Celery, which is native to the Mediterranean, grows best in climates between 15 and 21 degrees Celsius. Since celery is a plant with a long growing season, growing it in some areas may be difficult, and growing seeds indoors is better. While it can be a little difficult to grow at times, celery plants will produce crispy, succulent stems when grown in temperate climates in moist, nitrogen-rich soil. Follow these steps to learn how to grow celery in your garden.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Choosing Celery Varieties
Step 1. Plant leaf celery (Apium graveolens var
secalinum) in USDA plant hardiness zones 5a to 8b. Leaf celery grows from strong stems and produces delicious leaves with a stronger flavor than the leaves of other varieties. While there are several varieties of leaf celery to choose from, some notable ones include Par-Cel, a variety from the Netherlands, Sapphire, which has a spicy and crunchy taste, and Flora-55, which is the strongest against shrinking plants.
Step 2. Plant root celery (Apium graveolens var
rapaceum) in USDA plant hardiness zones 8 and 9. Root celery produces very large roots. These roots can be harvested and eaten with the stems. This celery root takes about 100 days to get large enough to be harvested and cooked. Root celery that loves the cool seaside environment is available in several varieties, namely Brilliant, Giant Prague, Mentor, President and Diamant.
Step 3. Grow traditional celery (Apium graveolens var
dulce) in USDA plant hardiness zones 2 through 10. Traditional celery requires a long growing season, and takes between 105 and 130 days to mature enough to harvest.
- This celery does not like extreme temperatures, and grows best at temperatures below 24 degrees Celsius during the day, and between 10 to 15 degrees Celsius at night.
- Some traditional varieties of celery include Conquistador and Monterey, which are ready for harvest earlier than other varieties, Golden Boy, which produces stunted stems, and Tall Utah, which produces tall, bushy stems.
Method 2 of 4: Preparing Your Garden
Step 1. Choose an area with full sun, and/or partial shade
While it likes a temperate climate, celery also enjoys sunshine whenever possible. However, this plant grows well in partially shaded areas.
Step 2. Choose a site with rich, moist soil
As a plant that comes from wet soil, celery can grow in relatively moist soil -- which other crops usually don't. However, make sure the planting area you choose is not easily flooded.
- You may need to make a wall for growing celery. Keep in mind that some varieties of celery also produce roots that can be harvested, so be sure to dig a deep enough hole if you are planting one.
- Use spruce for building walls if possible, as this wood doesn't get moldy when it gets wet.
Step 3. Check soil pH
Celery varieties like slightly acidic soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. While celery doesn't need perfect drainage like most vegetables, it does need healthy, nutrient-rich soil.
- Check the calcium and magnesium levels of the soil to determine what lime you should add to it. If your soil is low in magnesium, add dolomitic lime. If it is high in magnesium, then add calcitic lime.
- Give lime two to three months before planting if possible, so the soil can absorb it. After adding lime, check the pH of the soil again.
Step 4. Apply animal manure, compost, or other high-nitrogen fertilizer
Put about 10 cm of organic fertilizer into your soil. Celery likes soil that is very rich in organic matter. This will help the young plants grow into strong plants and produce a bountiful harvest.
Method 3 of 4: Growing Celery
Step 1. Begin growing celery indoors about 10 to 12 weeks before the last frost of spring
You can sow some of the seeds in a peat pot to make sure one of them germinates.
- To speed up germination of celery seeds, you can soak them in water overnight before planting them.
- Cover the seeds with about 2.5 cm of potting soil, but do not pat them with your fingers after sowing. Celery seeds need lots of light to germinate. Water your pot to moisten the soil after sowing.
- Place your celery in a warm place to keep the soil at a temperature of between 21 and 23 degrees Celsius until it germinates. The time it takes is usually about 2 to 3 weeks.
- After germination, place the young plant in a cooler room, so that the soil is between 15 and 21 degrees Celsius. Carefully remove several young plants, so that there is only one plant in each pot after germination.
Step 2. Transfer these young plants to the garden two weeks before the last frost of spring
Make sure it's not too cold outside. Celery can withstand light frosts, but temperatures below 12 degrees Celsius during the day and 4 degrees Celsius at night for more than a week can damage your celery plant.
Step 3. Plant the celery 15 - 30 cm apart in rows 45 - 90 cm apart
You will need to dig the hole a little deeper than the size of the peat medium. Pat all sides of the peat media so that the plants can come out without damaging the roots.
Step 4. Place the plant in the ground and cover it
Cover only the lowest leaves and pat the planting site with your hand to strengthen it.
Step 5. Water the planting area well
Celery needs constant moisture, so don't let the soil dry out at any point in time. If the celery doesn't get enough water, the stems will shrivel and taste bitter. Be sure to water it several times a week, and increase the frequency during the dry season or when the weather is hot.
Step 6. Apply mulch to the planting area
To keep it cool and moist, apply a few inches of leaf mulch, grass, straw or other plant material above the soil. This will also reduce the chances of weeds growing and disturbing the plants.
Method 4 of 4: Taking Care of Your Celery
Step 1. Fertilize every two to four weeks
Celery is a food that requires nutrient-rich soil, so it must be fertilized frequently. To keep your celery growing, apply a nitrogen-rich fertilizer every few weeks from planting to harvest.
Step 2. Water your plants regularly
The most important part of caring for a celery plant is making sure it gets enough water. If the plant doesn't get enough water, the celery will shrivel up and become bitter in taste.
Step 3. "Blank" the celery one week to 10 days before harvesting
This process is done by protecting the celery stalks from the sun to produce a lighter flavor. Cover the celery with newspaper, a milk carton with a perforated top and bottom, or other cardboard and paper. You can use string to tie the celery stalks together so they don't spread.
- While this process doesn't have to be done, it will change the taste and color of your celery. In addition, celery that has gone through this process will also have less nutrition than celery that has not gone through it. Most people prefer the sweeter taste of celery to a "bleached" plant.
- Be aware that some varieties of celery can "bleach" themselves, and don't need to be "blanched" again.
Step 4. Harvest the stems, leaves, and/or roots of the celery
You can start harvesting the stems when they reach 20 cm in height. Be sure to harvest from the outermost stem inward. Thus, the innermost stems have time to ripen.
- Once ripe, celery can continue to grow in the soil for about a month as long as the soil remains cool, with temperatures between 15 and 23 degrees Celsius.
- The longer celery grows, the darker it will be, and the higher the antioxidant content, making it more nutritious. Only, the texture will be harder and fibrous.
Tips
- Be careful not to damage the plant when harvesting a few stalks of celery, to prevent your plant from becoming infected with disease.
- Store celery in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
- The leaves on the very top of celery are also edible.
Warning
- Pests that interfere with the growth of celery include mites, thrips, snails, and snails. Septoria leaf spot or fire blight can also be a problem, use a fungicide to get rid of them.
- Lack of water can make celery experience black core disease, which occurs when celery lacks water and calcium intake.
