When is the best time to grow celery seedlings (celery sowing and seedling raising methods and planting time)

Celery is a general term, why? Because there are two varieties of celery, namely the domestic celery and foreign celery that we often call, which are actually called Benqin (Chinese celery) and Xiqin (European and American celery).

The biggest difference between Chinese celery and Western celery is that Chinese celery is hollow while Western celery is solid. Chinese celery has a stronger aroma than Western celery. I love Chinese celery.

Both Chinese celery and Western celery are called celery, but they have similarities and differences in seedling cultivation.

1. Celery seedling cultivation

Celery can be planted many times a year. Celery seedlings have strong adaptability and a wide sowing period. They can be sown from February to October and can be put on the market all year round. The specific time should be determined according to the local temperature and market demand. It is impossible to say which time period is best for seedling cultivation.

Here, celery is generally cultivated in spring and autumn, with autumn being the main season, because celery prefers cool weather and cannot tolerate high temperatures.

Early autumn celery is usually sown in early July and harvested in September-October. The temperature drops in autumn and enters a cool season, which is very beneficial to the growth of celery. It can be sown in stages, from October to March of the following year .

Seeding and raising seedlings in early spring will cause bolting as the temperature rises, affecting the quality, so we have to choose varieties that bolt late for seeding and raising seedlings . For example, we use small arch sheds to raise seedlings from the end of February to early April. If sowing too early, bolting will occur.

When growing celery in summer, there is generally no problem of bolting. Due to the influence of high temperature, you have to choose heat-resistant varieties. You can sow in May and June and raise seedlings in the shade.

Whether it is Chinese celery or Western celery, the seeds are small, the shells are hard, it is not easy to absorb water, and the germination is weak. In addition, celery is a cool vegetable and requires a lower temperature for the seeds to germinate well. Therefore, the seeds must be soaked first when sowing to speed up the germination of the seeds.

Here we soak the celery seeds for a day, rub off the skin, take them out and wrap them in gauze, put them in the refrigerator or hang them in a deep well in a cool environment to germinate. Generally, when about half of the seeds germinate, they can be sown.

Water the soil thoroughly before sowing. In hot seasons, build a sunshade, cover with film and shade net to prevent rain and shade. The seeds can be mixed with fine sand and evenly spread on the bed surface. Pat it lightly with a wooden board to facilitate the seeds to combine closely with the wet soil, and then cover it with a layer of fine soil that is half a finger thick.

Generally, seedlings will emerge in 7-15 days. After emergence, pay attention to the moisture of the bed surface and water frequently with small amounts of water. When there are 4-5 true leaves and a height of about 10 cm, you can select large seedlings for transplanting in batches about 50-60 days after sowing .

Since celery takes a long time to germinate, there will definitely be weed damage. Remember to combine weeding with thinning.

These are the basic steps when growing celery seedlings, but there are slight differences between Chinese celery and Western celery, so it is necessary to talk about them.

2. The difference between the two celery seedlings

This celery is the local celery. Maybe it’s because it has been grown for many years and has adapted to the environment. We basically use cold water to soak the seeds and germinate them at a temperature of about 20 degrees.

Perhaps because celery is imported, it is a bit delicate. We usually soak it in warm water and germinate it in an environment below 20 degrees.

Then there is the issue of sowing period. Perhaps celery has relatively poor adaptability. We basically sow celery from July to October here, and it is on the market during the Spring Festival, with a relatively good price.

The third is that the seedling period of celery is longer than that of native celery, and the seedlings required for transplanting are better to be larger, generally 8-9 leaves are better for transplanting.

This is the seedling raising time and method when we grow celery here. The seedling raising time varies in different regions. Otherwise, there would not be problems such as transporting vegetables from the south to the north and from the north to the south.

Celery can also be fertilized when it is growing seedlings, such as dilute human feces and urine, chemical fertilizer water, etc., such as compound fertilizer, urea, potassium fertilizer, etc. The concentration should be lower, and you can eat small meals frequently. Especially after the seedlings are pulled out and planted, top dressing should be applied in time to promote growth .