I tell you no Porky Pies, aka Gross Fibs or Lies! If you have been nuts (this is a very foody post, so the usage of this word is quite correct) enough to purchase those sad looking stalks of celery in a plastic bag, then you won't be able to do this.
But if you have a wide mouthed jam jar, a glass vase OR are lucky enough to have a proper Celery vase, which we are, you can grow fresh celery AND sweet fennel, the one which has a white bulb and very pretty green fern like leaves sticking out of the top, at home!
And, it doesn' even have to be on a window ledge! We don't have such a thing as a window in our YumYum HQ. It is just a minute space.. think 70" by 68" before they put the tiles on the walls!
This is how you do it..
Purchase the celery, the stalks should still be attached to a base and a fennel bulb and take them home. You do NOT have to trim their bases. Put them into separate containers, the fennel bulbs are very stout, you may have use a bowl. Put enough water into each container so that the base of the vegetable just sits in the water. If the water level is too high, the vegetables will rot.
Within days, you will see that the celery, which probably had had all its' leaves chopped off, is growing new leaves and within about a week, you will see baby bulbs forming at the base of the fennel.
In YumYum HQ, our celery is, by nature of the room being dark for most of the day, growing as if it's being blanched, light is being witheld, so photosynthesis is not happening. If you have a window, put the celery on the ledge and the new growth of stalks and leaves will be green.
But darkness does not affect fennel, we have two very stout bulbs, two for a quid on Karen's stall two Saturdays ago. They've had several pieces cut off (and eaten, we both love fennel for its' very crunchy-munchy), now they both have several baby bulbs with green ferns growing from the base.
The trick is to wait until the babies are a little bit bigger and then, very gently, remove them from the mother plant and put them into their own water. Remember to change the water every two days at least and you will have a constant supply of fresh celery and sweet fennel every day.
Don't chop it up and store it in paper towel (UGH, WHAT are you doing with paper towel anyway?) in a plastic bag in your chilly white larder, for what goodness do you think it will have? The correct answer is ZILCH.
NOW for the REALLYREALLY good reasons why you should eat FRESH CELERY!
It is a dexotifer, works against arthritis, full of vitamin C, helps against fluid retention, aids sleep. Don't just take my word for it, do your research and find out why this crisp and crunchy-munchy vegetable is good for you.
And as for SWEET FENNEL. It's a wonderful aid for Cardiovascular and Colon Health, contains a high level of Potassium which is good against high blood pressure and much more.
Now she is going to get dressed.. yup.. she is still in her pj's, I know, how shameful and it's past one of the after noon clock but it's Saturday and we are both being lazy for there are no dogs to walk, no goaty folk to milk, no horse to excercise. On the other hand.. there are LOTS of weeds to kill, grass to cut.. but that is not going to happen today.
For this is what has to happen today..
Fruit, vegetables, hummus, fish have to be purchased, there is Karen to chat too. Money has to be charmed out of a wall. Books have to change at the Library. Susan has to be called. Stuff has to be put away. Sheets have to be changed. Laundry has to be done. Something pretty has to be worn for it is a cold, grey day.
Now don't you forget to research and discover how and why these two forementioned vegetables are so good for you and remember..
TO EAT YOUR GREENS!
GeeGee Parrot.
March 21st, 2015.
But if you have a wide mouthed jam jar, a glass vase OR are lucky enough to have a proper Celery vase, which we are, you can grow fresh celery AND sweet fennel, the one which has a white bulb and very pretty green fern like leaves sticking out of the top, at home!
And, it doesn' even have to be on a window ledge! We don't have such a thing as a window in our YumYum HQ. It is just a minute space.. think 70" by 68" before they put the tiles on the walls!
This is how you do it..
Purchase the celery, the stalks should still be attached to a base and a fennel bulb and take them home. You do NOT have to trim their bases. Put them into separate containers, the fennel bulbs are very stout, you may have use a bowl. Put enough water into each container so that the base of the vegetable just sits in the water. If the water level is too high, the vegetables will rot.
Within days, you will see that the celery, which probably had had all its' leaves chopped off, is growing new leaves and within about a week, you will see baby bulbs forming at the base of the fennel.
In YumYum HQ, our celery is, by nature of the room being dark for most of the day, growing as if it's being blanched, light is being witheld, so photosynthesis is not happening. If you have a window, put the celery on the ledge and the new growth of stalks and leaves will be green.
But darkness does not affect fennel, we have two very stout bulbs, two for a quid on Karen's stall two Saturdays ago. They've had several pieces cut off (and eaten, we both love fennel for its' very crunchy-munchy), now they both have several baby bulbs with green ferns growing from the base.
The trick is to wait until the babies are a little bit bigger and then, very gently, remove them from the mother plant and put them into their own water. Remember to change the water every two days at least and you will have a constant supply of fresh celery and sweet fennel every day.
Don't chop it up and store it in paper towel (UGH, WHAT are you doing with paper towel anyway?) in a plastic bag in your chilly white larder, for what goodness do you think it will have? The correct answer is ZILCH.
NOW for the REALLYREALLY good reasons why you should eat FRESH CELERY!
It is a dexotifer, works against arthritis, full of vitamin C, helps against fluid retention, aids sleep. Don't just take my word for it, do your research and find out why this crisp and crunchy-munchy vegetable is good for you.
And as for SWEET FENNEL. It's a wonderful aid for Cardiovascular and Colon Health, contains a high level of Potassium which is good against high blood pressure and much more.
Now she is going to get dressed.. yup.. she is still in her pj's, I know, how shameful and it's past one of the after noon clock but it's Saturday and we are both being lazy for there are no dogs to walk, no goaty folk to milk, no horse to excercise. On the other hand.. there are LOTS of weeds to kill, grass to cut.. but that is not going to happen today.
For this is what has to happen today..
Fruit, vegetables, hummus, fish have to be purchased, there is Karen to chat too. Money has to be charmed out of a wall. Books have to change at the Library. Susan has to be called. Stuff has to be put away. Sheets have to be changed. Laundry has to be done. Something pretty has to be worn for it is a cold, grey day.
Now don't you forget to research and discover how and why these two forementioned vegetables are so good for you and remember..
TO EAT YOUR GREENS!
GeeGee Parrot.
March 21st, 2015.
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