A stick of celery is one of the ultimate vegetable snacks, so having it growing in your garden will provide it at its absolute peak. Beyond snacking, celery is a culinary heavyweight and one of the ‘big three’ in French cooking, along with carrot and onion. Though it has such a seemingly mild taste, it adds an intangible depth to almost every soup or casserole and even has a place in our Sunday night ragu. The theory is that celery helps draw the acidity of the tomatoes and sweeten the sauce, so you can usually find a stick or two swimming around.
Stalks are clearly the most prominent feature and can be harvested continuously by cutting outer growth as needed. However, celery leaves should be revered just as much given their abundance, rich flavour and nutritional value. When the plant goes to seed, it presents yet another opportunity. Seeds are high in calcium and thought to help with arthritis. Celery is generally a cool-weather crop, and will tolerate boggy conditions better than most edible plants. So, reserve that low-lying part of the garden that collects the excess water run-off. Nevertheless, it also can cope well during the warm times of the year as long as it is kept hydrated. Along with water, celery will also appreciate a fortnightly dose of liquid seaweed solution.
PLANTING
Propagate seeds in a seed tray 4 weeks prior to planting. Integrate compost into the patch and then transplant, making sure the conditions are neither too hot nor too cold. Space seedlings at half the distance needed for mature plants.
WATERING
In ground: Water daily for the first 4 weeks and 3–4 times a week in the absence of rainfall thereafter. More frequent watering may be required during the warmer times of the year.
In Pots: Water daily while establishing and for the entirety of the warm season, otherwise every second day – after they are 4 weeks old – if growing during the cooler times of the year.
MAINTENANCE
Integrate compost into the patch prior to transplanting.
Apply monthly applications of liquid seaweed solution.
Mulch to a depth of 3–5cm using pea straw, lucerne hay or sugar cane mulch, and thin out seedlings to required spacing.
After 12 weeks blanch the stems of celery by building up extra mulch around the plants. You can begin harvesting, taking the more mature outer stalks first, allowing the younger inner ones to further develop.
HARVESTING
Time until first harvest: About 12 weeks.
How to harvest: Cut outer, more mature stalks near the base of the plant.
TIP
It’s a real water lover, so don’t deny its guilty pleasure.
