Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Growing Chinese Celery

While organizing my gardening tools and fertilizers, I found a packet of Chinese Celery (in Chinese, it's called Kheen Choy or in Malay, Daun Sup) seeds that I bought last April from a fertilizer shop in Tangkak town during our trip to Alokarama for the Green Thumb Workshop. I totally forgot that I have these seeds. I sowed the seeds on 9th April and simply hope they will germinate and grow. Through my readings from blogs and forum, some seeds that past its validity may not germinate. So, I didn't give these seeds high hope. However, surprise awaiting me!!! I just saw some Chinese Celery seedling in one of my pots!



For only RM2 per packet, there are many seeds inside the aluminium foil. And the seeds exude the fragrant similar to the one you get from celery.






It's exactly 1 month since I sowed the Chinese Celery seeds. Seedlings are sprouting out from the ground!! I am waiting for them to grow into bushy stalks.
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More about Chinese Celery
  • Also known as Oriental Celery. Chinese Celery is the same species as the European variety most people in the West are familiar with, Apium graveolens, but it has a number of important differences. Chinese celery has much thinner stalks and a stronger taste than its European relative. It can range in color from white to dark green. Chinese celery is rarely served raw, but is a common ingredient in cooked Chinese and Vietnamese dishes.
  • Days to harvesting: 100-120 days
  • Information from Garden Guides:

  • Days to Maturity: 45
  • When to Sow Outside: 5 weeks before last average frost date. Seeds will not germinate well is the soil is warm. In warm climates, sow in fall for a winter crop. If protected, it can withstand temperatures as low as 15 degrees.
  • When to Sow Inside: 2 - 4 weeks before you plan to plant out.
  • Seed Depth: Press onto surface of soil.
  • Seed Spacing: 1"
  • Row Spacing: 12"
  • Days to Emerge: 15 to 30
  • Thinning: When 1/2" tall thin to 4" to 6" apart
  • Read the experience of another fellow gardener, Jerry Coleby-Williams's Celery Planting here.


    4 comments:

    Autumn Belle said...

    Looks like this is a good brand to try. Some brands contains seeds that don't germinate at all.

    James David said...

    where is it?
    I think my eyes are playing tricks - are they the ones that look like ferns?
    I thought they were ferns?

    Stephanie said...

    JC, the seeds look kind of cute :-D They look like those seeds for the birds. Anyway, it is going to be nice to have this vege handy. Good choice!

    Btw, your straw plant tage is so cool!

    J.C. said...

    James, those fan-shaped leaves are indeed Chinese celery. Aren't they pretty.

    Steph, the tags are my alternative and cheap solution. I went to Ace Hardware to find plant tags but they don't have it. I was hoping to catch the ice-cream man and get the ice-cream sticks from him. But so far no luck of catching him yet. So, I opt to use the straw and old name cards to write the names. Easy to do and free of charge.

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