Can You Grow Celery In Plastic Containers? Yes, I Did!
Whoever said that celery has to be grown in the ground was a liar! (I don’t know if anyone ever said that, haha). But I’d never done it before, and since I had some sprouts to experiment with, I decided to plant them in a few plastic bottles. I wasn’t sure how much soil and surface space celery needed to grow large enough for consumption.
It turns out that 5L bottles of soil are more than enough to grow celery. In fact, I removed a quarter of the bottle so that I could plant in it, which means that they hold less than 5 liters.
So far, they haven’t reached full maturation and the stalks are thin. However, it hasn’t been long enough for me to say with certainty that they won’t grow thick like store-bought celery.
My fingers are crossed that, in a few weeks, they will. I’ll update you as soon as I know for sure.
I’m just really happy that you can grow celery in plastic containers!
Some Tips For Growing Celery In Bottles Or Containers
Here are a few tips that will help you successfully grow celery in pots or containers:
- Celery develops a long taproot and a thick stalk with multiple shoots that branch out. In saying that, choose a container or pot that is wide at the top and deep at the bottom to accommodate the large size of the stalk.
- Poke holes into the base of the container to prevent waterlogging. Poor drainage could drown or kill your celery.
- Remove any weeds or other types of sprouts that may grow in your pots so that the celery can absorb as much of the nutrients from the soil as possible.
- Fill the pot or container with soil that is rich with compost or manure. It’s best to use fine-grain potting soil.
- Top up the soil or apply a protective covering around the base and stalks as it approaches full maturity. This will inhibit photosynthesis and preserve a lighter and sweeter taste for your celery. This is often referred to as “blanching.”
- Water frequently and regularly.
- Place your pots or containers in a location that get’s at least 6 hours of sunlight per day for optimal growth.
- Add fertilizer or compost tea every 4 to 6 weeks to improve the nutrient density of the soil. This will improve the growth and quality of your celery.
If you follow these tips, I’m pretty certain that you will be able to grow celery in most pots or containers. I’ll experiment with smaller containers and pots to see how much and how tall celery can grow with as little soil and space as possible.
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