Problems with celery: Reasons why celery is hollow
The celery is known to be a very delicate plant to cultivate. First of all, celery takes a long time to ripen – up to 130-140 days. Of these more than 100 days, you will mostly need fresh time and a lot of water and fertilizer. Even with careful care, celery is subject to all kinds of conditions. A fairly common celery is hollow celery. What causes hollowed out celery stalks and what other problems can be found with celery plants?
Why is my celery empty inside?
If you’ve ever bitten into a piece of celery, I’m sure you’ve noticed its crunchy texture and satisfying crunchiness. Water is the key element here, and celery needs lots of water! Celery roots are short, only 6-8 cm from the plant and 2-3 cm deep. Since celery plants cannot reach water, they need to be supplied with water. Not only must the top layer of soil be moist, but these stout roots must also have nutrients nearby.
If celery plants lack water, the stems become hard and fibrous and the plant develops hollow celery stalks. The problem can be aggravated by hot weather.
since celery does not like heat attacks. It thrives where winters are mild, summers are cool or where the fall growing season is long and cool.
Celery that is hollow on the inside may also indicate a lack of nutrients. It is important to prepare the garden bed before planting celery. Incorporate large amounts of compost or animal manure as well as some pre-planting fertilizer (5-10-10 pounds per 30 square feet). As the plant grows, continue to feed the celery with a liquid multi-purpose food every two weeks.
How to avoid hollow stems
The problems related to celery are numerous. Celery is a favorite of a number of insects, including but not limited to :
- Snails
- Slugs
- Nematodes
- Wire worm
- Scissors
- Aphids
- Leafminer larvae
- Cabbage pitcher
- Carrot weevil
- Celery worm
- Beetle
- Tomato worm
As if all these uninvited guests were not enough, celery is also susceptible to a number of diseases such as
- Fence sheet stain
- Fusarium wilt
- Mosaic virus
- The pink rot fungus
When growing celery, a decrease in humidity, screwing and general discomfort or death due to temperature changes can be expected. Celery is also subject to nutritional deficiencies such as black-heart calcium deficiency and magnesium deficiency. As this vegetable is very difficult to grow, it is imperative to prepare the garden site properly.
Celery takes a long time to bear fruit, which is why most people get ahead of the season and start planting in the 10 to 12 weeks before the last frost. Soak the seeds overnight to speed up germination. When the plants are 2 cm high, transplant them into peat pots or deeper soil with new soil. Transplant the plants 2 cm apart.
One or two weeks before the last frost date, when the plants are 4 to 6 cm high, the transplants can be moved outside. Harden them for a week to 10 days to allow them to acclimatize to the spring climate before placing them in the previously modified garden, 8 cm away.
Season the celery with 5-10-10 of fertilizer or manure tea during the second and third month. Use 1 tablespoon per plant, spray 3-4 cm from the plant in a shallow furrow; cover with soil. If using tea, continue to apply weekly while watering the plants. Finally, water, water, water!
