How To Grow Celery
What Is Celery
Celery is a biennial of the Apiaceae family making it a relative of other plants such as carrots, parsley and celeriac. It can be considered as both a vegetable or herb and despite being a biennial it’s usually grown as an annual.
Originally a marshland plant it has been cultivated and grown domestically for centuries. Although relatively easy to grow in theory, it can sometimes prove tricky to successfully yield crops from, with it having a tendency to bolt to seed if it takes a dislike to the conditions or is shocked in any way.
Celery forms a compact root and sprouts vertical stalks which are fibrous / stringy in nature. Both the stalks and leaves can be eaten.
Types Of Celery
When growing celery, blanching is the process that results in your celery having pale and crisp stalks and the way in which this is achieved is dependent upon the type of celery you plan on growing;
Trenching
Needs to be planted in trenches and to then have the soil gradually mounded up against the stalks as it grows. This effect can also be achieved with the use of cardboard collars or pipes around the plant.
Self-Blanching
Takes care of the blanching process on it’s own so doesn’t require the additional steps of trenches, pipes etc.
Varieties Of Celery
There are a number of varieties of celery, each with it’s own characteristics
Pascal
Pascal is the most widely grown and is probably the best for use in cooking and in salads.
When you think of celery this is probably the variety you’re picturing in your head.
Tango
Tango is a self-blanching, compact variety making it ideal for growing in containers or patio gardens. It produces smooth, green stalks with little of the stringiness common in other varieties.
Golden Self-Blanching
As the name suggests, a self blanching variety that doesn’t require trenching or any of the various different methods of blanching.
An heirloom variety that grows up to 24 inches (60cm) tall and produces thick, ribby stalks with a soft golden colour.
Planting Celery
Get your planting location right: Celery is a cool-season crop that requires full sun exposure. Choose a location that gets plenty of direct sunlight each day and has well-drained soil. If you live in an area with hot summers, you may want to plant your celery in a location that receives some shade during the hottest part of the day.
Celery prefers a rich, well-draining soil that is high in organic matter.
Celery will take from about 100 – 130 days to be fully matured, depending upon variety and conditions but it can be harvested as soon as the stalks are big enough to use. If you limit yourself to a few stalks, ensuring you take them from the outer rings and cutting above the base of the bulb then you can successfully harvest before maturity.
How To Grow Celery From Seeds
Start seeds indoors: Celery is typically started from seed indoors about 6-8 weeks before the last frost date in your area. Fill a seed tray with a high-quality seed starting mix and sprinkle the seeds on top. Cover with a light layer of soil and water gently. Place the tray in a warm, bright location and keep the soil consistently moist.
When the seedlings have reached 2-3 (5 – 7cm) inches tall, transplant them into individual pots.
Once the last frost date has passed you should harden off your seedlings before planting them out into the garden. Choose a location that has well-drained soil and full sun exposure.
If planting trenching celery then dig a long trench about 12 inches wide by 12 inches deep (30cm X 30cm) and prepare the soil by working in 2-3 inches (5 – 7cm) of compost or well-rotted manure into the top 6-8 inches (15 – 20cm) of soil. If your soil is heavy or clay-like, add some sand to help improve drainage.
Plant your crop in this trench, spacing each plant 12 – 18 inches (30 – 45cm) apart. Once the stalks have reached about 12 inches (30cm) then mound earth around the stalks up to about one third of the height and then as the stalks continue to grow, continue mounding the earth up around them.
How To Grow Celery From Seedlings
Growing celery from seedlings is a good option as celery can take a while to germinate and, due to it’s finnicky nature, can bolt to seed for a variety of reasons. Buying seedlings helps eliminate some of these issues and gives you a higher chance of successfully producing a crop.
Once you have your seedlings just follow the same plan you would if growing from seeds and after the last frost start to harden them off before planting out.
Caring For Celery
Watering
Celery requires consistent moisture in order to grow well so ensure you keep the plants well watered and consider mulching around them in order to help prevent drying out.
Be careful not to water excessively though as celery can become subject to root rot if kept too wet.
Feeding
Celery can be a heavy feeder so benefits from regular fertilizing. Find yourself a good quality liquid fertilizer and use it every two weeks or so to ensure your plants thrive.
Celery Planting / Growing Celery – Quick Reference Guide
| Planting Guide | Information |
|---|---|
|
POSITION: |
Semi shade to shade |
|
SOIL: |
Sort, water retentive soil |
|
PLANTING: |
Sow in punnets in early spring ready to transplant out in early summer |
|
FROST TOLERANT? |
No |
|
HEAT TOLERANT? |
No |
|
FEEDING: |
Weekly liquid feed in mid to late summer as the plants mature. Celery loves nitrogen and more so potassium, so prepare the bed or area with potash or fireplace ash and manure and remember to keep the seed moist during germination and then water carefully, daily. |
|
PLANT GROUP: |
Biennial of the Apiaceae family |
|
PESTS AND DISEASES: |
No major pest or disease issues although slugs and snails can cause some issues |
|
HARVESTING: |
Celery needs to be blanched either by planting in blocks or excluding light with pots or bags. Stems can be harvested gradually, but it's easier to uproot the plants, sever the roots and immediately remove all the leaf growth to stop the plant wilting |
