Seler - Jak mieć udane zbiory selera? Uprawa selera przez cały sezon.

How to Grow... Celery is the only root vegetable grown from seedlings. This is because it has a long seedling emergence period and slow seedling development. The same is true for celery, so if you want to grow this plant in your vegetable garden, you need to start seedlings quite early. From sowing celery seeds to obtaining a ready-made seedling with a few leaves, it usually takes 8-10 weeks. The variety selection increases from season to season, but the basics of cultivation remain the same. Sowing celery is most often done in February or early March. Fill a box or container with sowing and pricking out soil, which you thoroughly moisten. The container can be relatively shallow, as the seedlings usually need pricking out later anyway. Celery seeds are very small, so try to distribute them evenly. Do not cover them with soil; just gently press them down, ensuring they have constant access to light. Cover the entire plant with glass or plastic wrap and place it in a warm, bright spot with a temperature of 18-22 degrees Celsius. Keep the soil moist until seeds emerge. Germination takes 10-20 days. If you cover your seeds with plastic wrap, remember to air them daily. If you notice the soil is slightly dry, water them gently with a sprayer. About a month or a month and a half after sowing, transplant the young plants, which have 2-3 true leaves, into larger pots or containers, spacing them about 3-5 cm apart. Temperature plays a crucial role in the production of celery seedlings; it should be maintained at 20-22 degrees Celsius during the day and 18-20 degrees Celsius at night. After a while, you can lower the temperature to 14-18 degrees Celsius. However, a temperature drop below 14°C (59°F) can stunt plant growth and even contribute to flowering shoots later in the growing season. When pruning out, the old school rule is to shorten the roots slightly, which will allow for better branching. However, be careful not to shorten them too much and not to curl them up when planting them in a new location. Also, be careful not to accidentally cover the plant's growing point. After transplanting, water the seedlings thoroughly and keep the soil consistently moist. This process can be repeated a month after the first pruning out. You can also fertilize your seedlings around April with your chosen fertilizer. Celery is usually planted in the ground in the second half of May, as these plants are sensitive to low temperatures, spacing them approximately 30 x 40 cm apart. The soil should be fertile and moist, and the location should be sunny. The planting holes can be dressed with something like compost. In May, ready-made celery seedlings can also be purchased at garden centers. Remember that planting depth determines the tuber's shape. Planting too deep causes the tubers to take on an elongated shape. Planting too shallow, on the other hand, can lead to increased lateral root production, which negatively impacts the plant's quality. Properly planted celery will remain at the same depth in its new location as it was previously growing. Celery should not be grown in waterlogged, acidic, or calcium-rich soils. In poor soils, it can be grown in the first year after manure application. Celery has high nutrient requirements, including nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Therefore, it is worth feeding your crops with organic compound fertilizers as needed, remembering to always incorporate the fertilizers into the topsoil using a fork or rake. Loosening the soil also has a beneficial effect on celery growth and development. It's worth watering celery from time to time, being careful not to damage the roots. Celery should be watered thoroughly throughout the summer. If you notice yellowing leaves, you can remove them, leaving only the lush green tops. From around August, you can pull these vegetables as needed. You can consume both the underground and above-ground parts, for example, in soups as an ingredient in mixed vegetables. In summary, celery's growing season is very long, lasting 7-8 months from sowing to harvest. It has slightly higher thermal requirements than carrots or parsley. This plant requires warm soil, rich in humus and nutrients, with a pH of 6.5-7, and sufficient moisture. The soil should not be compacted; if you have such soil in your garden, it should be loosened before planting. In sandy soil, it develops numerous lateral roots. During the growing season, celery usually requires additional fertilization, even several times per season, depending on soil fertility and regular weeding and watering. It tolerates heat but grows better in cool, rainy years. The last harvest is usually in October or November, before the arrival of winter's cold.