The initial celery stalk also cost. It is better to start from a better grade of celery, one that is non-GMO, and pesticide free. The best way to insure this is to buy organic. It cost more but taste better and is better for you.
Step 1: Start with ORGANIC celery. The bottom part that most people throw away is the most important part of the plant. Cut the bottom from the stalks, about 3 inches. Place the stem in a small bowl of FILTERED water ( no chlorine) and wait 4-5 days.
STEP 2: Everyday replace the water in the dish with clean filtered water. No chlorine!
Step 3: The additional photographs will demonstrate the progression of the plants from this point.
This plant is 3 days old. In the center is a small nub. This indicates that you will probably have a successful plant.
These are between 10-14 days. It seems the most important thing is fresh filtered water everyday.
One can see that this plant has a nice root system, looks healthy and has lots of healthy green leafs.
This is the time to transplant from the water into good potting soil.
At this point it is time to put the plants into a good dirt base. For the initial transplant I prefer to use organic potting soil. Later when they are placed in larger pots I will use a soil that is more permanent. Again, organic but our own mix including a compost that consist of raw vegetable matter, grass cuttings, leaves and paper products such as cardboard and paper bags. There is no animal products and no produce that has been cooked.
These plants have been in the dirt for two to three weeks. Notice that the leaves are a dark green. I acquire this color by leaving the plants in direct sunlight, but when they are first put outside give them a shade and let the plant get hardy before introducing it to the environment.
A green stalk has a stronger taste and has more nutrients. A whiter stalk has a milder taste but is not as nutritious.
The method used to make the celery milder is called blanching which is nothing more than exposing it to less sunlight.
This shows the various stages of growth of the different plants. In a few weeks they will all be about the same. The advantage of having a few plants is that cuttings can be staggered from day to day. When cutting, cut from the outside. The trunk on the inside of the plant will continue to produce new stalks. By continued cutting from the plant you will encourage new growth.
At this stage they are about four to five weeks old. They have lots of foliage and appear very healthy.
This plant is seven weeks old. It was started on February 1, 2014 and this photograph was taken on March 21, 2014. In three to four weeks it will be producing and will continue to for many months. From this plant I will be able to start a few more.
This system works well for me and most important I know what is in the food we are consuming. There are other vegetables that this works with; i.e. romaine lettuce, pineapples. Carrots will sprout a green leafy vegetable that has a slight bitter taste. Pineapple takes years for a tree to grow so if you are staying where you are why not?
