Page:How and what to grow in a kitchen garden of one acre (IA howwhattogrowin00darl).pdf/83

 be planted with a “Self-blanching” variety as early in the spring as the plants can be procured. For this it is a good plan to sow two or three drills of celery in the hotbed at the same time with tomatoes, peppers, etc., that they may be ready for planting out early in the spring. These will grow quickly before the very hot weather sets in, and in a favorable season will be ready for use by the latter part of August; if kept earthed up they will be of as handsome appearance and as crisp and fine flavored as are the older varieties in December.

For the main crop the young plants should be ready to set out by the 1st of July, though in a favorable locality they can be planted as late as the middle of August, as they spend the summer largely in making roots and do not grow much until the cool weather. As soon as the plants attain eight to ten inches in height, or, rather, length of leaf stalk as they lie spread out, the earthing up should begin on all kinds of celery, although the seed catalogues will tell you that it is unnecessary in self-bleaching kinds. These latter may be bleached easily by tying the stalks together with straw or soft twine, but the earthing-up process is much more satisfactory both to produce a compact bunch of stalks and an even whiteness in color; otherwise, the outside stalks will remain green.

My plan in earthing for the first time, or “handling,” as it is called, is to have the dirt loose and fine on each side of the row, then to stand astride the row, gather all the leaves up and hold them closely in the left hand, and with a short-handled hoe draw the loose dirt in and pack it firmly around the stalks,