When to Harvest Celery Roots? Celery care in autumn When to harvest root celery.

Root celery is a tasty and very healthy vegetable. To preserve root crops for as long as possible, root celery must be harvested on time. In this article we will tell you when to remove root celery from the garden, and how to preserve the crop throughout the winter.

Cleaning time

If this plant appeared in your garden bed for the first time, then you are probably wondering when you need to dig up root celery and how to harvest it correctly. You need to know that root crops begin to form only in the second half of summer, and the bulk is gained from the end of August to September. In addition, the tubers still need time to ripen, otherwise they will be tasteless and quickly spoil.

It follows from this that there is no need to rush to harvest celery roots. The plant tolerates cold and light frosts well on the surface, so it can be left in the ground until the first snow. However, it is undesirable to expose the tubers to real frost, since even light freezing will negatively affect the taste and shelf life.

The timing of harvesting root celery is also affected by the climate of the region where it grows. In the south, tubers can be left in the garden until mid-November, but in the middle zone the period when celery can be harvested is limited to October. But the easiest way to determine the maturity of root celery is by the tops. If the tops begin to turn yellow, this is a sure sign that the root is no longer growing and it’s time to dig it up.

Harvesting technology

Having decided on the question of when is the best time to harvest celery root, you should choose the right day and think through the harvesting process itself. Considering that celery tubers have many fibrous roots and “sit” quite deep in the ground, it is recommended to dig them up after rain, but not immediately, but, for example, the next day, when the soil becomes loose. If there is no precipitation, the bed should be watered, otherwise the root crops may be damaged when digging, and this will significantly reduce their safety.

Harvesting can be done in one of the following ways:

Using a garden fork, a shovel or a large knife, carefully pry up the roots and remove the plants to the surface;
if the soil is wet and loose, the tubers can simply be pulled out, holding them by the tops.

After the harvesting is completed, shake off the soil from the tubers and, if the weather permits, leave them in the garden for a while to dry. Then the tops are cut to a height of 2–3 cm, and the root vegetables themselves are laid out in a dry, well-ventilated room for further drying. The cut tops can be left in the garden bed - over the winter they will turn into excellent fertilizer.

Root vegetables with slight mechanical damage are not suitable for long-term storage - they are best used for food immediately.

Storage rules

Celery can be stored fresh, frozen or dried. The first method is certainly the most interesting, since fresh root vegetables contain more nutrients and vitamins. And so that the vegetable does not lose its nutritional value, it must be stored in the cold - at a temperature of +2...+8 °C. A cold room (cellar, basement) or refrigerator is suitable for this. Root vegetables are stored the longest in the cellar, as the optimal temperature and humidity ratio is maintained there.

Only healthy and undamaged tubers are suitable for storage, so sorting should be done before storing. Root selection is carried out visually, using tapping and pressure. A ringing sound when lightly tapped indicates voids inside the celery. If the top of the root crop bends, this is a sign of the beginning of rotting of the product. When pressed, healthy tubers should remain dense, with a smooth surface, without scars or growths of unknown origin.

Next, the sorted roots should be prepared. To store them in the refrigerator, wash them thoroughly with a soft brush, dry them, then place them in plastic or cling film and place them in a vegetable container. To store root crops in the cellar, you only need to clear the soil and cut off the tops, then use one of the following methods:

put the tubers in a box with wet sand (you need to lay them in one layer with the petioles facing up);
dip into a “mash” of water and clay, and after drying, stack the vegetables in rows;
in the south of the country, where the soil does not freeze in winter, root crops can be kept in the ground, laid in layers in a shallow trench, and each layer sprinkled with moistened sand.

To prevent tubers from rotting, it is recommended to add a little lime or ash to the sand. The sand should also not be allowed to dry out. As for drying and freezing root vegetables, during such processing the product loses most of its beneficial properties and is only suitable for heat treatment.

Now you know when to harvest and how to store celery tubers, and perhaps your garden bed will be replenished with this vegetable, even if you didn’t pay attention to it before.

Video “Harvesting celery root”

From this video you will learn about when and how to harvest celery root.

If in the garden beds, then October is its time. To accumulate more nutrients, this vegetable needs to stay in the ground as long as possible. Such a crop can be stored for a fairly long period, provided that the rules of collection and preparation for storage are followed. All these features are described in detail in the article.

When is harvest time?

The answer to this question will be observation of the weather. In any case, you should not remove celery from the garden before October. In September, all useful substances accumulate and mass increases. If the autumn turned out to be warm, then until the end of October you can leave the celery in the beds. But if stable frosts begin, then you need to remove the vegetable from the garden. The root vegetable itself can withstand frosts down to -6°C, although such a fruit will not last long. And minor frosts down to -4°C are not harmful to the root system of celery. Thus, the main signals for harvesting root celery are:

Second half of October.
The leaves of the plant turn yellow.
In the mornings the frosts are more than -4°C.
During the day the temperature does not rise above +5°C.
If there is a lot of moisture, check for cracking. If root vegetables begin to burst, it is better to remove them earlier.

These are the main criteria by which you can determine the time to harvest celery root.

The process of collecting root crops

The time has been chosen, the signets are on, the baskets are prepared - it’s time to go to the garden for the celery harvest.

The entire collection process looks like this:

You need to go for the harvest from 11 o'clock in the afternoon, when the frost has passed and the moisture has dried out and there is no precipitation.
If the ground is hard, then you need to take a shovel or pitchfork. Carefully dig up the celery roots and place them in small piles for ventilation.
Shake and knead the soil from the root vegetables with your hand without damaging the vegetable itself.
Trim the tops, leaving 2-4 cm.
Trim long and thin roots a little.
Place the celery in a basket and remove it from the garden.

That's all the manipulations that need to be done when harvesting. Celery tops can be left on the site for the purpose of fertilizing and repelling pests (some of them do not like the pungent smell from celery). Or you can collect it and throw it in a compost bin.

Storing celery root

Root vegetables are stored in several ways:

Fresh - in the basement.
Frozen - in the freezer.
Chilled - in the refrigerator.
Dried - in glass containers.

Each of these methods needs to be considered in detail, understanding the features and nuances.

Storing celery in the basement

The collected undamaged root crops are laid out in rows, cut tops up, and covered with sand to which a little lime or chalk has been added. You can put some onion peels between the rows. These techniques are necessary in order to slow down the rotting processes in celery. Cover the top with plastic wrap, but do not seal it tightly. Place the boxes in a basement, cellar or other suitable place. Conditions that should be in place where celery is stored:

The temperature is not below zero, but not above +4°C.
Air humidity is no more than 80%.
Periodic ventilation of the room.

If you store celery this way, it can last until spring. The main thing is to periodically review the boxes and remove damaged copies.

They can also be stored in plastic bags; for this, root vegetables are placed in bags without covering the top opening of the bag. Place in a room with the parameters as described above. The vegetable can be stored this way for up to two months.

Freezing root vegetables

In the freezer, celery retains its beneficial properties and taste for up to 4 months. That is, there will be enough reserves for the whole winter. To freeze this vegetable you need:

Wash root vegetables.
To peel.
Cut into cubes or strips (as you like).
Place on a towel to dry for several hours.
Place in plastic bags or plastic containers.
Place in the freezer.

In this way, you can freeze those celery root vegetables that were slightly damaged during harvest and cannot be stored whole.

Storing celery in the refrigerator

Wash the vegetable.
Peel the peel.
Cut into cubes or strips.
Place in a plastic bag.
Place in the refrigerator.

This way you can extend the life of celery.

Storing dried celery

To ensure that soups and other dishes have a subtle aroma and pleasant taste of celery, many housewives dry this vegetable. This way, celery is stored for a long time and does not take up much space, and is also always at hand. To dry it, you should:

Wash the root vegetable.
To peel.
Cut into thin slices or strips, or you can grate on a coarse grater.
Dry in special dryers for vegetables and fruits. Or you can do it in the oven, evenly distributing the chopped celery on baking sheets. The thickness of the layers should not exceed 3 cm. Just do not set the temperature above 80°C. Dry in several stages for 2-3 hours. This process will take several days. You need to stir the celery periodically to ensure even drying.

Place the dried vegetable in a glass container with a tight-fitting lid. Place in a dry place.

If properly harvested celery is sent for storage using one of the described methods, then you don’t have to worry about its safety. All winter it will delight you with its taste, aroma and beneficial properties. The main thing is to periodically check the root crops that are in the bins and remove rotten specimens in a timely manner to avoid damage to the entire celery crop.

Celery belongs to the genus of herbaceous plants of the Apiaceae family. Its leaves, petioles and roots contain a large amount of useful substances, so the crop is widely grown in gardens and used not only as a food product, but also as a useful remedy. A plant grown in the garden can be a source of vitamins all winter. But for this you need to know the rules for collecting and storing root, petiole, and leaf celery.

Harvest dates

Depending on the type and variety

When to remove celery from the garden depends on both the type and variety of the vegetable.

Leafy species are harvested throughout the summer, as soon as the leaves form and grow. Petiole and root celery begin to be harvested in July. The timing of their collection depends on the variety:

early varieties are harvested from July to September;
average – in September and October;
later ones begin to be collected in October.

Late varieties can withstand frost and are stored for a long time, so they are harvested until November and stored in the winter under certain conditions.

Signs that it’s time to harvest celery are:

For petiole vegetables: the petioles turn white, lose their sharp taste, become crispy and tender.
For root- withered, yellow tops. This is the main sign that the root is ripe and can be dug up.

We focus on weather conditions

Petiole celery is sensitive even to slight frosts, so it is harvested at still above-zero temperatures. When growing using the trench method, harvesting can be postponed for 20-30 days, since in this case it is possible to cover the plants with lutrasil or other material.

Root celery able to withstand sub-zero temperatures down to -7 degrees. However, you should not delay harvesting too much, otherwise the roots will freeze and will not be stored for long. At the same time, the longer vegetables are in the ground, the better they will ripen and increase in size. Therefore, you should not rush to clean, but you need to focus on the weather forecast.

Depending on the climate of the region

In some regions of our country, autumn is short, while in others there may be warm days as early as November. Therefore, the harvest is harvested based on weather conditions:

In Siberia and the Urals Late varieties of root and petiole celery may not have time to ripen, so medium and early varieties are grown here. The harvest begins in July and continues in August and September, depending on the weather and signs of ripening of vegetables.
In the Volga region Early and mid-late varieties are grown, since the summers are warm and quite long. Celery is harvested from the garden in September - October.
In outskirts of Moscow You can safely grow late varieties, since there are thaws even in winter. Gardeners here harvest crops in October and November.

How to properly remove

Petiole celery

The vegetable petioles will become more tender and there will be no bitterness in them if, 15-20 days before harvesting, they are collected in a bunch and the lower part is wrapped in some breathable, opaque material (for example, burlap). This procedure is called bleaching.

When planting petiole celery, you should look at how many days it takes for this variety to ripen and not leave it in the garden for longer than the allotted time. Otherwise, the petioles will become fibrous and rough.

On the day of harvesting, vegetables are dug out of the ground along with their roots. If the petioles will not be stored for long, the roots can be cut off and the plants can be placed in a cool place. Celery is not removed from its roots for long-term storage. To preserve it for as long as possible, it is buried in a greenhouse or in boxes with wet sand in the cellar.

Root celery

In order for root vegetables to be stored for a long time, vegetables from the vegetable garden must be collected correctly:

Using a fork, first lift the soil and then carefully dig up the root crops, stepping back some distance from them. If vegetables are damaged, they will not be stored for long. Therefore, it is not recommended to pull them by the tops.
The root crop removed from the ground is cleaned by hand from adhering soil. You should clean it carefully so as not to damage the skin.
The tops need to be cut off, leaving a stump of two to four centimeters. The greens can be used directly for food or dried and used as a seasoning.
Before storing, root vegetables are dried first in the garden (if the weather permits), and then in a well-ventilated, cool room.

Only whole root crops are selected for storage, since damaged ones will not be stored for a long time.

The useful plant celery is quite unpretentious. If you know how to grow petiole and root celery, when and how to properly remove it from the garden, you can provide your family and friends with natural vitamins for the winter and spring.

Celery is one of the healthiest vegetables. Juice is squeezed from the petioles, which promotes weight loss, strengthens the nervous system and improves skin color. Useful amino acids, trace elements, carotene and other elements saturate the green vegetable. Beginners need to know when to harvest grown celery and how to store it so that all its properties do not disappear after time.

Harvesting

The gardener will grow large, sweet celery stalks if he follows all the rules when planting. It is necessary to find out what the harvest dates for this crop are.

Celery is very sensitive to negative temperatures. This is especially true for self-bleaching varieties, since they are not buried in the soil and are not mulched. They must be cut before the onset of cold weather, no later than September. If you have insulation, you can postpone collection for 2 weeks.

The entire celery is dug out of the soil, the roots are removed, and in this state it is sent for storage. For varieties that need growing, do not cut the roots, sprinkle them with damp sand and place them in a cellar or greenhouse.

Storage and processing conditions

There are 5 ways to store celery roots:

Cold cellar - beneficial properties and appearance are fully preserved, but for a short period of time - no more than 2 months.
Refrigerator - suitable for trimmed roots, for up to 3 weeks.
Freezing - after such storage, shredding the salad or extracting juice will not work; the shelf life is up to 1 year.
Drying - most of the beneficial properties are preserved, but the cuttings are only suitable as seasonings for the main dish; dried celery can be stored for more than a year.
Pickling - vegetables are covered with a large amount of salt and stored in the refrigerator all winter.

Experienced housewives use several methods at once so that they can cook the vegetable at any time of the year.

Fridge

Celery purchased or taken from the cellar is stored in the refrigerator until the next time it is prepared. It is necessary to maintain the elasticity of the stems and prevent rotting. Celery is washed, dried and packaged in one of the following ways:

wrapping in foil;
wrapping with a paper towel and placing in a plastic bag;
use of cling film.

Before cooking, the dried parts are trimmed off. Celery retains most of its beneficial elements.

Cellar

This is the most effective way to store cuttings. The leaves of celery are cut off, the rhizome is left at 3 cm. All cuttings are placed vertically in a prepared box and covered with sand up to half the height of the container. Some specimens can be covered with wet sand or peat. If there is no basement, celery can be stored on a cold balcony, veranda or loggia. The main condition is that the temperature should not be below 0 degrees.

Freezing

A very popular method. Despite similar storage conditions, there are significant differences: the presence or absence of heat treatment.

Blanching can be used. The process is similar to processing Brussels sprouts. The action plan is as follows:

Wash the cuttings, cut out the hard fibers, cut into small or medium pieces.
Place the chopped vegetable in boiling water for 2-3 minutes.
Remove the celery from the boiling water and plunge into ice water or ice to quickly cool.
Place the pieces on a cloth or other canvas in 1 layer, wait for the moisture to evaporate and place them on a baking sheet with parchment.
Place the baking sheet in the freezer.
After freezing, transfer the celery to a tight container.

It is not necessary to blanch the celery; just put the chopped vegetables in a bag and put it in the freezer. However, the shelf life will be reduced to 3 months.

Drying

The method has been tested for years. Celery stalks are rinsed with running water, particles of soil, sand and other contaminants are removed, and wiped with a towel. Whole or chopped vegetables are placed on parchment and covered with the same sheet of paper. Celery should be left to dry at room temperature (about 1 month). Dried cuttings are stored in glass containers. If necessary, it is taken out and prepared. The vegetable can be chopped in a blender, minced in a meat grinder, ground in a mortar or used as a seasoning.

To speed up the process, you can use an oven or electronic dryer. Coarsely chopped pieces are placed on a baking sheet and dried at a temperature of 50-60 degrees. If using an oven, you need to open the door slightly for good air circulation, otherwise the celery will bake rather than dry out.

Pickling

This method has been used for a long time, but at the moment it is not particularly popular. Chopped pieces of celery are placed in a glass jar and covered with salt. Proportion: 1 kg of vegetables requires 200 grams of salt. After salting, celery is added to hot meat dishes and sauces to add flavor.

2 weeks before treatment, it is better to bleach the stems - the petioles are collected together and wrapped underneath with breathable material. This will tenderize the celery and remove the bitter taste.
It is important to take into account the type of vegetable: green is recommended to be bleached, yellow requires gentle care and does not need this procedure, pink and red varieties can be processed later, they are more resistant to cold weather.
The cuttings can be used in preparing small dietary snacks. Celery is boiled and frozen without pre-cutting. Suitable fillings include curd mass, grated cheese, sweet peppers, herbs and minced chicken. If you use your imagination, you will get a tasty and healthy dish, rich in microelements.

Video: how to preserve petiole celery

This article describes the rules for harvesting and storing celery. This is important to know. If you are late before the onset of frost, the vegetable will become unsuitable for storage and inedible, turning into a tasteless mass.

Ripening and harvesting dates

Celery petioles are cut for salads several times during the growing season, when the length of the leaves reaches 30-35 cm. The best option for the latter harvesting for this plant - from the end of September to the first week of October. Then the petioles will retain their unique taste. The last harvest is prepared for the winter. If several varieties are planted, those that have a reddish tint at the base of the leaves can be gather later than plants with white coloring.

For several Only weeks before harvesting, it is necessary to carry out the so-called “bleaching procedure” to make the petioles even more tender and remove the bitter taste. It's easy to do:

Carefully collect the petioles into a bunch.
Wrap the lower part with opaque, breathable material. Burlap is best.
Remove the fabric before cleaning.

Vegetables with yellow stems do not need this procedure; they are more tender than other types.

It must be taken into account that in each region the climate makes its own adjustments. If in outskirts of Moscow gardeners will receive their harvest in early October, then harvesting times in Siberia and the Urals are postponed to an earlier time due to temperature differences.

You need to know when to organize harvesting . The onset of this moment can be determined by the following signs:

celery does not tolerate cold, so when the temperature drops to 0 O C, you need to collect petioles;
the appearance of noticeably yellowed lower leaves means that it is time cleaning time;
Usually celery is harvested together with late varieties of cabbage.

By following these simple rules, you can provide your family with a supply of green vitamins grown on your own plot.

Harvesting methods

In a timely manner remove the celery from the garden - only half the battle, it’s important to knowhow to remove stalked celeryRight. There are several “tricks”:

Dig The fruits should be handled carefully, without damaging the petioles.
Roots petiole celerycut with special devices.
The cut product is prepared for subsequent storage.

Cleaning and preparation for storage passed successfully, move on to the next point.

How to store it correctly

There are several main ways storage and celery preparations for the winter at home:

in a cold cellar the product does not spoil for 2 months;
leaves and petioles can be to freeze , but then the benefits of the spice will be much reduced;
the petioles can be dried for consumption in the form of an aromatic seasoning;
salting will make it possible to use culture in many dishes and sauces all year round.

All these methods savebeneficial featuresand the taste of celery.

Keeping it fresh

When fresh, the harvest does not last long. Without special treatment, the leaves wither, lose their elasticity and taste. Storing the petioles in the refrigerator will make it possible to prepare fresh salads with the addition of celery for two weeks. To do this you need:

Wash the petioles well with running water.
Place on a clean towel or napkin to dry.
Wrap in foil or cling film to remove air.
Place in the refrigerator.

Can be stored petioles in a cool and dry cellar, where they will be stored twice as long. The preparation technology is the same.

You can send the plants for growing. This is done as follows:

When harvesting, leave a small rhizome, about 5 centimeters.
Trim the foliage.
Pour wet sand or sawdust into the container.
Place vertically in the soil.
Sent to the cellar. Another humid room with a temperature of 5 to 10 o is also suitable. WITH.
Periodically moisten with water during storage.

This way you will have fresh celery all year round.

Drying

Wash thoroughly with running water.
They cut coarsely.
Place on parchment paper loosely, leaving free space.
Cover the top with another sheet of paper to prevent dust from getting into the future seasoning.
Leave at room temperature for two weeks.

For those who don't want to wait that long, there is another way. Having previously prepared the product, dry it in the oven at a temperature of 50 o WITH.

When drying, you do not need to close the oven door completely to allow air circulation.

Salting

Salt is an excellent preservative. Pickled celery stalks are often used in the preparation of sauces, appetizers and as an addition to the main dish. Before pickling the petioles, you need:

Rinse the vegetables under running water and chop coarsely.
Alternating celery and salt, place in layers in a jar.
Add 150 g of salt per 1 kg of petioles.
Roll up the jar.

The petioles will be ready for use in a week and a half.They will last for a long time without losing their taste. Growing celery and stocking it up for the winter, you will provide yourself with a healthy seasoning, a source of vitamins and minerals.