Grow Vegetables - How to re-grow celery from the base

I put a Pinterest tip to the test with this post about growing celery from the base of the celery vegetable that you purchase from the supermarket - after you have enjoyed eating the stalks of the celery.  I love to grow fresh vegetables that require little effort, this worked out perfectly and costs next to nothing! 

Celery is a great vegetable to snack on especially when you are trying to lose weight or eat healthy. It has a high water content, is high in fibre and is said to have "negative calories", that it, your body expends more energy digesting it than the calories you are consuming from it. 

Tip: Cut the celery into pieces  when you purchase it and leave it in a bowl of cold water on the kitchen counter (use a few ice cubes in warm weather). That way it is right in front of you whenever you feel like a snack. When you leave it in the fridge you are less likely to reach for it and snack on it (maybe even forget about it).

Here is how to grow the celery:

• Cut the base off the celery (about 10cm from the base) and soak the lower half of the base in a cup of water. Leave indoors near a window where it gets plenty of filtered light for one week. You can see in the picture that the centre has already started to sprout.

Soak base of celery in water for a week

• Plant in soil outdoors and ensure that the soil gets in between the pieces on the base but does not fully cover the base of the vegetable. Plant in an area where it will get at least 4-6 hours of sunlight a day. I started planting this in early winter in Sydney, where the temperature is cold but not frosty but don't see why it can't work at other times of the year as well.

Celery - after one month

• This is what the celery looks like after a month, the centre stalks have started to grow. Water it every two days for the first two weeks, then just water it about once or twice a week when you attend to your other plants - it basically is requires very little care.

Celery - after two months

• After two months all the stalks start to grow and it is about 20cm tall. It will still need another month to grow but I was so excited and couldn't wait any longer to share it with you. Give it a go - grow your own vegetables today. It does take a few months but its better late than never when you would normally toss the base in the trash!