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Growing Celery
Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Celery
Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Celery
Alfredo Maiquez/Shutterstock
Homegrown celery is more flavorful than typical store-bought types. This cool-weather crop requires 16 weeks of cool weather to come to harvest.
In cool spring and summer regions, plant celery in early spring. In warm spring and summer regions, plant celery in late summer for harvest in late autumn or early winter.
Here’s our advice on sowing, growing, and harvesting celery.
Celery is a hardy biennial grown as an annual which is mainly grown for its edible 12- to 18-inch stalks.
Unfortunately, commercial celery is one of the most pesticide-laden crops available. So, not only is garden celery better-tasting, but also it’s less chemically-laden.
Though this edible stalk has the reputation of being fussy, it’s really quite easy if you understand its specific needs:
- A long-growing season (130 to 140 days). Celery requires about 125 days of a long, relatively cool growing season.
- A cool, cloudy season where growing temperatures range between 60°F and 70°F. Celery can’t tolerate high heat.
- A constant, unfailing water supply. The soil must stay watered at all times. If celery has a spell without water, it will be problematic (stringy, tough, and/or hollow stalks).
- Rich, fertile soil with plenty of organic matter mixed in. Celery is a heavy feeder and needs to be fertilized during its growth period, too. Because celery roots are shallow (just a few inches deep), make sure nutrients are in the top of the soil.
Transplants are hard to find, so be prepared to start plants from seed.
Planting
Soil Preparation
- Select a site that receives full direct sunlight.
- Loosen the soil to a depth of 12 to 15 inches with a garden fork or tiller. Mix 2 to 4 inches of aged manure and/or compost into the soil. Or, work in some 5-10-10 fertlizer. The soil should retain moisture, bordering on wet but still draining.
- Celery prefers a soil with a pH between 5.8 and 6.8. Get a soil test if you’re not sure of your soil pH.
Starting Seeds
- Due to a long growing season, start celery seed indoors. For a spring crop, start seeds 10 to 12 weeks before the last spring frost date. (For a fall crop, start seeds in time to transplant seedlings 10 to 12 weeks before the first autumn frost date.)
- Before planting soak seeds in warm water overnight. This will speed germination.
- Press soaked seeds into seed-starting soil; to get good gernation, do not cover with soil.
- Cover starter trays/pots with plastic wrap to retain moisture. Germination should occur in about a week.
- Soon after seedlings appear, place a fluorescent grow light 3 inches above them for 16 hours a day (plants need dark, too).
- Maintain an ambient temperature of 70° to 75°F during the day and 60° to 65°F at night.
- Mist regularly
- When seedlings are 2 inches tall, transplant them to individal peat pots or to deeper flats with new potting soil. In flats, set the plants at least 2 inches apart.
- Harden off seedlings before transplatning by reducing water slightly and putting the outdoors for a cople of hours each day.
Tranplants in the Ground
- Plant celery outdoors when the soil temperature reaches at least 50“F and nighttime temperatures don’t dip down below 40“F. (Cold weather after planting can cause bolting.)
- Work organic compost into the soil prior to planting. (Learn more about soil amendments and preparing soil for planting.) Or mix in fertilizer (about one pound of 5-10-10 per 30 square feet).
- Plant seedlings 8 to 10 inches apart.
- Water thoroughly.
Care
- Celery requires lots of water. Make sure to provide plenty of water during the entire growing season, especially during hot, dry weather. If celery does not get enough water, the stalks will be dry and small.
- Add plenty of compost and mulch around the plants to retain moisture. Sidedress with a 5-10-10 fertilizer in the second and third month of growth (one tablespoon per plant and sprinkle it in a shallow furrow three to four inches from the plant and cover it with soil).
- Keep celery weeded but be careful when weeding as celery has shallow roots and could easily get distrubed.
- Tie growing celery stalks together to keep them from sprawling.
Image: Garden celery. Photo credit: Yuris/Shutterstock.
Pests/Diseases
To control pests, cover the plants with garden fabric (row covers) during the first four to six weeks of the growing season
Harvest/Storage
- The parts of celery that are harvested are mainly the stalks, which will be above ground.
- Pick the stalks whenever you want. Young celery is as good as the mature product.
- Harvest stalks from the outside in. You may begin harvesting when stalks are about 8 inches tall.
- Celery can be kept in the garden for up to a month if soil is built up around it to maintain an ideal temperature. Celery will tolerate a light frost, but not consecutive frosts.
- Tip: The darker the stalks become, the more nutrients they will contain. Texture changes with color; dark green stalks will be tougher.
- Keep celery in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Celery stores really well; you can keep it for many weeks with no trouble.
Recommended Varieties
- ‘Utah 52-70R Improved’ is good for gardeners with limited space. Will only reach 18 inches tall.
- ‘Alfina’ has slender stalks and is a dark green, quick-growing variety (60 days to maturity).
- ‘Conquistador’ is tolerant of higher temps and watering shortage.
Wit & Wisdom
- Keep in mind the grocery store celery is lighter in color and bigger than homegrown celery because the commercial varieties are grown in greenhouses and/or protected from the sun; they often carries a lot of pesticides, too.
- Celery stalks can be frozen. Cut the stalks into half-inch pieces and store in freezer-grade bags.
- The ancient Romans believed that celery had healing powers, especially when it came to headaches.
- Bland or boring? You may be delighted to discover that celery has many benefits. See why celery is heathy and happening.
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Reader Comments
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Celery leaves
While blanching my celery for freezing I tried eating the leaves before and after blanching for 3 min. They were bitter before but not afterward. So all that wonderful nutrition in the leaves is available for our use!
Celery flavor
I have grown celery successfully for a few years. At least I believe it to be a success because I have celery in the freezer when I'm making soup, etc. My question is about the leaves. They are so strong in flavor, bitter almost, so I can't use them. Is there something lacking in my soil? Is it inconsistent water? Is it that I grow it all season in southern WI, not just in spring or in fall? Thanks for your comments!
Celery Bitterness
Celery leaves tend to be more bitter than the stalks in general, but bitterness can be intensified by all the conditions you mentioned, including high temperatures, inconsistent moisture, and poor soil. The bitter taste also gets stronger as the plant matures, so consider harvesting the shoots when they’re younger. Also look into blanching your celery before harvest—this can reduce bitterness, too. To blanch, loosely wrap the celery stalks with paper (newspaper works well) 2 to 3 weeks prior to harvesting. The stalks will lose their green color, but should also not be as bitter.
sunlight?
If you say they should be covered with garden fabric for a time, and they don't like the heat, does that mean they should be in the shade?
Growing celery
I have tried for 60 some years to grow celery and I’ve had too many problems with it so I’ve basically given up—-I’d love to grow celery but it is maybe one of the most valuable vegetables in the garden it’s used for so many things I would wish I could have some really good seeds to grow some it would take and grow to a normal harvest.................... I have tried for 60 some years the grocery and I’ve had too many problems with it so I’ve basically given up I’d love to grow it is maybe one of the most valuable vegetables in the garden it’s used for so many things I wish I could have some really good seeds to grow sell read it would take and grow to a normal harvest.....
Celery to grow!!!
I grow my celery from the small leftover from the stalks from the store. I use the celery down until there is only small growth and then splay toothpicks (small legs) into the bottom to support the stalk in an upright position and also about 3/4 inch from the bottom of the container and put water into the container to just a little over the root. Change the water frequently to keep it fresh. when it shows small roots transplant in rich soil and keep very wet. I live in Canada where the weather isn't really cooperative.
Harvesting celery
To harvest, you break off the outside stalks, or cut them off with a knife?
Celery
Only my second year gardening ever and celery was easy try utah
Celery stalks
This is my first year planting ... stalks are quite thin! Will they get thicker??
STORING CELERY
Many years ago a dear friend gave me a tip on how to keep celery fresh in the fridge. Stand it up in a container with a couple of inches of water. Change the water every few days or so. A tall (32 oz) yogurt container works well as does a large (24 oz) cottage cheese container.
Useful
I’m going to my own farm so thanks for the tips❤️
Tubes for celery.
Is there any wisdom to growing the celery in tubes to keep sun blanch down and encourage stalk growth? It seems that's what I remember seeing in Salinas.
Thanks.
blanching celery
Blanching helps to eliminate a bitter taste in celery. It coincidentally results in a pale green color. You can use almost anything that will wrap around the stalks and keep out light: paper such as brown paper bags (secure with old nylon stockings, string, vegetable wires—you know: the paper-coated wire sometimes used on supermarket lettuces), half-gallon milk cartons (tops and bottoms cut out), soil (pile dry soil around the stalks about one-third of the way up the stalks; this might be easier if you grow it in trenches; note too that soil, especially if it gets wet, could lead to rot). Whatever you use, leave the leaves exposed to sunlight. Salinas farmers might have other ideas…we hope they share them!
It won’t accept my address in Missouri.
This wouldn’t except my address in Missouri, or the name of the city and the state, nor my ZIP Code.
help with Celery
Our Celery looks beautiful, but are hollow and earwigs are eating them. Please help
Celery Help
Hi Vela,
To get rid of (or at least reduce) earwig populations, sprinkle diatomaceous earth around the base of the celery stalks and the edge of your garden bed. Reapply after it rains. Also, clean up and remove all dead plant material from the garden because earwigs like hiding in rotting plants and wood. For more information, go here: https://www.almanac.com/pest/earwigs. Good luck!
Celery
Very informative - love the veggie but knew nothing about how and where it is grown.
Thank You
Cutting from store bought celery
I cut the end of my store bought celery and put it in water and it now has roots and stalks. Can I plant in a pot on the window sill and cut the stocks and have continuous celery?
Growing celery at home
How to do it??
Celery Growing
No comment.
Celery
my celery had already gone to seed will that ruin the stocks and when should I harvest the seeds for cooking...
Celery Gone to Seed
Celery that has already gone to seed will be very bitter and tough, and therefore, pretty much inedible. There may be some stalks that haven’t yet flowered, and you could try harvesting these, but it may already be too late for most of the plant.
Wait until the seeds have dried on the plant and are able to fall off at the slightest touch. This is how you’ll know the seeds are fully matured and ready to be harvested.
Celery
We planted 4 celery plants and a bunny ate the leaves! Without leaves, are they okay.. or, are they not good?
bunny mischief
It might depend on how far along the celery is. Are these seedlings, transplants, close to maturity? If they are almost ready to harvest, then it might be OK. If they are young plants, then you might wait a while to see if the plants can recover and grow more leaves–it may delay your harvest a bit, though, and the plants possibly may not be as vigorous. The plants will need leaves to make food for themselves and grow. To protect plants from more hungry bunnies, visit this page for some bunny control options:
http://www.almanac.com/pest/rabbits
Good luck!
rabbits and celery
Celery is irresistible to rabbits.
Celery like plant
I was given a plant that resembles celery but it doesn't bunch into one. It is perennial. Leaves like celery. What is it?
looks like celery
That’s hard to say without seeing it. It’s not rhubarb? Cardoon? Fennel? Hope this gets you started!
Reply to Looks like Celery
Is it parsley? That's an herb that looks a lot like celery, especially the flat leaf variety.
Chinese Celery
We had "Chinese Celery" in zone 7, perennial; we lost it after 4 years but I don't remember why.
Anyway, it was tougher than regular celery but tasted the same. It was very handy to have celery in the winter garden for cooking soups.
Celery Like Plant
There is a perennial called Lovage that tastes like celery with leaves similar to celery but it gets tall.
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