When to remove celery root from the garden and how to store
Useful cultivated plant, which can be grown in your garden, is celery root. The most important part of it is the root. To get the most useful properties of this product, it is necessary not only to properly care for vegetables, but also to know, when and how to clean it. This article will help you understand the intricacies of cleaning and storing celery of this species.
terms of collection
The main distinguishing feature of celery root from its leafy species is that, that the root here will be the most valuable part, storing a maximum of nutrients. So, to make it grow juicy, great and useful, it is necessary to make a lot of effort in the process of growing it. However, no less important for this vegetable crop will be harvesting from the fields. Improper collection can significantly reduce the value of celery root.
The most important thing in harvesting this crop is the right timing. The question "when to remove celery root species" can be answered in different ways. But one rule should be followed strictly - in a hurry in this case is not worth it. After all, it is in the fall, when there is a mass harvest from the fields, the root of the vegetable increases its weight, and also acquires all its main useful properties. In addition, the plant is hardy. However, it should not be exposed to frost, as this will affect the shelf life. Therefore, each gardener decides for himself, when to remove celery root from the bed. Not everyone can choose the "golden mean" in terms of cleaning time. Sometimes it is beyond the power of even an experienced gardener. Therefore, you still need to rely at least on the approximate time of collection. To the question "when to collect", experts advise to choose October. Cleaning usually takes place at the end of the month. At the same time the vegetable can grow quietly in the beds before the first frosts. Frosts are contraindicated in the root part of the plant.
Another point of choice of time, when it is necessary to carry out cleaning of the given culture, there is that, that it is dug at the same time as the late varieties of white cabbage.
As we see, there are no clear deadlines, to determine, when the crop of this crop can be harvested. Here you need to focus on weather conditions, and the visual manifestations of the plant in the autumn.
Celery Root Cleaning Video
The author of the video reveals the features of harvesting and storage of celery root.
cleaning technology
To root celery was able to store as long as possible, it must be properly removed from the fields. Remember, that improper collection can negatively affect subsequent storage and nullify all your waste efforts, performed throughout the growing season.
This crop should be harvested very carefully. The integrity of the tuber must be maintained. When it's time to gather, it is necessary to decide on its technology. This procedure can be performed in the following ways:
- digging the root with a fork, knife or shovel. It is better to prefer villas, as their use reduces the risk of damage to the underground part of the plant;
- just pull the vegetable out of the garden. To simplify this process, beds should be well watered before the plant is pulled out.
The choice of harvesting technology should be based on soil condition. If it is soft and moist, it will be more convenient to pull out, and if solid - will have to take a shovel / villas and work. Whatever method of harvesting is chosen, further manipulations will be the same and consist of the following actions:
- after removing the root from the ground, it is necessary to shake the earth from it;
- when the tuber is cleared of soil, leaves are cut from it. You need to cut this way, that over a root crop remained approximately 2-4 see aboveground part. Cream cut during the harvest can be placed on the beds. Next year, they will be an excellent fertilizer for the soil. They are also used as soil sanitation;
- the root itself is sent for drying.
Remember, that all actions should be carried out carefully, avoiding any, even the slightest damage to the underground part of the plant. If defects are found, then such roots should not be preserved. They can be used for food. Otherwise, such spoiled tubers can lead to rot and the rest of the crop.
This is how you can remove celery root from the beds. If it is properly prepared, then it will be possible to store vegetables throughout the cold period.
how to store
Many people grow this crop for the winter. To store the root of the plant for a long period of time, you need to know, how to prepare it. This plant in terms of storage is not capricious. However, there are still some nuances, which must be remembered.
Celery root type can be stored in the following ways:
- fresh;
- in dried form;
- frozen.
The most interesting way of storage, of course, is the first option. You can store fresh vegetables in different ways. Suitable for these purposes as a refrigerator, and the cellar. In this case, remember, that storage in a fresh kind is possible only at observance of a temperature mode from 0 ° to + 1 ° C. The humidity should be at the same level 90% and above.
To keep the roots fresh, the following steps must be performed:
- in a large box you need to pour wet sand;
- then celery roots are planted in such a bed. Their petioles should "look" up.
Also, the tubers can be soaked in the "mess", which is a solution of water and clay. As such, they can be stored in stacks. In the regions of the country, which are located in the south, due to the lack of severe frosts, can be stored in the ground. In this case, you can dig a trench to store the crop, in which put the roots. Each layer of vegetables is separated by a layer of wet sand. On top of such a trench is covered with a layer of soil (thickness approx 15 cm) or straw.
To avoid root rot, lime or chalk can be added to the sand. It is also recommended to scatter onion peel between rows. It is necessary to monitor this, so that the sand does not dry out. To do this, cover the vegetables with cling film. However, complete tightness must be avoided. Individual roots can be placed in plastic bags. Accumulating in them carbon dioxide will contribute to the excellent preservation of the crop. But even here the packaging should not have 100% sealing.
Another important point of storing vegetables fresh is to create good ventilation in the room.
Experts recommend keeping only the largest and smoothest specimens fresh. The rest of the crop can be dried or processed immediately.
To store roots in the refrigerator, the following manipulations must be performed:
- first they are well washed;
- then cut into individual pieces;
- after that they are laid out on a grid for drying;
- then packed in cling film or plastic bags. In this form, celery is placed in the freezer of the refrigerator for long-term storage. Here, fresh vegetables will be stored for 10 days.
For storage in dried form, roots should be washed and cut into strips. Then they are dried in the sun and placed in a glass container, which must be tightly closed.
Any deviations from storage conditions will result, that the crop will begin to deteriorate. If you do not detect this situation in time, then you can lose all winter preparations. Therefore, they need to be periodically checked for storage, as well as compliance with all storage conditions. This is the only way to preserve the crop as much as possible and use it throughout the cold season.
If everything was done correctly, then the crop will be stored long enough. And it can be used to prepare culinary masterpieces as a seasoning or a full-fledged ingredient.
Celery Root Video
The video shows the methods of growing celery.
