Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1912-03-14
FOR GROWING CELERY
Crop Requires Intensive and
Painstaking Culture.
In Production Of Plants II is Necessary
to Have Well Prepared Seed Bee
Irrigation is Also Essen
tizl Point
CBy DR. LEON D BACHELOR Utah
Agricultural College


Agricultural College,
, II will hardly be possible within the
space Of this article TO give one the
detailed directions for growing celery
This crop requires q most intensive
and painstaking culture. q very rich
SOL. the best surface tillage. and care
tul attention 70 the care OF the young
plants before setting in the field
Celery is always transplanted
crop. The seeds are small and ger
inmate slowly and the seedlings are
very delicate. An ounce Of seed should
produce about 1000 good plants. This
allows for several times that amount
Of loss due to poor termination and
weak seedlings. One pound OF Gel
cry seed should give enough strong
plants 10 set four or i've acres.
In the production OF these plants, II
IS necessary TO have a well prepared
bed with perfect surface filth and IL
should retain moisture 10 the top.
Preferably it should be protected from
hot and drying winds Some persons
prefer 10 have the seed bed partially
shaded with lath or cheese cloth
shades. II the shading is too dense,
the plants are likely TO be soft and
tender when taken 10 the field. and are
killed BY sunscald. II is advisable 10
nave shade which can be easily re-
moved from the bed except on the very
bright. drying days. Sometimes the
bed is covered with boards or straw in
order 10 maintain. the moisture until
termination has taken place This
may be advisable. II the covering is
LETT too long the plants may make a
very weak and rpindling growth and
are consequently worthless. II this
covering is used. II is generally advis-
able 10 remove It gradually as the
plants terminate
1t is essential that the seed bed be
so located that il can be watered everv
evening if necessary. Care must be
exercised that the watering is not so
heavy that it packs or puddles the
soil
IN order 70 secure stalky plants. they
should be transplanted once or twice
IN the seed bed. or they may be thin
ned until they finally stand TWO or
three inches apart. The labor Of trans
planting is so great that many grow
ers prefer TO secure stalky plants bv
thinning and then shearing OF the re- /
mainder OF the plants when they have /
become too tall. The plants may be 1
cut back one-third or one-half their
growth by shears or sickle.
Celery is grown as a short season
crop. occupying land only part of the
season Therefore il may follow such
crop as very early peas, early cab
pages, radishes OF bunch beets. II is
also frequently handled as a compau-
Ion crop, growing two or three rows
OF onions between the rows OF celery
On tnls case. transplanted onions are
used, which will mature in time 10 use
the space for blanching the celery.
A thorough. shallow surface tillage
should be maintained throughout the =,
growing season. accompanied by sufn. 7
Client irrigation to keep up a continual
thrifty growth. II the plants are al.
lowed to be checked any time in their
growth, even from thu seed bed stage
10 the time they are half grown. diff
Guilty will likely be encountered in the
plants going TO seed. Very early eel.
cry may be set In the field any time
IS soon as the soil can be worked
however. there is very little demand
or such an early crop, and the cost
u production ia considerable. The
nam crop for fall and winter consumn-
ION Is planted in the field from the
middle OF June to the middle of Julv c
Celery must be crisp and tender and
veil blanched to be fit for use. Blancb- v
ng Is accomplished by excluding the
isnt. mere are two common meth g
us OF Dlanching celery in vogue at the
resent day; by the use of boards and Z,
anhing up the earth. Blanching nv n
means OF boards is employed ONLY for
ne early and summer celery: because >,
protection from the frost must he :,
upphed to the celery which remains
the field after the first of October
nd the boards usually do not afford
peclal protection. Use boards ona "
'ot VIDE and one inch thick and
Oout IL to IA inches long These 81
oards are set on edge close against oil
re crown OF the plant. one on either
de OF the row. and the tops are he
pped together SO they are only two ar
three inches apart, or until thew
owd against the plants. The boards eli
e held in this position by cleats be
MED across the top or by wire hooks
lter the boards are thus placed. the sh
III can be worked up around the base tn
exclude all light by the use of ga
rise cuitivator. This boarding NAV
eh Wnen the celery is tall enough ga
snow lew Of its leaves above on
e boards. The plants shoot nm for or
'ht' making slender. soft stalks Fo.
ge nils the space between the boards :,
q excludes the light from above and =.
I'm ten to twenty days in warm gron
weather the celery may be bIancb. -,
Dy this method. In any nnoo..