Leaf Celery.....

[daviddevantnhisspiritwife]

I have tried to grow Celery a number of times. I have sort of managed it and have perhaps had a couple of decent clumps/bunches/heads whatever they are called each year.

However, most turn out er, let's say; spindly, tough and stringy and rather Stan Laurel like in stature.

I was intrigued by this: Alys Fowler: celery made easy | Life and style | The Guardian

Despite my earlier promises to reign myself in. I um, ordered some.

Do you grow Leaf Celery? Or, are you a dab hand a real Celery? If so, do tell....

[Trix]

I grew a little leaf celery last year and the leaves were nice - tasted like celery but less so (does hthat make sense?). I imagine they'll be nice in soups. I'll be trying again this year as last year's plant didn't live long!

[Mark Lottie]

I grow it, it's also called Smallage.

I just bought a pot and stuck it in some rubbish ground and it prospered really well, didnt even die back over Winter.

you just eat the leaves and seeds (same stuff used for celery seeds/salt in cooking) AFAIK, the stems are stringy and not that nice

[daviddevantnhisspiritwife]

So, I imagine it has that awesome Celery aroma?

I guess it can be used in place of Celery for stock bases (eg. I normally use garlic / onion / carrot / celery)?

I think it will be my saving grace, the celery I grew was that bad last season, my wife repeatedly refused it and purchased from the shop. She didn't even pretend it was ok!

[WilliamD]

I grew some 'Giant Red' celery last year and it worked a treat. I blanched it by putting cardboard around it once it had done most of its growing. That made the stalks turn pink. I cut quite a few of the leaves off and made celery salt. The plants were so vigorous that after chopping them down during the winter, a few weeks ago they'd started sprouting again.

[BertieFox]

I've been growing leaf celery (Chinese celery (Apium graveolens var. secalinum)) for some years and another advantage is that it can be perennial. It is a bit stringy but when cut young it provides the genuine celery flavour to soups and stews. One of those essential things to keep growing in the corner of the garden or the polytunnel, in my view.

[Mark Lottie]

yeah it's got a real good celery taste. Cooks out well in stock just like normal celery and you can toss a bit in at the end for a bit of fresh celery taste

[hellybore]

I've been growing leaf celery (Chinese celery (Apium graveolens var. secalinum))

I didn't realise leaf celery and Chinese celery were the same thing. I have a tray of leaf celery seedlings on the windowsill, thought I was trying something new! But I already have two Chinese celery plants I got at a plant sale last year - they overwintered so may be perennial - or biennial.