Celery Seeds 30g

Celery (Apium graveolens var. dulce) is prized for its crisp, juicy green stalks and clean, savoury aroma that lifts any kitchen. The upright ribs snap fresh in salads, add a fragrant backbone to soups and stocks, and press into a refreshing green juice. Because the stalks are roughly 95% water, they stay tender and mild when the plant is grown steadily through cool weather — making this a rewarding winter crop for Egyptian gardens.

Planting

Celery is a cool-season crop suited to Egypt's mild winter. For the main cycle, sow in a nursery during July-August and transplant about 1.5 months later for a January-March harvest; a second window sows in January-February. Sow very shallowly, around 3 mm deep and thinly on the surface, since the seed needs light to germinate. Keep nursery temperatures near 21-24°C at first, then 16-21°C; emergence takes about 2-3 weeks. Choose a spot in full sun with fertile, well-drained soil rich in organic matter. Space transplants about 15-20 cm apart, with a final field spacing of 20-30 cm between plants.

Fertilizing

Work a complete, high-potassium fertilizer such as 4-4-8 into the bed before planting. Sidedress with nitrogen (21-0-0) at about 4 and 8 weeks after transplanting, then stop feeding once the stalks form to avoid splitting. Egyptian field practice applies ammonium sulfate, superphosphate and potassium sulfate in two doses around 3 and 5 weeks after planting, alongside well-rotted manure.

Care

Keep the soil evenly moist all season — about 25-50 mm of water weekly — and never let it dry out, as the shallow roots sit near the surface. Watch for aphids, carrot rust fly, leafhoppers and cutworms, plus leaf blights, powdery mildew and blackheart, which steady moisture and calcium help prevent. In hotter Upper Egypt, transplant September-October and shade young seedlings to avoid bolting. Harvest about 10-12 weeks after planting, once outer stalks reach roughly 30 cm but before they turn pithy.