advice on growing celery from seed

[finglas]

Hello,

just looking for some quick advice on growing celery. I sowed my first lot around early March and then I eventually pricked out the seedlings and put them into modules. I read that celery shouldn't be allowed to get too cold so I have been keeping them in the conservatory and on some really cold nights (I'm just outside Glasgow) I put a heat mat on a timer under them. Anyway, the light isn't ideal in the conservatory of course and they seem to have gone a little leggy.

My question is, did I sow them too early? I did sow another lot around the beginning for April which have only just germinated but they too are being kept in the conservatory and are going a little leggy but need pricked out and potted into modules soon.

Any advice, when do you sow and how cold can you afford to let them go overnight? I do have a greenhouse but some of them already perished because I left them in the greenhouse on a night where there was a light frost.

advice would be really appreciated,

Jamie

[burnie]

I grew some trench celery last year, a lot of work and if I'm honest, not quite a success, it was great cooked but a bit bitter raw. Are you growing self blanching or trench variety?

https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...ery_99929.html

[greenishfing]

I have grown trench celery from seed ONCE. I grew them by the book, spent hours lovingly mollycoddling them. Eventually I dug a happy looking plant up. Every stick had been attacked by slugs.
I just hope you have better luck than me.
I have no intention of trying again.

[Starch]

As above tried on two occasions to grow with limited success, and as I also don’t like the flavour will not bother this year.

[Chestnut]

Not sure about the growlights bit, but having failed to ever get them beyond an inch tall I quizzed the guys manning the horticultural display at a show last summer....
They recommended never letting the seedlings dry out (chap I spoke to recommended watering 2-3 times daily), and also said they don’t like their roots being restricted so pot them up well before you think they need it - his usually got to 9” pots before it was time to plant out.
I’m not expecting to be able to mollycoddle stuff to that extent this year (I think going to allotment 3 times daily would be regarded as ‘unnecessary’ in the current climate!), so will have to wait til next year to know if I’ll actually get a crop ;-)

[It never rains..it pours]

Planted mine 23\3 , about 10 seeds per 3". They seem to be ok in the conservatory here but know they must not dry out so water every 2 days. Will thin out soon. This year trying self blanching as wrapping in black plastic made work last year. Again they needed lots of water when planted out , most of which unfortunately came from the sky here last summer

[It never rains..it pours]

Planted mine 23\3 , about 10 seeds per 3" pot. They seem to be ok in the conservatory here but know they must not dry out so water every 2 days. Will thin out soon to the strongest per pot. This year trying self blanching as wrapping in black plastic made work last year. Again they needed lots of water when planted out , most of which unfortunately came from the sky here last summer

[Vince G]

Hello,

just looking for some quick advice on growing celery. I sowed my first lot around early March and then I eventually pricked out the seedlings and put them into modules. I read that celery shouldn't be allowed to get too cold so I have been keeping them in the conservatory and on some really cold nights (I'm just outside Glasgow) I put a heat mat on a timer under them. Anyway, the light isn't ideal in the conservatory of course and they seem to have gone a little leggy.

My question is, did I sow them too early? I did sow another lot around the beginning for April which have only just germinated but they too are being kept in the conservatory and are going a little leggy but need pricked out and potted into modules soon.

Any advice, when do you sow and how cold can you afford to let them go overnight? I do have a greenhouse but some of them already perished because I left them in the greenhouse on a night where there was a light frost.

advice would be really appreciated,

Jamie

Sounds like you're doing everything the same as me, although bear in mind I'm in East Anglia so is usually going to be a little warmer than your neck of the woods. Mine are also in modules now and about 2 inches high. I'll start hardening off in about another week, outside in the open but in a fairly sheltered spot, then plant out after a further couple of weeks in a bed I've already dug a lot of compost into. They can tolerate a bit of cold when they're fully grown so I usually pick into late November if no severe frosts, but again bear in mind my location.

[finglas]

Thanks everyone, appreciate the advice. I wasn't aware that they had to be watered so frequently and should never dry out so I will get on that. They are forming reasonable plants now and I could probably pot them on, sounds like I should from some of the advice here.

So far they have been quite hard work moving them in and out and pussyfooting around them basically.

They are a self blanching variety so hopefully that saves on some of the hassle.

Thanks for the help as always

jamie