Celery

Celery is a very useful vegetable to plant in your garden.

It contains many vitamins and minerals, is full of fiber, and is even known to help stop the growth of some kinds of cancerous tumors.

Celery grows best deep, acidic soil containing a large amount of organic matter. The water table should be high enough for the roots to remain moist throughout the summer. However, the roots should not be allowed to become waterlogged.

Sow celery seeds either in cold frames, 6 feet by 4 feet, or in hotbeds.

Manure, about a foot deep, should be added to the soil and then covered with about three inches of more soil.

Use manure that is well-rotted.

If the manure causes the soil to become too hot, leave the frame open for a couple of days to cool off the soil before you sow the seeds.

You can sow seeds in January and February. When sowing seeds in February, it can be wise to use a heated bed.

Cover celery seeds lightly with soil after they are sown to protect them from the heat of the sun.

Water your celery seeds regularly, so that the soil does not get dry, but do not overwater them.

When the seedlings are an inch high, you can apply soot and soil as a dressing. This will encourage root growth.

You may wish to plant celery seedlings into outside beds when the seedlings are three inches high, often at the end of March or early April.

Manure can be added to the soil in March or May. You can add superphosphate in May.

In May or June, plant out your cauliflower plants into their permanent positions.

Your cauliflowers should be about 5 inches tall by this time.

Use a spade to lift the plants up carefully from their beds.

It is good to plant out during showery weather.

Place your cauliflowers in rows from 5 to 5 ½ feet apart. Within the rows, the plants should be 4 ½ inches apart.

During the summer, keep the soil free from weeds.

You will need to earth up the soil - pile up soil around the plants - from time to time.

Keep soil packed tightly around each plant, so that only the green leaves are visible.

The second time you earth up, apply ammonium sulfate to the soil. Apply two more dressings of ammonium sulfate after that, at intervals three weeks apart.

Celery must be blanched in order for eat to be eaten. Blanching improves the flavor so that the celery stalks are not too bitter.

Exactly when your celery will be ready to be lifted from the soil will depend on the variety.