What are the methods to prevent premature bolting in celery?
Celery is very popular in our country, but there are also many people who cannot stand its taste; like cilantro, it is a polarizing vegetable. Celery is planted over a very wide area in our country, but during the growing process, premature bolting of celery can occur. Premature bolting in celery severely reduces yield and affects growing returns. Moreover, there is no treatment value; only prevention works. So how should we prevent premature bolting in celery? Let's take a look together below!
1. Sow at the right time
The sowing time for celery is very important. When growing celery in protected fields in autumn, the best sowing time is from early August to early September. The best time for spring sowing is around February. Sowing too early or too late will both affect the growth of celery, causing poor growth, making it difficult to develop into a complete celery plant, and making celery highly prone to premature bolting, which damages growing returns. If raising seedlings in a greenhouse, then the beds must be covered with film in advance to warm the soil, and sowing can only be done when the soil temperature reaches about 10 degrees.
2. Temperature control
⟦NL>Temperature is also one of the main causes of premature bolting in celery. When raising seedlings in winter, attention must be paid to keeping the seedlings warm. The temperature must not be lower than 8 degrees; the nighttime temperature should be kept at 13 degrees, and during the day it should be appropriately increased by 2-7 degrees. Plastic film can be laid over the seedbed or an arched shed can be built to raise soil temperature and improve soil heat retention. Then, before raising seedlings, use light to raise the temperature, and when the nighttime temperature is relatively low, pay attention to insulation and warmth. Unsuitable temperatures can easily cause premature bolting in celery and affect the growth of celery.
3. Fertilizer and water management
The growth of any crop cannot be separated from fertilizer and water, and celery is no exception. During the growth period of celery, fertilizer and water management must be done well to prevent unsuitable fertilizer and water from affecting the growth of celery and causing premature bolting. Also, during the growth process of celery, seedling hardening should not be carried out; increase the watering frequency, and appropriately irrigate heavily to keep the soil moist. When topdressing, increase the proportion of nitrogen in the fertilizer to meet the nutritional needs of celery growth. Sufficient water and fertilizer can ensure healthy growth of celery, promote nutrient absorption in celery, prevent reproductive growth, and reduce premature bolting.
4. Harvest in time
Timely harvesting is the most direct and most effective way to prevent premature bolting in celery. We can begin harvesting before the flower stalk of the celery has grown out. Alternatively, harvesting the leaves can also effectively reduce premature bolting. When harvesting, it must not be done after bolting has matured. Celery that has already bolted will have a seriously reduced taste, affecting its commercial value. Among these, the harvesting of overwintering celery is especially important. After temperatures gradually rise in spring, overwintering celery has already begun flower bud differentiation, and around April it begins to bolt. Therefore, overwintering celery must be completely harvested by April to prevent bolting from affecting growing returns.
The above is a brief introduction to the methods for preventing premature bolting in celery. Premature bolting in celery consumes excessive nutrients, causing the main stem of the celery to accumulate too few nutrients, leading to a decline in quality. Commercial value declines, making it impossible to bring to market, and even if it is sold on the market, its reputation will worsen. Therefore, everyone must do a good job in preventing premature bolting in celery. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only. Thank you all for reading and supporting.