Celery is a long-season vegetable grown in the spring or fall. It has the reputation of being fussy; however, it’s really quite easy if you understand its specific needs. Here are tips from the pros on sowing, growing, and harvesting celery.
We enjoy growing celery because it’s not only crunchy, but also more flavorful than what you typically find in grocery stores. Plus, commercial celery is one of the most pesticide-laden crops so why not grow your own!
Celery has three critical needs:
- A long growing season (130 to 140 days of mostly cool weather). Celery will not 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. The crop is a big feeder and also 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.
Celery is often grown as a winter crop in the South, a summer crop in the far North, and a fall crop in most other areas.
Transplants are hard to find, so be prepared to start plants from seed.
Reader Comments
Leave a Comment
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.
Pages