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