm high and an inflorescence appear. The crop enters the flowering period in the second decade of July, and the seeds ripen in early August. After this, the plant dies.

Leaf celery does not grow thick stalks and large roots like other varieties. It is used fresh to flavor salads, soups, and meat dishes.

Lace celery leaves resemble parsley, but have a completely different, pronounced spicy aroma.

The photo shows leaf celery.

What is good about leaf celery?

Leaf celery has a rich vitamin and mineral composition. It is included in the menu for weight loss, dietary nutrition for gastritis, stomach and duodenal ulcers, and urolithiasis. We will tell you more about the beneficial properties of the plant below.

Chemical composition, nutritional value and beneficial properties

The table shows the vitamin and mineral composition of leaf celery (per 100 g of product).

The nutritional value:

• calorie content - 12 kcal;
• proteins - 0.9 g;
• fats - 0.1 g;
• carbohydrates - 2.1 g.

Benefits and harms

Useful properties of leaf celery:

• relieving inflammation;
• protecting cells from the negative effects of oxidative processes;
• prevention of cancer development;
• removal of toxins, radionuclides, nicotine;
• immune support;
• acceleration of the breakdown of fats, proteins and carbohydrates;
• increased sexual desire;
• strengthening blood vessels;
• normalization of blood pressure;
• reducing bad cholesterol levels;
• increased hemoglobin;
• eliminating signs of allergies;
• laxative effect;
• general toning of the body;
• removing excess fluid from tissues;
• prevention of Alzheimer's disease;
• regulation of metabolism;
• rejuvenation of the body;
• reducing the level of carcinogens;
• regulation of the menstrual cycle;
• reduction of unpleasant symptoms of menopause.

Leaf celery is not recommended for pregnant women due to the risk of contraction of the smooth muscles of the uterus. Breastfed You should wait a little while consuming the product, as it changes the taste of the milk.

Greens are contraindicated for people suffering from gastritis with high acidity and urolithiasis (with large kidney stones).

Agricultural technology of culture

Early varieties of leaf celery are grown by direct sowing near the ground. Late varieties have a long growing season and require pre-sowing seeds for seedlings.

Preparing seeds and soil for seedlings

The growing season for leaf celery is 50-100 days, depending on the variety. Sowing seeds for seedlings in the northern regions is carried out in the second ten days of March. Residents of the middle zone begin sowing in early April. In the south of the country, the leaf variety is sown directly into the ground in April due to favorable weather conditions.

The celery seed is protected by a dense shell containing a large amount of essential oils. Therefore, the seeds have a low germination rate.

To speed up the awakening process, planting material:

• soak in warm water for a week;
• wrapped in a damp cloth or gauze for 2-3 days;
• put in a fabric bag and fill it 2-3 times with water heated to 50°C;
• germinate in wet sawdust;
• The material is subjected to stratification: placed in a damp cloth and left at room temperature for a week, then placed in the refrigerator for two weeks.

After all procedures, the seed material is dried.

Reference. Preliminary preparation speeds up the emergence of seedlings. Shoots appear in 1-2 weeks.

To grow leaf celery seedlings, use a ready-made substrate or make your own soil mixture from:

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

The soil is disinfected in the oven, microwave, double boiler, and spilled with a dark solution of potassium permanganate, “Baikal-M”, “Shine”.

For every 10 kg of soil mixture, add 200 g of wood ash and 20 g of urea.

Containers for seedlings are washed and treated with “Fitosporin” or copper sulfate.

Sowing instructions

The prepared containers are filled with soil and the seeds are laid out at intervals of 2 cm. A layer of soil is poured on top and watered with clean water through a sieve.

Until the shoots appear, the container is kept in a dark room at a temperature of +20...+22°C, then taken out to a sunny windowsill.

As soon as the leaves hatch, the air temperature in the room is reduced to +12...+16°C, and after 10 days it is increased to +20...+25°C.

Seedlings with 3-5 leaves are planted in separate cups, choosing the strongest specimens and shortening the central root to quickly build up green mass.

Reference. The norm of daylight hours for leaf celery is 16 hours. The optimal air temperature is +18…+20°C.

The seedlings are fed with chicken manure and Nitrophoska, alternating fertilizers.

For direct sowing of seeds in open ground, the site begins to be prepared in the fall: deep plowing is carried out and fertilized 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 of seeds is carried out after warming the soil to +10°C. In the southern regions this occurs in April. Make holes in the soil no larger than 1 cm and plant the seeds at a distance of 2-3 cm.

The seedlings are transferred to open ground in early May. Furrows are formed at a depth of 25-30 cm at a distance of 40 cm. The row spacing is 50 cm. Wood ash is placed at the bottom, and a layer of earth is poured on top.

The seedlings are planted together with an earthen lump. Next, the beds are mulched with sawdust or straw to retain moisture in the soil and reduce the number of weeds.

Planting is carried out on a cloudy day. When there is a threat of night frosts, the seedlings are covered with black agrofibre.

Care

Leaf celery is a moisture-loving plant, but can withstand short-term drought. Watering is done 1-2 times a week.

To obtain greenery, plants are fertilized with organic matter and minerals. This is especially important when growing crops on poor soil.

The first fertilizing is applied 14 days after planting the seedlings - 40 g of Nitrophoska per 10 liters of water. Two weeks after the first feeding, mullein infusion is added in a ratio of 1:10.

After 30 days, fertilize with Kemira Hydro complex fertilizer - 10 g per 10 liters of water.

Next, celery is fertilized with organic matter once every 14 days with an infusion of chicken manure, mullein, and nettle.

Disease and pest control

Leaf celery has strong immunity and rarely gets sick in open ground. Sometimes infection with fungi and viruses occurs. Pathogenic microflora inhibits plant growth and deprives the gardener of the opportunity to reap a full harvest.

The table describes fungal diseases of celery and how to combat them.

Cucumber mosaic is the most dangerous viral disease of the leaf variety that cannot be treated. Infection is indicated by slower plant growth and raised rings on the leaves. Affected celery is immediately removed from the site. To prevent viral mosaic, they fight against aphids and mites.

Celery plantings in open ground are affected by celery flies, aphids, carrot psyllids, and spider mites. Pests destroy leaves and suck juice from stems, weakening the plant. To successfully combat them, biological insecticides “Fitoverm” and “Iskra-Bio” are used. Greens after processing can be to eat Two days later.

For natural protection, the beds are sown with onions and garlic. These crops repel many insects with their scent.

Traditional methods of struggle:

• 1 tbsp. l. apple cider vinegar per 1 liter of water;
• decoction of onion peels (100 g per 2 liters of water);
• kefir and whey (1 liter per 1 liter of water);
• dusting with red or black ground pepper.

Harvest and storage

Celery leaves are cut 2-3 times during the summer with an interval of 35-40 days. The last cleaning is carried out before the onset of frost, in late September - early October.

In the process of cutting the leaves, petioles up to 5 cm long are left. This allows you to preserve the weak central rosette, which will grow again and protect the root system from rotting in the winter.

Leaf celery is preserved for the winter by drying, freezing and salting.Even in this form, it does not lose its beneficial properties and aroma.

Uses of leaf celery

Leaf celery is widely used in cooking and folk medicine. Low calorie content and the ability to remove excess fluid from the body make it an indispensable assistant in the process of losing weight.

In cooking

Celery leaves are used as an aromatic spice. Greens are added to salads, side dishes of vegetables and cereals, soups, broths, and used to decorate dishes.

Green salad with nuts

Juicy, refreshing and moderately spicy salad will appeal to lovers of light, low-calorie dishes.

Ingredients:

• lettuce leaves - 500 g;
• green onions - 100 g;
• celery leaves - 1 bunch;
• celery stalks - 2 pcs.;
• parsley, dill - to taste;
• pine nuts (walnuts) - 50 g;
• green olives without pits - 8-10 pcs.;
• olive oil - 2 tbsp. l.;
• lemon juice - 1 tbsp. l.;
• Dijon mustard - 1 tsp;
• honey - 1 tsp;
• salt, pepper - to taste.

Preparation:

1. Wash the lettuce and greens and dry on a paper or waffle towel. Tear the salad with your hands and chop the greens with a knife.
2. Finely chop the olives.
3. Dry the nuts in a dry frying pan.
4. Mix oil, lemon juice, mustard, honey, salt and pepper and season the salad.

Salad with tuna

This salad is perfectly filling and has a light spicy taste and aroma.

Ingredients:

• tuna in olive oil - 125 g;
• celery greens - 1 bunch;
• champignons - 100 g;
• Tabasco sauce - 1 tsp;
• Dijon mustard - 1 tsp;
• salt, pepper - to taste;
• lemon juice - 1 tbsp. l.

Preparation:

1. Open a can of tuna, drain the oil into a bowl, and shred the fish with a fork.
2. Wash the champignons, dry them, bake in the oven for 5-10 minutes, cut into pieces.
3. Rinse the celery greens under the tap and dry.
4. Mix canned oil, lemon juice, mustard, Tabasco with salt and pepper in a bowl, and season the salad.

In folk medicine

In folk medicine, celery root is mainly used. Its freshly squeezed juice is recommended for use for gastritis, stomach ulcers, liver disorders, and flatulence.

Greens help with gout and rheumatism. The leaves and finely chopped root are placed in a thermos, poured with boiling water and left for 3-5 hours. The infusion is used for rubbing sore spots and compresses.

Tea made from dried herbs is an excellent diuretic. It dissolves salt in the body, treats colds, and calms the nervous system. To prepare it, 2 tbsp. l. dry leaves, pour 500 ml of boiling water and bring to a boil over low heat. Take no more than two glasses of tea per day.

Ointment from stems and leaves heals purulent wounds, rashes, ulcers, urticaria, lichen, eczema. Fresh petioles along with leaves are passed through a meat grinder and mixed in equal proportions with melted butter. The product is applied to the affected areas and covered with clean gauze. The jar of ointment is stored in the refrigerator.

For weight loss

With the aim of losing weight fresh juice from petioles and greens is used. The products are placed in a blender and thoroughly crushed. The drink is drunk pure or mixed with apple, carrot, or orange juice.

Nutritionists recommend including fresh celery in the daily diet of obese people.

Celery dishes are suitable for a short-term diet for three days.

Advice. Instead of the usual soup fried in vegetable oil, prepare dietary Bonn soup based on white cabbage, tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, celery and parsley.

Conclusion

Leaf celery, a type of vegetable crop from the Apiaceae family, is grown primarily through seedlings in the same way as root and petiole celery. Early varieties can be directly sown in the ground in the south of the country. Caring for plantings involves timely watering, mulching (instead of frequent loosening and weeding), fertilizing with organic matter and minerals.

Fragrant greens are used in cooking to flavor dishes, and in folk medicine to treat skin, gout, and urolithiasis. It will be included in the menu for slow but steady weight loss.