What are the features of apple celery and why it is worth growing

Apple celery is an old but proven variety of domestic breeding, which appeared in the 60s of the 20th century. The culture is grown for the sake of obtaining root crops, but it is also suitable for forcing fragrant greens in winter.

Root vegetables have mass useful properties due to its rich chemical composition, it is therefore widely used in cooking, folk medicine and home cosmetology.

Celery variety description and origin

The variety was introduced into the State Register in 1961. It is suitable for growing in all regions of Russia, including in the north, but the roots are small.

Originators of the variety:

• ZAO Scientific and Production Company Russian Seeds;
• Association for seed production of vegetable crops "Sortsemovosch";
• LLC Agrofirma Aelita;
• LLC "Intersemya";
• LLC "Euro-seeds".

The table contains the distinctive features of the variety.

Chemical composition, useful properties and harm

The table shows the vitamin and mineral composition of root celery (per 100 g).

Useful properties of celery:

• removal of inflammation;
• prevention of oncological diseases;
• elimination of toxins, radionuclides, nicotine, alcohol, drugs;
• immunity support;
• regulation of the digestive tract;
• increased sex drive;
• strengthening the walls of blood vessels;
• normalization of blood pressure;
• lowering cholesterol levels;
• increased hemoglobin;
• elimination of allergies;
• mild laxative effect;
• general toning of the body;
• reduction of edema;
• improving memory;
• prevention of Alzheimer's disease;
• regulation of metabolism;
• rejuvenation of the body;
• decrease in the level of carcinogens;
• regulation of the menstrual cycle;
• reduction of unpleasant manifestations of menopause.

Celery root is recommended to be used with caution by pregnant and lactating women, people suffering from varicose veins, stomach ulcers and duodenal ulcers.

Agrotechnics of celery

The rules for cultivating root celery provide for the timely sowing of seeds for seedlings, picking, planting in the ground, watering and fertilizing.

Sowing seedlings

For the cultivation of root celery, the seedling method is used due to the low percentage of seed germination and the long growing season of the plant. Sowing work begins in late February or early March.

Before sowing, the seeds are stratified: wrapped in wet gauze and left at room temperature for a week, then placed in a refrigerator for 12-14 days. Thus, natural conditions are created when seeds overwinter in the ground, and in spring they give amicable shoots.

Seed material is embedded in specially prepared soil from garden soil, river sand, peat, husk of sunflower seeds, crushed eggshell. The components are mixed in equal proportions and disinfected in the oven or spilled with a strong infusion of potassium permanganate. For every 10 kg of substrate, take 20 g of urea and 200 g of wood ash.

Before sowing, the soil is abundantly moistened with clean water at room temperature and the grains are embedded to a depth of 5 mm. Watering is carried out as the topsoil dries out. After 14 days, prophylactic spraying with "Trichodermin" (10 mg per 1 sq. M) is carried out.

Until sprouts appear, the boxes are kept under a film cover in a dark room at a temperature of + 20 ... + 22 ° С, then transferred to a lighted place.

Seedling care

After the appearance of the first leaves, the temperature is reduced to + 12 ... + 16 ° С, and after 10 days it is increased to + 20 ... + 25 ° С. Fortified seedlings with 3-5 leaves dive into separate containers, choosing the strongest specimens.

For transplant, use separate cups with a diameter of at least 6 cm. Holes are made in the bottom for the outflow of excess water. The container is filled with the same substrate that is used for planting, a deepening of 2-2.5 cm is made, and watered with a syringe. Seedlings are carefully dug in with a wooden peg and placed in the hole. Sprinkle with earth on top, leaving cotyledon leaves on the surface. Then the plants are watered with clean, settled water and fed with "Gumi" at the rate of 6 drops per 1 liter of water.

After picking, the seedlings are left in a dark place for 2-3 days to reduce stress, then taken out into the sunlight. If necessary, the sprouts are supplemented with a phytolamp. The norm of daylight hours for root celery is 12-14 hours. The optimum air temperature is + 18 ... + 22 ° С.

Watering the seedlings is carried out 1-2 times a week, mixing "Fitosporin-M". The soil is loosened with a peg, trying not to touch the roots.

Seedlings are fed according to the scheme:

• 14 days after sowing - chicken droppings (1 tsp for 3 liters of water);
• subsequent feeding is carried out every 10 days - "Nitrofoska" and chicken droppings in sequence (1 tsp for 3 liters of water).

3 weeks before planting in the ground, the seedlings are taken out into the open air in partial shade.

Landing in the ground

Seedlings of Apple celery, which have reached 20-25 cm in height, are transplanted into open ground in the third decade of May.

Light sandy loam soil rich in humus and open sunny areas are suitable for growing crops. Any vegetables can be the predecessors of the plant. In the fall, the site is dug up and fertilized with humus - 10 liters per sq. m.

In the spring, the beds are dug to a depth of 30 cm, the soil is sprayed with a solution of potassium permanganate or copper sulfate.

Seedlings are planted to a depth of 10 cm, according to the 20 × 20 cm scheme, or between the beds of garlic, onions, potatoes, cabbage. Vegetables love this neighborhood. The strong aroma of celery repels harmful insects. After transplanting, the soil is watered abundantly.

Care

Planting care rules:

1. Watering. The beds are moistened in moderation, keeping the soil constantly moist, but not overflowing. Humidification frequency depends on weather conditions. Watering must be carried out strictly at the root, adding nettle infusion to the water (1 tbsp. L. Per 10 l). To prepare the infusion, nettle is crushed and soaked in water for 2 weeks.
2. Mulching. Covering the area with sawdust, hay or straw retains moisture and prevents the growth of weeds.
3. Loosening and weeding... Nursing procedures are carried out every 2 weeks. After increasing the size of the root crop, the soil is raked off, the root part is freed and the lateral roots are cut.
4. Top dressing. Root celery is fertilized with an infusion of chicken manure (in a ratio of 1:15) 14 days after planting in the ground and superphosphate (25 g per 10 l) in the last days of July. If the leaves are pale, prepare a solution of urea (10 g per 2 L of water).
5. Tops. Root celery leaves are not cut, otherwise the root crop will not receive sufficient nutrition and will ripen small.

Diseases and pests

The Yablochny variety is resistant to most crop diseases - viral mosaics, white rot, black leg.

To protect plants, it is enough to comply with preventive measures:

• regular weeding;
• moderate watering;
• crop rotation;
• timely application of mineral fertilizers.

To scare away insects - slugs and carrot flies - biological products and folk remedies are used. Chemicals are banned because toxic substances accumulate in roots and leaves.

Best biological products:

• "Gaupsin";
• Fitoverm;
• "Bitoxibacillin";
• "Lepidocide";
• Boverin;
• "Verticillin".

They get rid of slugs by manually collecting at night or spraying the plantings with a solution of ammonia - 2 tbsp. l. 10 liters.

Carrot flies are deterred by:

• ammonia solution - 2 tbsp. l. 10 liters;
• saline solution - 1 tbsp. l. 10 liters;
• onion peel solution - 400 g per 5 liters;
• infusion of orange peels - 1 kg per 10 liters;
• sprinkle the beds with tobacco dust, red pepper or mustard powder.

Harvesting and storage

The readiness of celery for harvesting is determined by the leaves. Yellowing of the green indicates that the root crop has stopped growing and has reached technical ripeness.

24 hours before harvesting, the beds are abundantly moistened to make it easier to extract the root crop from the soil. From the soft and loose soil, the celery is pulled out by pulling the top. If the ground is dense, root crops are pried with a pitchfork or shovel. The tops are cut, the dirt is shaken off and left to dry in the open air.

Damaged specimens are used primarily as they deteriorate quickly.

Celery is stored in a basement or cellar at a temperature of + 2 ... + 8 ° C.

Applying apple celery

Root celery is widely used in cooking. It goes well with apple, carrot and yogurt, sour cream and vegetable oil dressings. The root is harvested for future use for the winter - frozen in cubes and dried.

Root vegetables are added to salads, first courses, stew, baked, served as a side dish for meat and fish.

In folk medicine, celery is used to treat the gastrointestinal tract, liver, pancreas, urolithiasis, and gout. An infusion is prepared from the root, the juice is squeezed out.

In cosmetology, celery has established itself as an excellent tool for toning, cleansing and lightening the skin.

Recipes

To prepare a mild laxative, take 1 tbsp. l. crushed into a gruel root, put in a thermos and pour 300 ml of boiling water. Insist 3-4 hours and take 1 tbsp before meals. l.

Fresh is used to increase potency. The root is ground in a blender and squeezed out or passed through a juicer. Take 1-2 tsp. 30 minutes before meals.

To prepare a vitamin face mask, mix 1 tbsp. l. grated root, oatmeal, grated apple. The mixture is applied to clean skin, kept for 20 minutes, washed off with warm water.

A lot of delicious and healthy dishes are prepared from root celery. We offer to adopt recipe vitamin salad for slimming with dietary dressing.

Ingredients:

• bell pepper - 1 pc.;
• cucumber - 1 pc.;
• celery root - 150 g;
• parsley - 1 bunch;
• apple — 2 pcs.;
• yogurt 0.5% - 200 ml.

Per 100 g serving - 40 kcal.

Preparation:

1. Wash the pepper, remove the seed box and tail, cut into strips.
2. Peel the apples, remove the seeds and cut into cubes.
3. Cut the fresh cucumber into strips.
4. Peel the celery and grate the Korean carrot grater.
5. Season the salad with yogurt mixed with salt and finely chopped parsley. Instead of yogurt, you can use olive oil and lemon juice.

Advantages and disadvantages

Why Apple Root Celery is valued:

• with proper care from the moment of sowing, the seedlings grow strong and healthy;
• plants can withstand frosts down to –5 ° С;
• gets along in the beds with other crops (cabbage, beets, potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, peas);
• has a long shelf life;
• transfers transportation over long distances;
• used in cooking, cosmetology, folk medicine;
• contains a large amount of fiber (1.8 g per 100 g);
• has a low calorie content (42 kcal per 100 g);
• the variety is resistant to viral and fungal diseases.

Disadvantages of culture:

• the plant needs to comply with the norm of daylight hours;
• has a specific taste and aroma that not everyone likes;
• long growing season;
• low seed germination;
• does not like waterlogging of the soil, responding with decay and death;
• in the northern regions, it is not possible to grow large root crops.

Reviews

Despite the organizers' statements about ease cultivation Apple varieties, gardeners face some difficulties.

Inna, Voronezh: “Last year I planted Apple celery root. In the picture, the root crop looked attractive, but in fact, it pulled a loofah out of the roots from the ground. I used only foliage, and it was quite tough. Later I read on one forum that it was necessary to feed the plant with organics and minerals every 10 days, alternating. I don’t risk planting it again ”.

Ivan, Kursk: “I've heard a lot of negative reviews about the Yablochny variety, but I have it growing without any problems. Root crops, of course, are not the same as in the picture, but rather large, more elongated. There is an important nuance when growing root celery, which many people forget about - you need to rake off the soil after the root crop has formed and the lateral roots are cut off. Then the celery will grow large. Some gardeners wipe small roots with a cloth. "

Conclusion

Apple celery is picky about care, however, subject to the rules of agricultural technology, it is possible to collect a good harvest - about 6 kg per 1 sq. m. It all starts with pre-sowing preparation of seeds and growing seedlings. At this stage, due attention is paid to the care of the seedlings, ensuring a long daylight hours, sufficient watering and feeding with organics and minerals. After transplanting the seedlings into the ground, weeding and loosening the soil are carried out after each watering, fertilize the planting with chicken droppings and "Nitrofoskoy" (superphosphate), remove the lateral roots from the root crops.

Celery is used to prepare a variety of dishes, it is included in the diet for weight loss due to its low calorie content, infusions and juice are prepared for the treatment of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, pancreas, masks for toning and whitening the skin.