How to Grow Celery
Celery Germination Information
How to Sow Celery: - Sow seeds indoors, 10-12 weeks before planting out
- Sow at temperature of 70-75° with NO cover as light aids in germination
- The seeds are very small and germinate erratically over 21-25 days
- Avoid letting the temperature of the seedling fall below 65°
- It is not recommended to sow the seeds outdoors
How to Grow Celery: Transplanting: Transplant when there are at least two sets of true leaves
Spacing: After last frost, plant out 12 inches apart in rows 12 inches apart
Soil: Site extremely rich, moist soil that is like muck, but with good drainage. Feed every 2-3 weeks with a soluble fertilizer
Lighting: Site in full sun
Additional Care: Keep plants moist and water
them at ground level, avoiding the foliage. Feed every 2-3 weeks with a soluble fertilizer. Not an easy crop to grow and it prefers a
long, cool growing season. Grow as a winter-spring crop in the South; as a summer-fall crop in the
North. Self-blanching types are now available that do not require the extensive effort of blanching
under piles of earth.
Appearance and Use:
Shown 2.4x actual size
Grown for its long (to 30 inches), edible leaf stalks that are eaten fresh or
canned in soups. Harvest the leaf stalks as soon as they are at mature size (or earlier) by cutting
them off with a knife just below soil level. The leaves are also used in soups and salads; they can be
harvested at any time. Both stems and leaves respond well to the “cut and come again” method,
provided only 1/3 is harvested at a time
About Celery: Botanical name: Apium graveolens var. dulce
Pronunciation: ap’e-um grå-ve’o-lenz dul’cha
Lifecycle: Biennial
Origination: Apiaceae; native to Eurasia