How does outdoor celery in the north survive the winter?

The best time to plant celery in the north is spring and autumn. Celery prefers cool climate. The suitable temperature range for growth is 15-20℃, and the suitable temperature for seed germination is 15-25℃. So how does outdoor celery in the north survive the winter? Let’s take a look with the editor below.

1. Choose cold-resistant varieties

Celery is a vegetable with strong cold resistance and can withstand short-term low temperatures of -10℃ during the seedling stage. Mature celery plants are more cold-resistant and can withstand temperatures of -7°C or even lower.

2. Temperature control

The suitable temperature for celery growth in winter is 15℃ to 20℃, and the maximum temperature at noon should not exceed 25℃. The minimum night temperature should be kept above 5°C to avoid chilling or freezing damage. When the temperature drops, it is necessary to insist on short-term ventilation to reduce the humidity in the greenhouse and let in air at the right time. As the weather turns colder, gradually reduce the air letting time.

3. Protection measures

In areas where the minimum winter temperature is above -5 degrees Celsius, it can overwinter in the open field without any protection measures. In areas where the lowest temperature in winter is around -10 degrees Celsius, wind barriers need to be installed and the ground covered with grass for wintering. If the minimum winter temperature in an area is below minus 12 degrees Celsius, it cannot overwinter in the open field. Celery roots are often stored in autumn for overwintering and planted after thawing in the spring.

4. Topdressing

In early to mid-November, new roots and new leaves have grown in large numbers, and 15-20 kg of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium compound fertilizer can be applied per mu. The second topdressing is mainly nitrogen fertilizer, and 8-10 kg of urea can be applied per mu with water. At the same time, supplement trace elements. For example, calcium deficiency will cause the heart leaves to dry up, boron deficiency will cause stem cracking in the later stage, and zinc deficiency will reduce celery's resistance to viral diseases.

5. Watering

You can water the plant about a week after planting. When the ground is slightly dry, perform shallow tillage and then let the seedlings stand for 7-15 days to promote the rooting of the celery. By mid-to-late December, the weather turns cold and the seedlings basically stop growing. At this time, water them once before freezing.

6. Field management

During celery cultivation, in order to promote its growth, gibberellin can be sprayed on the leaves at a concentration of 30ppm to 100ppm. If spraying gibberellins is combined with fertilizer and water management, more ideal results can be achieved.

The above is an introduction to how open-air celery in the north survives the winter. The planting and management of open-air celery is more complicated than greenhouse celery, but celery grown in an open-air environment often has a better taste and higher nutritional value.