January 15, 2014

Celery is an easy and rewarding crop for the winter garden. It’s so convenient to go to the garden and cut a few stalks to cook with other vegetables or an entree. Celery makes everything taste better.

This is the first year I’ve grown celery in the ground. Last winter I chronicled my celery experiment–grown in a pot from the end of a celery bunch. You can read about that here and here. You’ll also find some reasons why buying organic celery or growing your own is a good idea.

I planted seeds in the early fall but knew that germination could be tricky. 

So when I found a six-pack at my favorite nursery, I bought it and planted the celery in the eight inch wide trench of garden soil enriched with compost.

The trench directs more water to the celery in my sandy soil.

And here it is growing in the winter sun next to the ‘Bull’s Blood’ beets. Red-green plant combinations add beauty to the winter garden.

I harvest a few stalks almost daily for cooking and salads from my cut and come again celery .Read a post from Barbara Pleasant about cutting celery. She overwinters it in her garden as a “permanent edible." 

Today I’ll make another round of celery salt from the dried leaves. See my post Homemade Celery Salt for directions.

Now I’m wondering again why I never planted celery in the winter garden.