Celery production
Italy is among the largest producers of celery in the world, being in third place worldwide and in first place in Europe. In Italy, celery production is around 100,000 tonnes, 60% of which is obtained from Apulia, Lazio, Emilia-Romagna, Piemonte and Veneto.
Characteristics of Celery
Celery is an aromatic herbaceous plant and It belongs to the Umbelliferae family. Its growing cycle is biennial, while in culture condition it is annual.
Roots: the root is very sturdy and branched, reaching a depth of around 40 cm;
Stem: during the first year of growth the stem is small, while in the second year it can reach one meter in height. The stem is upright and hollow, of a light green colour with streaks on the surface. It is the supporting structure of the plant and is divided into branches or ribs;
Leaves: they are green, feathery and divided into ovate segments;
Flowers: are small, white and united in umbrella-like inflorescences that contain 6 to 12 flowers;
Fruit: they are also called seeds which consist of two dark oval achenes.
Celery Needs
Climate: It is a plant suitable for moderate climates with temperatures around 20°C. It suffers frost, which causes early flowering, as well as too high temperatures that disturb vegetative growth.
Soil: requires soil rich in organic matter and wet. Therefore, its ideal soil is medium-textured, fresh and deep.
Soil preparation: in medium-textured soils, the first thing to be done is tilling and organic fertilisation a few months before seeding, then spading to a depth of 30-35 cm, during which manure can be buried. This is followed by harrowing to refine the topsoil.
Crop care: the bleaching technique is used in celery to make the ribs softer. Two sheets of polyethylene are placed around the plant for about 15 days, at the end of this process the celery will take on a whitish colour and be much softer.
Celery Varietes
Celery is available in numerous varieties, but the most cultivated ones are ribbed celery and celeriac.
Rib celery
It is cultivated mainly for its large, rippled and juicy leaf stalks, called ribs and there are two main varieties, one with green ribs and one with white or golden ribs, which are characterised not only by their white colour but also by the fact that they are both crunchy and tender.
Celeriac
Celeriac is cultivated for its root; it is characterised by a large, round, knobby root. It has a white pulp inside that is very tender.
Download our guide on celery drip irrigation
How to irrigate celery
Celery is a plant of marshy origin. For this reason, it only produces satisfactorily when properly watered. We should be careful, however, because it loves water, but hates water stagnation.
Be careful never to leave the plant under water stress or root asphyxia, watering frequently (2-3 days) especially if using loose soil. Then opt for a cultivation spacing of 0.9 m between rows and 0.3/0.4 m on the row, and finally divide the nitrogen supply through the use of fertirrigation.
Download our guide on celery drip irrigation
The drip irrigation products
- RioFlex – Polyethylene layflat hosePamela Pascucci2023-03-07T08:55:40+01:00
RioFlex – Polyethylene layflat hose
- Blueseal16 – made in Italy best compression fittingsmcgroup2023-05-09T16:44:53+02:00
Blueseal16 – made in Italy best compression fittings