Celery: A History of Celery is a brief history of the vegetable.
The University of Missouri Division of Plant Sciences is headed by David Trinklein.
The month of November brings with it Thanksgiving and memories of the traditional Thanksgiving dinner.Most people remember the smell of celery being diced.Although turkey, pumpkin pie, candied sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce are important parts of the Thanksgiving meal, it is not complete without celery to add flavor to the dressing or crunch to a salad.
Although turkey, pumpkin, sweet potato and cranberry are native to the Americas, celery is not.It wasn't until the early 1800's that American gardens began to grow celery.It is one of our most popular vegetables and is used in many ways throughout the year.
There is a plant called Apium graveolens var.The Umbelliferae is a parsley family.Carrot, parsley and parsnip are familiar vegetables in this family.The Italian word seleri is related to the French wordceleri.The Greek word for parsley is selinon.In Homer's Odyssey reference is made to selinon.
The parent to our modern celery is believed to have come from the Mediterranean region of Europe, where it was used as a medicine.Medieval books suggest using celery to control hysteria, soothe nerves, and promote sleep.celery is still considered a "health food" because of its low calories and high fiber content despite the fact that it has been disproven.
Around 1623, the French probably first used Celery as a food.The use was limited to flavoring because of the pungency of early types.The wild types of celery were improved in the late 17th and early 18th century, making them better for salads.Gardeners found that growing celery in cooler parts of the year reduced its pungency.
By the middle of the 18th century, the more affluent people of northern Europe were enjoying celery in the cellars.After that time, it was used as a food.It is most likely that it was introduced to America by the colonists.The variety 'Pascal' dominates commercial production in the United States.
The plant is biennial.It produces lush, leafy growth the first year and flowers and seeds the second year.It is only grown for the first year until plants are large enough to harvest.celery is planted early in the spring in Missouri.Hot caps or floating row covers may be necessary to protect it from damage by late spring frosts.Plants should be 24 inches apart.Gardeners can grow their own transplants from seeds planted indoors or in cold frames, and started plants can be purchased from retail outlets.
The soils are deep and fertile and the temperatures are cool.Adding compost or well-decomposed manure to 100 square feet of garden area is recommended if the soil has a high organic matter content.The organic matter should be put into the soil at a depth of eight inches.
Celery needs a lot of water.This is true when it is grown in warmer areas.The soil must have good drainage at the same time.Even when the stress lasts only a few days, the ability to irrigate celery is very important.
Adequate nutrition is required for celery.A general purpose gardenfertilizer should be included when preparing the soil for planting.There should be two to three pounds of 12-12-12 per 100 square feet of garden.It is necessary to side-dress with nitrogen several times during the growing season.
Flea beetles, armyworms and cabbage loopers are some of the insect pests of celery.Asters yellows, root rot, and pink rot are some of the common diseases.Good soil drainage and strict Sanitation help to prevent diseases from occurring.
Blanching is a procedure used in the production of celery and newer varieties are upright in their growth habit.It helps to reduce the green color in the stems which results in superior quality.Blanching can be accomplished by covering the plants with a sheet of newspaper and tying the tops of the stems together.A third method involves covering the stems with stakes on either side of the row.Blanching takes 10 to 14 days with any method.
When the stalks are at least six inches in length, they are ready for harvest.It should be refrigerated immediately after harvest since it has a high water content.The latter can be accommodated by plastic bags.