Celery - is it worth the trouble?

[Paulottie]

I have some seeds that a french friend gave me "celeri a couper commun" - says sow in rows a foot apart, rich and sunny but nothing else. I think it might be lovage or similar but does anybody know?

[MURFE 18]

I have just put celery, seed in never grew any before it,s in greenhouse at moment, sown about 2 weeks ago , some are poking there noses through i have also done some celeriac,

[bubblewrap]

Celery & Blue stilton soup.oooh! nice

[Alice]

Thanks for that Flummery. Might be just what I'm looking for to help screen off my kitchen garden with edibles. I have loads of space here (over an acre) and some of it is still going begging. I'll Google it and look at the pros and cons.
I'm trying celeriac as well (the seedlings are up) - all very celeriac exciting.

[Protea]

My father discovered male sterility (whatever that means) in wild celery and went on to breed the first hybrid celery - I've looked in the catalogue and Victoria F1 is supposed to be a good variety - should be stringless and taste good but its a 'green' variety (like you see in the shops) rather than a self blanching white variety. Just checked and Thompson and Morgan sell it.

Lathom Self Blanching 'Galaxy' is another line they maintain, which according to my catalogue is stringless, slow growing and slow bolting. No idea what it tastes like though but might be worth a go if you've had probs with stringy celery before. Can be grown under tunnels as well as outdoors.

hope this helps. I don't grow celery as i hate it! (much to my fathers disgust of course !)

[pumpkin cuddler]

I cannot tell you how good it will be, as this is the first time that I have tried to grow it.
I have some seeds that they called wild chinese celery.
It is supposed to be ready to eat in about six to eight weeks, (I think).
Instead of being big chunky block it is supposed to grow more loose.
Supposedly not as difficult to grow.
But then again I cannot be sure. I bought the seeds from Kings, I think that they were about 99p.
Hope this is of help.

[Alice]

Thanks for that Protea - interesting about your father. I'm Growing Lathom self blanching so fingers crossed.
Thanks Pumpkin Cuddler. I've made a note of that and may try some later on.

[TPeers]

I'm trying this for the first time this year too. Got an F1 called Alice or something similar (too lazy to get up and go to the greenhouse to look) it too is supposed to be self-blanching, perhaps we can all compare notes as the year goes on?

Oh yes, stringy outer stalks - they apparently (according to a farmers wife I know, who grows tons of celery each year) have the majority of the celery flavour and are fantastic in soups. Also the hens adore them!

Terry

[JennieAtkinson]

Jennie, the only thing I can tell you about the self blanching celery is plant it in a block and not in rows and put straw or something round the outside edges. I think the theory is they "blanche" each other. It's the tactics I'm going for anyway.

Thanks Alice - how close are you planting ? and are you earthing up even just a little?

[muckdiva]

Armed with everyone's good advice, I will give it a go, and hope for the best. Even thought it's a self blanching variety, I think I will pack straw around the plants and plant in a block.

[Cutecumber]

I thought about doing some celery for the first time this year, but I only really wanted to experiment rather than get a big crop (and there's nowhere suitable anyway).

Can you blanch effectively without earthing up using several layers of cardboard tied round, or is that not enough?

[Paulottie]

TonyF and wife's french grandma reckon my seeds are self blanchin celery so I guess ill be giving it another go this year after all. I'm still going to try blanching with paper or black plastic(no earth) as I have one book that says it is definately more tender if you do this for 3 weeks or so before lifting. Good luck all.