Celery is one of the most ancient crops that humans eat. The benefits of this product have long been known. The ancient Egyptians treated diseases with its help; they considered this root vegetable to be healing and giving strength, driving out evil spirits.

This is a very useful and popular product, it is consumed all over the world. It grows almost everywhere, there are about 20 species. This root vegetable is rich in essential minerals and vitamins. In order for this vegetable to be on the table all winter, it must be properly collected and stored.

Beneficial features

The leaves, stems, roots and seeds of the plant can be eaten and used for medicinal purposes. Seeds help cure:

• arthritis and arthrosis;
• rheumatism;
• kidney diseases;
• gout;
• Parkinson's disease.

Eating leaves speeds up metabolic processes and stabilizes sugar levels. They are very rich in vitamins:

Product benefits

• calcium;
• carotene;
• phosphorus;
• ascorbic acid.

Leaves can be used to decorate any dish. Thanks to oils, food acquires a special taste and aroma. Celery is especially rich in magnesium, which is essential for the body.

With a lack of magnesium, the following occurs:

• anxiety;
• fatigue;
• irritability;
• night cramps;
• fear.

Magnesium ensures normal functioning of the thyroid gland and heart. It helps avoid stomach ulcers, atherosclerosis and diabetes.

This vegetable is also indispensable for men's health. It contains natural androgen hormones. Prevents the development of prostate adenoma. Celery is no less useful for women. Consuming it will improve your complexion, help you lose weight, make your nails strong, and your hair soft and silky.

To relieve discomfort during menopause, you need to drink a tincture from the seeds of the plant. It will help get rid of pain, weakness and irritability. You can prepare the tincture as follows: 1/2 tsp. seeds, pour a glass of boiled water, leave for 8 hours. Take one tbsp. l. three times a day for a month.

You can eat stewed, boiled, fried root vegetables. It is especially useful in its raw form. All parts of the plant are suitable for cooking, but the root has the most valuable properties. Its delicate and soft consistency is not inferior to ginseng.

Useful material

Root composition:

• essential oils;
• minerals;
• magnesium, potassium, manganese, iron, sodium salts;
• acetic and oxalic acid;
• plant hormones;
• vitamins B, C, PP;
• starch.

Celery root has a significant effect on blood clotting and is beneficial for bone strength. The magnesium salts it contains have a calming effect on the nervous system.

It is useful to use for diseases:

• heart and blood vessels;
• kidneys and liver;
• hypotension;
• allergies;
• irritability;
• to increase tone.

This useful product helps remove waste and toxins, improves metabolism, and also promotes weight loss. It protects the body well from viruses and infections, improves immunity, and protects against malignant tumors.

Features of harvesting and storage

When harvesting celery, mechanical damage to this crop must be avoided. A damaged root crop quickly rots. Harvesting must be done very carefully.

It is important to harvest root crops correctly. After digging, the foliage is cut off to the very root. Rotten and damaged fruits are discarded and cannot be stored. The plant needs to be dried well; for this, the crop is left in the fresh air.

The plant retains its beneficial properties well with the correct selection of healthy fruits. You need to cut it before flowering, the aroma and its beneficial properties will be better preserved.

Root

How should you store celery root? For short-term storage, the root vegetable is packaged in a plastic bag and put in the refrigerator. The packaging must be sealed.

For long-term storage, the root crop is placed in a box with river sand, positioned vertically. The box is placed in the cellar, the storage temperature should be from 0 to 10 degrees. Celery roots are packed in a bag or wooden box, also covered with sand and placed in a damp room with zero temperature.

For very long storage, you need to prepare a clay mass, generously lubricate each root with it, and place it in stacks in the cellar. This method will help preserve the product all winter.

Dried celery retains its properties well. The roots need to be washed, chopped, chopped in a blender or grated. Dry and store in a closed glass jar. The resulting crushed mass can be frozen. You can prepare dishes without defrosting the product. Storing celery root with the right approach will ensure the fresh appearance of the fruit and the preservation of its beneficial properties.

Petiole and leaf appearance

You need to select petioles for storage with bright green brittle stems. Soft elastic stems are a sign of lost freshness. The seed arrow also indicates a bitter taste.

Petiole celery is also stored in the refrigerator using plastic packaging. For long-term storage, you can use a plastic or wooden container; vegetables should be covered with sand. Place boxes in a dark place.

Green leaves are washed, dried and wrapped in foil. The petioles will remain in this form for 10 days. To prepare the seasoning, you need to spread the greens on a sheet of paper and dry them for a month. Store it later in a paper bag.

A very reliable way is to pickle the greens, add 100 g of salt to half a kilogram of the plant. Glass jars with herbs are sealed and stored for a year. You can dig up the bushes along with the soil and move them to the basement, bury them in the sand. This method will help preserve the greens until spring.

Proper harvesting and storage of celery root will help ensure that this healthy product is consumed throughout the year. It will help you eat right and get the vitamins your body needs.

Many people know about this healthy vegetable. but not everyone has tried it, in this article I will tell you about root celery, the cultivation of which differs from the agricultural technology of leaf and petiole celery.

In mid-March, it's time to start buying seeds and planting celery seedlings. You just need to take into account that celery can be root, leaf and petiole. I grow root vegetables in my garden; in addition to its valuable nutritional qualities, it is the first and most favorite seasoning on our table. Some aromatic soups with celery, and some meat dishes, stewed roots can be prepared as an independent dish.
This biennial plant produces a root crop with a diameter of approximately 10 cm in the first year. In the second year, it produces a stem on which seeds are formed. Root vegetables contain a lot of essential oils, which give it a pleasant smell and taste reminiscent of parsley.

Growing celery root seedlings.

This vegetable tolerates frost quite well, but it has a long growing season and young plants are very sensitive to temperature changes. Therefore, it is better to grow it as seedlings. We prepare seeds, purchased or our own; homemade is better. The soil prepared in advance should be warm and well moistened. We make rows at a distance of 2-3 cm, plant the seeds in the soil not very deeply, 0.5 cm.

We cover our container with film and place it on the windowsill, where there is more sun. After 2-3 weeks, sprouts appear, remove the film and make sure that the soil is always slightly moist. Watering tender sprouts must be done very carefully so as not to get the stream of water on the plant itself.

In the phase of the third leaf, the seedlings need to be pricked. In mid-May, you can plant plants in the garden. Choose a sunny place for planting root celery; in the shade it will grow into leaves and the roots will be small. The predecessors of celery can be potatoes, cucumbers, cabbage and onions.

It is better to prepare the bed in the fall, add rotted manure or compost for digging, 1-2 buckets per square meter. And in the spring, mineral fertilizers: 17-20 g of urea, 8-9 g of superphosphate, 15-20 g of potassium chloride. Do not overuse nitrogen fertilizers so that nitrates do not accumulate in the roots.

How to grow celery root.

Root celery needs room. Make the distance between rows 30 cm, and between plants 18-20 cm. Place the plant in the hole so as not to cover the apical bud. After planting, celery needs to be watered and the holes covered with soil. Caring for celery is the same as when growing vegetables, which we always plant, this means weeding, loosening, watering, pest and disease control. Root celery loves loose soil, so after each watering you need to walk through the bed with a cultivator.

Harvesting and storage.

Celery grows until frost. After digging, the roots are cleared of soil and the leaves are trimmed. In winter, it can be stored, just like other root vegetables, in the cellar, in damp sand. I use it every day and it should always be on hand. Therefore, after harvesting, I rinse all the roots well, dry them and cut them into small cubes. I put some of it in a thin layer in bags and freeze it, and I dry some of it, then store it in a ceramic jar.

Celery juice is used as a diuretic. It helps with kidney diseases, gout, and intestinal problems. It stimulates appetite and has a choleretic effect.

Unfortunately, not everyone produces good celery; growing the root has several subtleties:

• do not bury seeds deep into the soil,
• water the seedlings with caution,
• when planting seedlings, do not cover the apical bud with soil,
• loosen the plants more often.

Do you know what spring vitamin deficiency is? This means that there are no healthy products in the kitchen, and you do not know how to prepare and store celery root and other vegetables. Use our tips, and your dishes will delight the whole family with an unusual spicy taste. You need to take care of the preparations in the summer. Do not remove leaves from selected specimens onto the greens so that all nutrients are completely transferred to the underground part. For salads, it is better to grow the leafy or petiole type, and save the root vegetables for the winter.

Timely harvesting

Do not rush to remove rhizomes from the garden: when they sit in the ground for a long time, they become more mature and larger. In addition, during long-term cultivation, the surface skin acquires the necessary hardness and can protect the juicy pulp from damage during harvesting, transportation and storage. The main thing is not to miss the first frost, otherwise the celery will not store well. In the middle zone, harvesting time occurs around the end of September, and the weather forecast will help you choose more accurate dates.

About a month before harvesting, cut off the lower leaves and shoots; they have already fulfilled their function, and now the root crop will ripen on its own. To avoid damaging the peel, try not to dig the underground part with a shovel. It is better not to use any tools, but simply pull out the plant by the tops. Check the quality of the celery: when the top is soft, the tuber has begun to rot. Tap on the rhizome; when you hear a ringing sound, you can be sure that there are voids inside.

Trim the tops, leaving small stumps, remove thin roots and clean the celery from adhering soil. Sort all copies. When there are a lot of root vegetables, a few can be left in the garden. The underground part will not be suitable for food, but in early spring the plants will give you fresh leaves for salad. If you want to enjoy this greenery in winter, plant the rhizomes in flower pots and grow them in the window.

Storing root vegetables in a city apartment

Celery is not capricious, it stores well until summer, but it still requires attention. The underground parts can be kept in the refrigerator. Since there are different products there, many of which are not cooked, unsanitary conditions are unacceptable. You need to thoroughly wash and dry the root vegetables and pack them in plastic bags. Place the tubers in the vegetable compartment; they can be used fresh for salads and added to hot dishes.

Of course, there is only enough room in the refrigerator for a small amount of roots, and if you want to eat celery all winter, you need to use other storage methods. When the container for vegetables is very small, you have to bring small portions of root vegetables from the cellar. Before putting them in the refrigerator, cover each specimen with cling film; in this form, it remains fresh and juicy for up to 10 days.

If you have a large freezer in your home, do not load your entire crop into it. When celery tubers are stored at sub-zero temperatures, they are unsuitable for food in their raw form. Place only root vegetables in the freezer, which will become raw materials for soups and vegetable stews.

Wintering celery in the cellar, garage, or country house

There are many ways to store fresh celery tubers. Choose any of them, but remember: a good result is obtained only when the room temperature is from 0° to +1°, and the humidity is 90% or higher. Our great-grandmothers also knew how to organize the wintering of root crops in non-residential buildings, and these methods have hardly changed. Take advantage of the wisdom of old advice.

• Pour a layer of wet sand into a large box and “plant” celery there, like in a garden bed.
• Dip the root vegetables in a “mash” of clay and water, dry and store in stacks.
• In the southern regions, where the ground does not freeze to great depths, place the tubers in trenches, sprinkling each layer with wet sand. Cover the vegetables with straw and a 15 cm layer of soil on top.

For fresh consumption, select only the largest, smoothest, healthiest specimens. Ruthlessly discard those root vegetables that cause even the slightest suspicion. They will not go to waste if you immediately put them into processing and store them frozen or dried.

Use some other little tricks to better preserve your harvest. When chalk and lime are added to the sand where root crops are stored, or the rows of celery are sprinkled with onion peels, the crop does not rot. Make sure that the sand does not dry out; to do this, you can cover the pile with film, but do not make airtight packaging. It would be a good idea to put the vegetables in plastic bags or boxes lined with film. This material retains carbon dioxide, which contributes to the good preservation of tubers. In any case, the top of the container must be open or have ventilation holes.

Waste-free technologies

You've sorted out the good root vegetables, look at what specimens are left:

• small;
• ugly;
• damaged;
• with voids;
• rotten.

Don’t rush to throw them into the compost heap, respect your work. Good owners will make everything work. When you collect the discarded tubers in a bag, put the cut off thin roots in there - they can also be put to good use.

Peel the root vegetables, separate the rotten areas, cut the pulp into strips and dry. In a closed container, such a product will be stored for a long time. Add it to soups: once boiled, celery will give the broth a piquant taste. You can grind the pieces in a coffee grinder and use the powder as a seasoning. You can use cut roots in the same way.

Another way: finely chop or grate the peeled pulp. Place the resulting mixture into bags and place in the freezer. To make your subsequent work easier, divide the product into portions needed for cooking. In winter, all you have to do is take out the bag and, without defrosting, place the contents in the pan.

Summer is coming to an end, when the family ate fresh vegetables and herbs with appetite, but you want to keep a similar menu for the winter. There is nothing complicated: give celery root vegetables a little care, and they will be fresh, healthy and juicy until the summer. Until the new harvest, there will be vitamin-rich dishes on the table, and you won’t even remember about spring ailments.

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 terrible for 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, with the cut tops facing 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 stores 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.

Due to the content of a large number of useful components, exquisite aroma and decorative greenery, celery is popular in cooking, medicine and cosmetology. This is a real storehouse of vitamins and microelements essential for humans. In addition, it can be grown in all regions of the country. But cultivation also involves storing the plant. After all, it is very important not only to grow and harvest crops, but also to be able to eat them all year round.

Celery root vegetables can be stored fresh for a long time. When harvesting, it is recommended to cut the leaves so that small petioles remain. If you buy celery in a store, you should choose a root with a smooth, knot-free, smooth skin. By knocking on the root crop, you can determine what it is like from the inside - a ringing sound indicates the presence of emptiness and the absence of pulp.
For short-term storage, it is enough to wrap the root vegetable in cling film and place it on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. Cling film will help preserve the delicate piquant aroma and beneficial properties of the crop. This method is suitable for storing fresh celery for 7-10 days.

Long-term storage of celery:

• Fill the container with slightly moistened sand, insert the collected root vegetables so that the petioles are on the surface and place in the cellar.
• Place the harvest in wooden boxes or thick plastic bags, sprinkle with sand and place in storage. It is worth noting that in this way celery is stored at a temperature of no more than 1 degree Celsius and a humidity of 90%.
• Prepare a clay mash of creamy consistency, soak the root vegetables, dry them and carefully place them on a shelf in storage.
• Place the harvest in a pile, sprinkle with sand sprinkled with honey water. Honey will help eliminate possible fungal diseases.

Root celery can be stored in dried form: thin strips are dried, placed in a glass container and tightly closed.
Many summer residents store root vegetables frozen: peel the root vegetable, grate it on a coarse grater, portion it out into bags and place it in the freezer.

Suitable stems that break easily are suitable for storage. The elasticity of the shoots indicates the staleness of the crop and the loss of beneficial properties. You should pay attention to the condition of the shoots when buying celery in the store and when harvesting your own harvest.

Celery must be harvested before flower stalks appear. Otherwise, it acquires bitterness and an uncharacteristic aroma.

Long-term storage methods:

• The greenery of the plant very quickly loses its turgor. That is why, immediately after collection, it is washed, dried, wrapped in aluminum film and placed in the cold. In this way, the crop can be stored for 7-10 days. If you wrap greens in plastic, then after 3 days they will lose color, taste and benefits.
• Collect the leaves, wash and dry. Place the greens on white paper and cover with the same sheet. Dry for 1 month. Next, the seasoning is carefully transferred to a paper bag and used in winter.
• Select green leaves, chop and place in ice cube trays. Fill with water and place in the freezer.
• Chop the greens and place in a tightly sealed plastic container. To freeze.
• Grind the celery leaves and sprinkle them with salt (0.5 kg of culture, 100 g of salt). Place in glass jars and seal.

In order to enjoy leaf and petiole celery in winter, you need to dig it up without removing the earthen lump. Place in wooden containers, cover with sand and place in the cellar. You can also preserve celery until spring in the following way: cut off the roots, wash the plant under cold water, dry it, place it in a plastic bag, and put it in the refrigerator. Store at a temperature of no more than 1 degree Celsius.

Best time to harvest

The harvesting period for celery depends on:

• Time to plant the plant in open ground.
• Varieties of culture.
• Climatic features of the region.

The crop is planted in late spring. The variety is selected according to the climate of the region: early, middle or late. When determining which species to give preference to, they are guided by the purpose of planting. If you plan to store celery until spring, then it is best to grow late-ripening varieties - leafy Triumph, petiole Zakhar, Kornevoy Anita or Maxim. In the case when it is necessary to obtain a harvest in the summer, preference is given to early varieties - leafy Golden Malachite, petiole - Parus, root Diamant or Apple.
Dates for planting seedlings and harvesting:

• Early celery is planted in late April early May, harvested in July-September.
• Mid-season varieties are planted in the last month of spring and harvested in the first month of autumn.
• Late selection varieties are planted in the garden at the end of May (in cold regions at the beginning of summer), harvesting occurs from October to early November.

Professionals recommend:

• In the Moscow region it is advisable to grow late varieties. Harvesting takes place in October-November.
• In the Volga region, preference is given to early and middle varieties. The harvest begins in early autumn.
• The regions of the Urals and Siberia successfully cultivate only early varieties of the plant. The harvest begins already in mid-summer.

Celery should be collected before flowering, then the leaves and petioles will retain all the beneficial qualities, delicate aroma and pleasant taste until spring.

Vegetable storage rooms

Naturally, it is better to store celery in a cellar, basement, or storage room. It is worth remembering that for long-term storage an ambient humidity of 90% and a temperature of about zero are required.

Long term storage tips:

• Boxes with celery filled with sand are covered with plastic wrap, periodically removed for ventilation.
• At the dacha, they dig a hole and put root vegetables in it. Covered with sand. This way you can store celery only in a region with warm winters.
• The celery placed in boxes is coated with a clay mash and placed on shelves.

But not everyone has the opportunity to place celery in a separate room. In an apartment, the culture is stored in the refrigerator in the vegetable compartment. The main disadvantage is that it is not possible to accommodate the entire crop.

Heat treatment and canning

The root and petiole varieties of celery are canned. In a dish it can be either the main component or just a flavorful addition. Marinades, purees, and pickles are prepared from celery. Fermentation is considered a relatively simple method:

• Grate the shoots and roots on a coarse grater.
• Add grated carrots, sweet pepper.
• Mix all ingredients and place in an enamel container.
• Place in the refrigerator.

Pickled celery is used in the preparation of soups, vegetable casseroles, and stews.
Since celery is so healthy, it's wise to do everything possible to keep it fresh until spring. Simple tips and tricks will help you have tasty, vitamin-rich food all year round.