Why celery is bitter

This blocks the sun from reaching the stalks, preventing photosynthesis and chlorophyll production, and resulting in a sweeter, lighter-colored plant. In the photo above, the stalks on the left-hand side have been blanched, while the stalks on the right-hand side have not. For more details on how and when to do this, check out our guide to blanching celery in the garden. Use the greener stalks for cooking. Now that you know how to prevent bitter flavors from developing in your celery, you can keep your next crop healthy and sweet.

What can you do with it? Try cutting it into small pieces and sauteing it in butter until it begins to turn tender, and then add it to this vegan Thanksgiving stuffing from our sister site, Foodal. Sauteing it will soften the harsh flavor but help it to retain its crisp texture in your stuffing. Like sauteing, the act of simmering or boiling the celery in a soup like this one brings out its milder side. To transform it into a tasty side dish, try caramelizing and roasting it along with onions, mushrooms, carrots, zucchini, and other scrumptious veggies in this recipe for a roasted vegetable and herb salad, also from Foodal.

I hope this article has lifted your spirits if you recently took a huge bite of garden-grown celery and nearly wilted at the overwhelming flavor. Or maybe it caught you in time to blanch the stalks, or add a bit of fertilizer, water, or protective shade cloth to your stressed-out plants. Some of the reasons behind this bitter taste are:. It is one of the primary reasons why celery tastes bitter. Like any other plant, when celery experiences a lack of water in the growth period, it becomes stressed.

One way to make sure your plant is getting half inches of water is by putting your finger in the soil surrounding the plant. If you poke the finger three inches deep into the ground, and it feels dry. It is time to water the soil. In the case of a poorly fed plant, the taste of that plant becomes bitter or stingy.

Plants get their nutrients from soil and fertilizers. One way to ensure nutrition through the soil is the use of natural fertilizers. Natural fertilizers are herbs, feeds, compost, eggshells, kitchen waste and animal waste. As all of them are naturally recyclable, the process of decay enriches the soil with organic compounds. These organic compounds are used for vegetable nutrition.

But if the temperature goes high, it affects the plant. Why is My Celery Bitter Tasting? Is Celery a Fruit or Vegetable? Why is Celery Salty? Why is Celery So Hard to Chew? Why is Celery so Expensive Right Now? Is Celery a Monocot or a Dicot and Why? How to Freeze Celery 7 Simple Steps. The perfect bunch of celery is crisp and mild, with a slight peppery bite. Bitter celery is the result of poor growing conditions or an overly mature plant. Although bitter celery isn't suited for a raw treat, cooking it can sometimes salvage the bunch.

Lessen the unpleasant flavor with proper preparation and cooking. Color can indicate the bitterness in a bunch of celery.

The lighter the color, the milder the flavor. Avoid large bunches with darker green stalks and leaves. The mildest portions of celery, usually called the celery hearts, are nearly white to pale green with yellowish leaves. It's also sometimes called "blanched" or "golden" celery.