A Guide to Growing Celery in Your Own Garden

Row of healthy green celery plants growing upright in dark garden soil under natural sunlight. Click or tap the image for more information.

This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about growing celery successfully, from selecting varieties to harvesting your crisp, flavorful stalks.

Understanding Celery Basics

Celery (Apium graveolens) is a cool-season biennial vegetable that's typically grown as an annual. It belongs to the Umbelliferae family, alongside carrots, fennel, parsley, and dill. Growing to a height of 18-24 inches, celery consists of leaf-topped stalks arranged in a cone shape, joined at a common base.

Healthy celery plants growing in a garden with proper spacing

Celery thrives in specific conditions and requires some key elements to grow successfully:

• Cool weather - Celery prefers temperatures between 55-65°F (13-18°C) and doesn't tolerate extreme heat
• Long growing season - Requires 120-140 days from seed to harvest
• Consistent moisture - Needs regular watering to prevent stringy, bitter stalks
• Rich soil - Demands fertile, well-draining soil with plenty of organic matter
• Patience - Slow to germinate and establish, requiring attentive care throughout its growth

Getting Started with Celery

Choosing Your Growing Method

There are several approaches to growing celery, each with its own advantages. Consider which method works best for your situation:

Starting from Seeds

Starting celery from seeds offers the widest variety selection and is the most economical approach. However, it requires the longest time commitment and careful attention during the germination phase.

Close-up of young celery seedlings growing in individual cells of a black plastic seed tray, with bright green leaves emerging from dark, moist soil. Click or tap the image for more information.

Using Transplants

Purchasing celery seedlings from a nursery gives you a head start on the growing season. While more expensive than seeds, transplants reduce the time to harvest and eliminate germination challenges.

Young celery seedlings growing in biodegradable pots arranged on trays over freshly tilled garden soil with a hand trowel nearby. Click or tap the image for more information.

Selecting Celery Varieties

Choosing the right celery variety for your climate and growing conditions is crucial for success. Here are some recommended varieties for home gardens:

Timing Your Celery Planting

Timing is critical when growing celery due to its temperature preferences and long growing season:

Spring Crop

For a spring crop, start seeds indoors 10-12 weeks before your last spring frost date. This early start gives plants time to mature before summer heat arrives.

Fall Crop

For a fall harvest, start seeds 16-18 weeks before your first fall frost. This allows plants to mature during the cooling temperatures of autumn.

Illustrated celery planting and harvesting calendar showing seed starting, transplanting, and harvest timelines across the months of the year. Click or tap the image for more information.

Planting and Caring for Celery

Soil Preparation

Celery is a heavy feeder with shallow roots, requiring nutrient-rich soil that retains moisture while still draining well:

• Test your soil pH - celery prefers slightly acidic to neutral soil (pH 6.0-7.0)
• Work 2-4 inches of aged compost or well-rotted manure into your planting area
• Loosen soil to a depth of 12-15 inches to accommodate celery's root system
• Consider adding a balanced fertilizer (like 5-10-10) before planting
• Ensure the soil can retain moisture but doesn't become waterlogged

Freshly tilled garden soil with compost being mixed in using a shovel, with green celery seedlings in a tray beside the bed. Click or tap the image for more information.

Planting Process

Starting Seeds Indoors

• Soak celery seeds in warm water overnight to improve germination
• Fill seed trays with quality seed-starting mix and gently firm the surface
• Press seeds onto the soil surface - do not cover them as they need light to germinate
• Cover trays with plastic wrap to maintain humidity
• Place in a warm location (70-75°F) until germination occurs (7-21 days)
• Once seedlings emerge, provide 16 hours of light daily using grow lights
• When seedlings reach 2 inches tall, transplant to individual pots
• Harden off seedlings for 7-10 days before transplanting outdoors

Transplanting Outdoors

Transplant celery outdoors when soil temperatures reach at least 50°F and nighttime temperatures stay above 40°F:

• Space plants 8-10 inches apart in rows 18-24 inches apart
• Plant at the same depth as they were growing in their containers
• Water thoroughly after planting to help establish roots
• Apply a layer of mulch to retain moisture and suppress weeds

Row of newly transplanted celery seedlings spaced evenly in dark soil with a drip irrigation line running alongside them. Click or tap the image for more information.

Watering Requirements

Consistent watering is perhaps the most critical aspect of growing celery successfully:

Celery needs 1-2 inches of water per week to develop crisp, tender stalks. Inconsistent watering leads to stringy, tough celery with a bitter taste.

• Water deeply and consistently, keeping the soil evenly moist
• Consider drip irrigation for efficient, consistent moisture delivery
• Increase watering during hot, dry periods
• Apply a 2-3 inch layer of mulch to help retain soil moisture
• Water at the base of plants to keep foliage dry and prevent disease

Fertilizing Schedule

As a heavy feeder, celery benefits from regular fertilization throughout its growing season:

• At planting: Apply a balanced fertilizer worked into the soil
• 3-4 weeks after transplanting: Side-dress with nitrogen-rich fertilizer
• 6-8 weeks after transplanting: Apply a second side-dressing of balanced fertilizer
• Throughout the season: Consider applying compost tea every 2-3 weeks

Blanching (Optional)

Blanching is the process of excluding light from the celery stalks to produce paler, milder-tasting celery:

Traditional Blanching

When plants are about 12 inches tall, wrap the lower portion of the stalks with paper, cardboard tubes, or mound soil around the base, leaving the leaves exposed. Maintain this covering for 2-3 weeks before harvest.

Self-Blanching Varieties

Some varieties, like Golden Self-Blanching, naturally produce lighter stalks without the need for covering, making them easier for beginners to grow.

Celery plants growing in garden rows with their stalks wrapped in brown paper for blanching under warm sunlight. Click or tap the image for more information.

Common Celery Growing Problems

While celery can be challenging to grow, being aware of common issues helps you address them promptly:

Pests

Diseases

Growing Challenges

Recognizing problems early helps prevent crop loss

Prevention Tips

• Use row covers during early growth stages
• Practice crop rotation (don't plant where other Umbelliferae family crops grew recently)
• Maintain consistent watering schedule
• Ensure proper spacing for air circulation
• Remove plant debris promptly

Common Mistakes

• Inconsistent watering leading to stringy stalks
• Planting too late in spring (causing bolting in summer heat)
• Insufficient soil preparation
• Overcrowding plants
• Neglecting pest monitoring

Side-by-side comparison of healthy celery plants with vibrant green leaves and strong stalks versus unhealthy celery showing yellowing leaves, leaf spots, stunted growth, and root problems. Click or tap the image for more information.

Harvesting and Storing Celery

When to Harvest

Celery is typically ready to harvest 120-140 days after planting seeds or 80-100 days after transplanting seedlings. You can harvest in two main ways:

Whole Plant Harvest

Cut the entire plant at ground level when stalks are 8-10 inches tall and the plant has reached desired size, typically when the base diameter is about 3 inches.

Gardener cutting a mature celery plant at the base with a knife in a vegetable garden. Click or tap the image for more information.

Individual Stalk Harvest

Remove outer stalks as needed, allowing the plant to continue growing. This extends your harvest period and allows inner stalks to develop further.

The darker the stalks become, the more nutrients they will contain. However, darker green stalks will also have a stronger flavor and tougher texture than lighter stalks.

Hands harvesting an outer celery stalk with a knife while leaving the rest of the celery plant growing in a garden bed. Click or tap the image for more information.

Storage Methods

Properly stored celery can last for weeks, maintaining its crispness and flavor:

• Refrigerator: Wrap unwashed celery in aluminum foil or place in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer. Properly stored, it can last 2-4 weeks.
• Freezing: Blanch celery pieces for 3 minutes, cool in ice water, drain, and freeze in airtight containers. Best used in cooked dishes.
• Drying: Celery leaves can be dried for use as herbs in soups and stews.
• Root cellar: In cooler climates, celery can be stored with roots attached in moist sand in a root cellar.

Landscape photo showing multiple ways to store fresh celery, including in water, airtight containers, vacuum-sealed bags, produce bags, and aluminum foil on a rustic kitchen surface. Click or tap the image for more information.

Reviving Limp Celery

If your celery becomes limp, you can often revive it by trimming the ends and placing the stalks in a glass of cold water for a few hours. Adding a few slices of potato to the water can help crisp limp celery even faster.

Conclusion

Growing celery requires patience and attention to detail, but the reward of crisp, flavorful stalks makes the effort worthwhile. By providing the right growing conditions—cool temperatures, consistent moisture, and nutrient-rich soil—you can successfully grow this versatile vegetable in your own garden.

Remember that homegrown celery may look different from store-bought varieties. It's often darker green, more slender, and more intensely flavored. These characteristics indicate a more nutritious product free from commercial pesticides and growing methods.

Whether you're adding crunch to salads, flavor to soups, or a healthy snack to your diet, there's nothing quite like the satisfaction of growing your own celery. Start with the right variety for your climate, provide attentive care throughout the growing season, and you'll be rewarded with a bountiful harvest of this kitchen staple.

Further Reading

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like these suggestions:

• A Guide to Growing the Best Elderberries in Your Garden
• A Complete Guide to Growing Cauliflower in Your Home Garden
• Growing Apricots: A Guide to Sweet Homegrown Fruit