Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Celery is often used as a basic ingredient of good stock, and it is worth mention-
ing that the leaves of the celeriac plant (see page 84), which can be overwintered
in the tunnel, make a good celery substitute in late winter and spring. However,
with the protection of a fleece cloche it's also possible to overwinter celery until
it bolts in April. At some point in late December to January the stems will have
become poor and will not be worth harvesting, but, if the plant is left to itself,
new growth beginning some time in February will be tender and delicious.
Celery dries well if cut into pieces no more than 1cm thick, but must be blanched
for two minutes first. The dried pieces can be dropped straight into cooking.
Celery can also be frozen, but because its texture deteriorates this is best done
after cooking.
Problems
Celery fly
and
slugs
, both of which become more significant in plants left to
stand into the late autumn and winter.
Celery fly is uncommon in polytunnels, but you can reduce your risk by mulching
around newly planted seedlings with compost and covering them with fleece
until they are established.
Chard
Varieties:
'Sibilla' (white stems), 'Rainbow' (red, orange and yellow stems)
A versatile green with a mild, earthy flavour, only vegetable gardeners know just
how good chard is. It wilts too fast to make it a viable commercial plant, so you
are unlikely to see it on shop shelves. 'Swiss' chard has a white stem, but there
are also varieties with pink, red, orange and yellow stems.
Chard is a most unusual vegetable. The baby leaves are delicately flavoured and
can be picked and added to a salad or a sandwich in exactly the same way as
lettuce and spinach. The more mature leaves, which have a stronger flavour,
make a fantastic steamed vegetable. Then, when the plant bolts in its second
year, you can continue to pick from it because, unlike just about everything else,
the flavour doesn't change when the plant is bolting.
Chard is worth growing in the tunnel because, although it can withstand moderate
frosts, anything more severe will kill the outer leaves, drastically reducing the
