[richie]

hi,
    i was given ten celery plants last week.they are around 2inch tall at the moment,i am going to put them in my polytunnel in a raised bed,they are apparently self blanching ones, i am looking for any advice about ground conditions,when and how to plant and how to look after the plants.thanks.richard.

[Totty]

You can plant them out into the polytunnel now for sure. Nice rich free draining soil would be good and you need to put them in a block ideally. The outer plants will blanch the inner ones, therefore you will need to wrap some black plastic around the block when large enough, in order for the outer plants to blanch as well.

Totty

[kermit]

See my previous posts on celery.  I find it dead easy, and I just chuck at the back of my raised bed - 4 plants in a row.  Manured bed, well watered (check location  ) and let it get on with it.  Im planting mine out next weekend without protection.  They're about 5 inches high just now in pots in plastic greenhouse.  Dont bother doing anything for blanching, but then I mainly use for cooking so not too bothered.  Im grow utah and trying a red variety this year.

Towards end of season, they get stringy but just lightly run a potato peeler up the stalks before using them.

Good luck, and dont believe the hype about it being difficult!

[Trillium]

The key point with celery, is that they're a bog plant. So keep them well watered, deeply, and regularly, and they'll do well.

[cooperman]

The key point with celery, is that they're a bog plant. So keep them well watered, deeply, and regularly, and they'll do well.

ditto

just remember to water well and when you think youve watered them enough give 'em another dousing!

[Salmo]

With 10 plants most of them will be outside plants, however you arrange the planting. Even with the 20 that I grew last year, my first time, only 6 could be insiders. Plenty of water and feed them well.

The outside plants were a litle greener. You take off the tough outside leaves anyway so I am not sure that it matters.

I spaced mine at 9 inches and that was about right. Grown outside on my plot. Started cutting mid-August, continued until October. Outside the frost will knock them down.

I never bothered with a light excluding barrier. Does it make a difference?

[richie]

hi all,apologies first for long delay in replying to all the above advice,i work away from home and have no access to my computer,thanks for all the advice and i am using it all, great tip from cooperman and trillium,i certainly didnt know that celery was a bog plant, i hope that comes up in a pub quiz.thanks again all.........

[sclarke624]

Same as above, lots and lots of water, dead easy, and I don't bother covering for blanching as the one time I did they were no different.  I cut and come again my celery rather than dig whole plant up.

Might sound silly but I suppose you know they are grown like any other plant and not in a trench when the self blanching type.

[aqua]

red celery mmmmm - what variety is that?

[Trillium]

An acquaintance of mine grows red celery (not sure the variety name) but he says it tastes good only when its cooked. Not a fresh eating plant.

If you still want to grow red celery, be sure to space it well so it will redden up. Shading keeps it green and defeats the purpose.

[aqua]

i will research it. i guess it will be next year now - it is probably too late for this year . thanks for the advice.