Soil Preparation

• Select a site that receives full direct sunlight.
• Celery needs compost-enriched soil. Loosen the soil to a depth of 12 to 15 inches with a garden fork or tiller. Mix 2 to 4 inches of aged manure and/or compost into the soil. Or, work in some 5-10-10 fertlizer. The soil should retain moisture, bordering on wet but still draining.
• Celery prefers a soil with a pH between 5.8 and 6.8. Get a soil test if you’re not sure of your soil pH.
• It’s important for celery to grow in moisture retentive soil that doesn’t drain too quickly. Wild celery grows in boggy ground, so you’ll need to ensure consistent moisture for this thirsty vegetable, while a sunny spot should ensure good, even growth.
• Transplants in the Ground
  • Plant celery outdoors when the soil temperature reaches at least 50°F and nighttime temperatures don’t dip down below 40°F. (Cold weather after planting can cause bolting.)
  • Begin acclimatizing celery to the outdoors two weeks before planting: Leave your plants outside for progressively longer each day, taking care to bring them back under cover if frost threatens.
  • Keep in mind the grocery store celery is lighter in color and bigger than homegrown celery because the commercial varieties are grown in greenhouses and/or protected from the sun; they often carries a lot of pesticides, too.
  • Celery stalks can be frozen. Cut the stalks into half-inch pieces and store in freezer-grade bags.
  • The ancient Romans believed that celery had healing powers, especially when it came to headaches.

  • CARE

    • Celery requires lots of water. Make sure to provide plenty of water during the entire growing season, especially during hot, dry weather. If celery does not get enough water, the stalks will be dry and small.
    • Add plenty of compost and mulch around the plants to retain moisture. Sidedress with a nutrient rich organic fertilizer are establishing to help to give them a boost. Comfrey pellets are great, as are coffee grounds, tickled into the soil between plants. You could also lay a mulch of organic matter such as compost between your plants. This will keep the roots cool, help to feed your plants, and lock in that all-important soil moisture.
    • Keep celery weeded but be careful when weeding as celery has shallow roots and could easily get distrubed.
    • Tie growing celery stalks together to keep them from sprawling.
    • Start earthing up trenching varieties once the stems reach about a foot tall, banking the soil up by about three inches (8cm) each time until you can hill up no more.

    HARVEST/STORAGE

    • Harvest celery from summer and through the autumn until the first hard frosts stop growth. In milder areas celery may overwinter, producing occasional stems throughout the coldest months then picking up again in spring before finally stretching to flower.
    • You can harvest plants whole but cutting or picking individual stems as required will keep plants producing over a longer period.
    • The parts of celery that are harvested are mainly the stalks, which will be above ground.
    • Pick the stalks whenever you want. Young celery is as good as the mature product.
    • Harvest stalks from the outside in. You may begin harvesting when stalks are about 8 inches tall.
    • Celery can be kept in the garden for up to a month if soil is built up around it to maintain an ideal temperature. Celery will tolerate a light frost, but not consecutive frosts.
    • Tip: The darker the stalks become, the more nutrients they will contain. Texture changes with color; dark green stalks will be tougher.
    • Keep celery in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Celery stores really well; you can keep it for many weeks with no trouble.