Growing celery is an excellent project for you if you enjoy growing your own food and are looking to expand your garden with a versatile vegetable. Celery is a hardy plant and can be grown in most climates.
It’s also easy to grow and requires minimal care once it’s established in the garden. If you’re ready to add celery to your garden, read our guide below to get started.
Start Celery Seeds Indoors
Celery has a long growing season, so it is best to start celery indoors. If you’re planting celery in the spring, seeds should be started around 12 weeks before the last spring frost date of your local climate.
If you’re planning to harvest celery in the fall, start seeds early enough to allow 12 weeks of outdoor growth before the first fall frost.
In order to start seeds, they should be soaked in warm water for a minimum of 12 hours to start the germination process. Use seed-starting soil to gently plant seeds into the top of the soil.
As seedlings appear, use fluorescent light to encourage growth for 12-16 hours a day. Continue misting the seeds with water throughout the growth process. As they grow, you may need to spread the seedlings out into larger pots with more room to grow.
Before transplanting your seedlings outdoors, begin reducing water and placing the seedlings outdoors for several hours a day so that they can adapt to the new setting.
Transplant Seedlings Outdoors
When the leaves are about 6 inches tall, transplant them into the ground. Plant in a sunny location and add compost to the soil. Water regularly and keep the soil moist at all times if you live in an area with dry summers.
Add mulch to help retain moisture in your celery’s root system, but be sure not to bury it too deeply under layers of mulch. This will prevent adequate airflow and provide too much shade for your celery plants’ leaves.
Finally, add fertilizer to boost growth rate if desired. Opt for organic options that include nitrogen-rich ingredients such as blood meal or alfalfa pellets
Keep Celery Watered Throughout the Growth Process
Celery is a shallow-rooted vegetable that needs moisture to grow. Growing celery in the ground is similar to growing other vegetables, but it’s important to remember that celery doesn’t like sitting in wet mud. That means it should be watered regularly, but not excessively or you will drown the roots.
Celery grows best in well-drained soil with high levels of organic matter such as compost or leaf mulch added so the plant has plenty of nutrients and moisture retention for the entire growing season.
Allow Celery to be Partially Shaded
If you’re growing celery in your garden, it may need shade from the sun. The leaves of celery are very sensitive to direct sunlight and can scorch if they’re exposed to too much light.
Celery thrives when receiving 6-8 hours of full sunlight each day, but does best when partially shaded during the hottest part of the day to prevent wilting.
Celery Prefers Loose, Nutrient-Dense Soil
Celery grows best in loose soil that’s full of nutrients. To achieve this, you should add plenty of compost and other organic matter to your garden bed.
Your goal is to create a well-drained, fertile soil that contains high levels of nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium—all important nutrients for growing celery.
If your soil drains well but is deficient in any one or more of these nutrients (or if it doesn’t drain at all), it will take longer for the roots to grow out into the surrounding earth where they can absorb the nutrients they need.
Keep an Eye Out for Garden Pests
Slugs and snails can be a problem if you are growing celery outdoors, so keep an eye on the leaves. If you notice that your plants are being eaten, place a barrier around the container to prevent slugs from coming near it.
If you grow celery in the ground, put down a barrier of diatomaceous earth around the plant to deter slugs. Garden pests are a common occurrence, but there are a variety of effective ways to reduce and prevent garden pests from damaging your crops.
Harvest Celery Stalks
When the celery stalks are around 8 inches tall, they are ready to be harvested. Celery stalks can be harvested by picking the whole plant, but cutting celery or picking individual stems will encourage the plant to keep growing for as long as the season will allow.
Celery plants will continue to produce crops until frosts become consistent.
How to Grow Celery: Final Thoughts
Celery is a versatile vegetable that can be added to soups, salads, stir-frys, and sandwiches. If you’re looking for something new to add to your usual lunchtime sandwich or salad recipe, try adding celery!
Celery is also an excellent addition to smoothies and juices because of its mild flavor. Overall, it is an easy to grow vegetable that can thrive in a variety of climates and makes an excellent addition to your garden due to its versatility as a food.
As you enjoy fresh celery from your garden and other produce, download the Lil’ Broc app in order to track and monitor the shelf life of your produce and ensure that it is all eaten while fresh.