Harvest celery sticks properly. Watch for hot weather

Celery sticks are not grown for the root – unlike celeriac, but for their tasty, juicy and aromatic stalks. To enjoy the best taste you need to know when it is the right time to harvest celery. From planting to harvesting celery grows for three to five months (85 to 120 days). Yes, that is a two-month difference so, how do you know? Well, if you saved the bag the exact time should be specified on it. But you should also make sure that you harvest before the outside temperature gets too high.

Watch for high temperature

If there is a sudden increase in outside temperatures, or if temperatures have been high for a long time, it will affect the quality of celery. High temperatures are not good, because it makes stalks woody. You can reduce this with sufficient watering,however, if you leave celery in the ground for too long and keep watering, it could rot, the leaves may turn yellow or the plant starts making seeds. You do not want that. Another problem is that leaves need sunlight but stalks need shade. Yes, go figure.

Photo: Pixabay

When to harvest

When the lower stalks are at least 15 cm tall (from the ground to the first branch), you can start harvesting. Stalks should form a compact clump (they should be close together). The upper stems should be at least 45 cm tall. You can also harvest gradually and use leaves in soups or stews. You can let a few of them bloom to get seeds for next year. Celery seeds are also used in recipes. You may also harvest the entire plant. Cut the stalks below the area where they are joined together. You need to use a sharp knife.

Bleaching celery stalk

A mid-September is the time when you need to provide leaves with enough light but the stalks with shade… This is called bleaching. Here is how to do it. Tie stalks together into a bundle. Tie them just below leaves with a soft ribbon or string and wrap paper around them (only around stalks not the leaves!) and push loose soil around it. This will protect stalks from light and they will not taste like soil. After about three weeks, you may star harvesting.

Source:

https://www.urbangardengal.com/how-to-harvest-celery/

https://abecedazahrady.dama.cz/clanek/jak-pestovat-rapikaty-celer-plus-chutne-recepty#part=2

Preview photo: Pixabay