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| Photo from July 2016 |
Can you see the big open tub at the right of the photo above - the one with Asparagus growing in it? Well, the whole surface of that tub was until recently almost completely covered with tiny Celery Leaf seedlings. But then I though "Shouldn't I rip them out, because the Asparagus will be appearing before very long?" I am also aware that Celery Leaf seedlings make a delectable, though pungent, salad ingredient. So I hedged my bets and kept "just a few".
Thinking about it now, I reckon that what I'll do is transplant some of the seedlings to a more sensible location, so that I can freshen-up the tub prior to the arrival of the first spears of Asparagus. Before that though, I may well take a crop of the lovely tasty little leaves!
Ironically, I saved a big bag of Celery Leaf seeds last year too, just in case none of the naturally-sown ones survived! I don't think they will be needed.
By the way, if you haven't already discovered Celery Leaf, I recommend you try it. It's easy to grow (Evidently. See above!), and very convenient to have around. Just a couple of leaves added to a soup stew or stock give your dish a delightful intensely savoury flavour. You don't need a lot of it though, because of its strong taste - perhaps a small clump of 5 or 6 plants? This my original plant, which I cut down to ground level after it had flowered.
Despite the Winter frosts, and the current rain, it seems to have survived very well. I had expected it to die after flowering, so this is a bonus.
Is Celery Leaf and different from Lovage? It sounds just like it. After a couple of years I eradicated ours - I don't like celery and I dislike Lovage even more! Like most things you are not too fussed about growing they grow like billy-o!
ReplyDeleteAfter buying a tiny pot out of curiosity at the Abergavenny food festival, I have had Par-cel in my veg plot for several years (which if not the same, must be a very close relative). I love it because of the obliging way it self-seeds: so much more reliable than proper parsley! I use it in place of parsley, and just let a plant or two go to seed at the end of its bienniel stint ( you can always hoe off the many excess seedlings). they survive our very amateur attempt at a compost heap, and are now showing their faces all over the garden and even in the greenhouse. A very aimiable thug.
ReplyDeleteYou will never be without from now on.
ReplyDelete