Vegetable Grow Guides
How to Grow Organic Celery from Seed
Apium graveolens
About Celery
Celery is a marsh plant in disguise: it never wants to dry out, and it takes a long time. Start it early indoors. Stalks grown with even water are crisp; drought makes them pithy and bitter.
When to Plant
Start indoors 10–12 weeks before last frost. Transplant after frost when nights stay above 50°F — cold after transplanting can trigger bolting.
How to Plant
Surface-sow or barely cover; seed needs light. Keep moist at 70–75°F (14–21 days). Transplant 8–10 inches apart, 1–2 plants per square foot, in a trench or rich bed. Never let the soil dry. Optional blanching: boards or soil against stalks 2 weeks before harvest.
When to Harvest
Cut individual outer stalks as needed, or harvest the whole plant at the base when it is 10–12 inches and tightly bunched. Store in the refrigerator in a bag; use leaves like an herb. In mild climates a mulched plant may stand into early winter.