Growing Celery In New Brunswick

Celery is a cool-weather crop that requires a long growing season of 14 to 16 weeks with daytime temperatures in the 60s Fahrenheit and nighttime temperatures of about 50°F. It is possible to grow celery in New Brunswick, but it is essential to consider the province's climate and hardiness zones. New Brunswick is mostly considered Hardiness Zone 5, with some upper-level regions falling into Hardiness Zones 3 and 4.

To successfully grow celery in New Brunswick, start the seeds indoors early in the season, as celery prefers cooler months and does not tolerate extremes. Choose a spot with full sun to part shade and protect your plants from strong winds. Ensure the soil is moist, well-drained, and slightly acidic, with a pH between 5.5 and 6.8. Keep the soil moist and provide regular watering to prevent the roots from drying out.

While it is possible to grow celery in New Brunswick, it may require more care and attention compared to other vegetables due to its specific temperature and moisture needs.

Celery's water requirements

Celery is a thirsty vegetable! It needs a lot of water to grow well. Here are some tips to ensure your celery gets the water it needs:

• Celery typically needs twice as much water as other crops in the garden.
• Celery needs at least 1 to 2 inches of water from rainfall or irrigation each week during the growing season.
• Celery has a small, shallow root system, so it's important to keep the soil moist to prevent it from drying out.
• Celery is a marshland plant, so it prefers consistent moisture and can withstand waterlogged conditions better than most crops.
• Water established celery plants every 10 to 14 days at a minimum, and more if the weather is dry.
• Celery can be watered with drip irrigation or a soaker hose, or by hand with a watering can.
• When watering by hand, water to a depth of 2 to 3 inches around the base of the plant.
• Celery prefers moist, well-drained soil. It can be grown in a raised bed to help ensure good drainage.
• Avoid overwatering, as this can cause the stalks to become floppy and wilted, and can lead to fungal disease and root rot.
• Underwatered celery will wilt, turn yellow, and become stringy.
• Celery grown in full shade will be lanky and strongly flavoured, so it's best to grow it in a sunny location with some shade during the hottest part of the day.
• Mulching with organic material such as pea straw or sugar cane can help to conserve moisture.

Soil type and fertilisation

Celery is a heavy feeder and is considered the most nutrient-demanding among the cool-season vegetables. It is also a poor nutrient forager, so there needs to be a good supply of nutrients in the soil. Before planting, determine fertiliser needs with a soil test and then follow the recommendations given with the test report. If fertiliser applications are warranted, work the fertiliser into the top 6 inches of soil. If you fertilise with compost, apply no more than 1 inch of well-composted organic matter per 100 square feet of the garden area. Use a complete fertiliser with a high ratio of potassium (4-4-8).

Celery grows best in fertile, well-drained, organic sandy soils with lots of organic matter for best growth. It thrives in soil with a pH between 5.8 and 6.8. It also enjoys compost-enriched soil, so you'll need to add a 2" layer minimum of organic compost on the top of your potting mix or soil each growing season.

When it comes to fertilisation, celery needs small amounts of nitrogen (N) and other nutrients in its early stages of development. Little N is taken up after planting, and between 20 to 30 lb N/ac can supply the crop demand of young plants for about 30-45 days after transplanting. The needs of N increase as the crop matures, and N uptake reaches a maximum two weeks before harvest during the time of rapid biomass accumulation. It is recommended to apply fertilisers at each irrigation event to have a continuous supply of soluble nutrients at low rates and avoid accumulation of fertilisers within one application.

In the second and third months of growth, side-dress with 1 tablespoon of a 5-10-10 fertiliser 3 to 4 inches from each plant.

You can also fertilise celery with a fish-emulsion solution once a month throughout the growing season. To do this, add fish emulsion to a container and fill it with water, following the dilution instructions on the label. Fish emulsion is an excellent source of organic nutrients and nitrogen that will not burn plants. It is easily absorbed and quickly taken up by the roots of the plants.

Sunlight and shade

Celery is a hardy biennial, typically grown as an annual. It is a descendant of a marsh plant and requires a lot of water. It is a slow-growing vegetable that requires a long growing season of cool weather, with daytime temperatures in the 60s°F and nighttime temperatures of about 50°F. It is best to start celery seeds indoors 8 to 12 weeks before the last frost date.

Celery needs a lot of sunlight to grow well. It should receive full sun (at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight per day). However, it can tolerate light shade but should get at least half a day of sun. Celery grown in full shade will be lanky and strongly flavored.

In cooler regions, celery should be planted outdoors in early spring. In warmer areas, it is best to plant in mid- to late summer.

To grow celery successfully, it is important to select a suitable location that receives ample sunlight and has nutrient-rich, moisture-retentive soil. The soil should be loosened to a depth of 12 to 15 inches and enriched with aged manure, compost, or fertilizer.

During the growing season, celery requires consistent moisture and regular watering. It is also important to protect young celery plants from pests and temperature fluctuations by using row covers or garden fabric.

When celery reaches a height of 6 inches, mulching around the plants is recommended to retain moisture and keep the roots cool. Additionally, blanching the celery stalks can enhance their sweetness and whiteness. This can be done by covering the stalks with soil, cardboard, or paper to exclude sunlight and prevent the production of chlorophyll.

Temperature and climate

Celery is a cool-weather crop that requires a long growing season of 14 to 16 weeks with daytime temperatures in the 60s °F (15 to 21 °C) and nighttime temperatures of about 50 °F (10 °C). It is a hardy biennial, usually grown as an annual, that is very sensitive to both heat and cold. It grows best in full sun but can tolerate light shade. In cooler regions, it is best to plant celery in early spring, while in warmer areas, it should be planted in mid- to late summer. Celery is not frost-hardy and can be damaged by freezing temperatures, so it is important to select a variety suited to your climate.

In hot climates, celery is best grown in the cool weather of fall, winter, or spring, as it is not heat-tolerant and will have poor performance in regular temperatures above 85 °F (29 °C). Prolonged periods of cold temperatures during early growth can cause bolting, while excessively high temperatures near maturity can lead to the formation of a seed stalk. Celery also requires constant moisture and is prone to bolting if exposed to temperatures below 50 °F (10 °C) and above 70 °F (21 °C) for more than 12 hours when young.

To ensure a successful celery crop, it is important to maintain a consistent temperature range between 60 °F and 70 °F (15 °C to 21 °C), with an optimal range of 60 °F to 65 °F (15 °C to 18 °C). Air temperatures above 75 °F (24 °C) can slow celery growth and cause leaf edges to turn brown. In addition, hot climates may require the use of row covers or shade cloth to buffer temperature extremes.

The ideal time to plant celery seedlings outdoors is when the soil temperature reaches 50 °F (10 °C) and nighttime temperatures remain above 40 °F (4 °C). In northern areas, transplants should be set out early to avoid damage from low temperatures, while in southern regions, seeds or transplants should be planted in late fall for a mid-winter harvest.

To maximize the growing season, it is recommended to start celery seeds indoors 8 to 12 weeks before the last spring frost date for a spring crop or before the first fall frost date for a fall crop. In hot climates, late summer planting can be done for a fall or winter harvest.

Pests and diseases

While it is possible to grow celery in New Brunswick, it is a cool-weather crop that requires a long growing season of 16 weeks of cool weather to come to harvest. It is a demanding plant that is prone to bolting in cold weather and requires extra care.

Pests

• Flea beetles, slugs, snails, earwigs, and more can be deterred by covering the plants with garden fabric during the first four to six weeks of the growing season.
• Snails and slugs can be controlled by using physical barriers or traps, or by sprinkling snail and slug bait around garden beds and pots.
• Aphids can transmit viruses to celery plants, causing stunted growth, mottled leaves, and twisted or cupped leaves.
• Carrot rust flies, carrot weevils, leafhoppers, and whiteflies can also attack celery plants.
• Celery seedlings may be attacked by cutworms.

Diseases

• Bacterial blight and brown stem can cause small water-soaked spots on leaf blades that become dry and rust-colored.
• Soft rot can cause small water-soaked lesions near the base of petioles, which become soft, sunken, and brown.
• Celery mosaic virus can cause veinclearing and mottling in areas of leaves between veins, as well as leaf distortion and dark green mottling on petioles.
• Damping-off can cause soft, rotting seeds that fail to germinate, or the rapid death of seedlings before or after emergence from the soil.
• Downy mildew can cause yellow spots on the upper surface of leaves and white fluffy growth on the underside.
• Early blight (Cercospora leaf spot, Cercospora blight) can cause small yellow flecks on leaf surfaces that enlarge to brown-gray spots with no defined border.
• Fusarium yellows can cause yellowing, stunted plants, brown and water-soaked roots, and discoloured vascular tissue in the stems.
• Late blight (Septoria leaf blight) can cause irregularly shaped chlorotic spots on leaves and petioles, which turn necrotic and form large blighted areas.
• Pink rot can cause soft, brown lesions on the base of stalks with pink margins, eventually causing the entire stalk to rot and turn brown.
• Powdery mildew can cause a powdery growth on leaves, petioles, flower stalks, and bracts, as well as chlorotic leaves.
• Anthracnose can cause curled, distorted leaves and twisted petioles, as well as stunted and chlorotic plants.

Frequently asked questions