Celery Growing and Harvest Information
| Temperature | |
| Germination | 60-70 F |
| For Growth - 60-65F, with nights >40F | |
| Soil and Water | |
| Fertilizer - Heavy feeder;2-3 weeks before planting, apply compost worked 12" into soil | |
| Side-dressing - Apply every 2 weeks | |
| pH | 6.0-7.0 |
| Water | heavy |
| Measurements | |
| Planting depth | 1/4 - 1/2" |
| Root depth | <6-12" |
| Height | 15-18" |
| Width | 8-12" |
| Space between plants | |
| In beds | 6-8" |
| In rows | 8-12" |
| Space between rows | 18-36" |
| Average plants per person | 3-8 |
| Harvest | |
| Harvest self blanching celery before first frost. Harvest blanched varieties after first frost. Dig out each plant whenever needed. | |
| First Seed starting Date: 61-70 days before last frost date | |
| Last Seed Starting Date: 140-185 Days before first frost date | |
| Companions | |
| Companions: all beans, all brassicas, spinach, squash, tomato | |
| Incompatibles: Carrot, parsnip | |
Celery is a cool-season crop half-hardy to frost and light
freezes.
Where to grow Celery
Where there is long, steady, cool growing season of about 4 months, and no hot dry summers.
Reccomeneded Varieties of Celery
There are two basic types of celery: Self-blanching and
blanching. Self Blanching varieties are much easier to grow,
as they can be grown in flat soil without trenches. Their
harvest, however, is earlier and more limited. For celery that
needs blanching, (1) plant in the center of 18" wide trenches, (2)
remove suckers midseason and wrap each stalk bunches with brown
paper, newspaper, or cardboard to prevent soil from getting between
the stalks, (3) fill the trench with soil up to the bottom of the
leaves 2 months before the harvest, and (4) keep mounding the soil
around the base of the plant every 3 weeks. Make sure the
mound is sloped to help drainage.
Golden Self-blanching; Summer Pascal;
Soil for Celery
More than climate, the soil quality will determine whether it is practical to grow celery. Farmers used to consider river-bottom muck soils "celery soil." And that is what celery needs - highly fertile soil well enriched with compost, well-rotted manure, and peat moss. The crop needs moisture consistently, as well as high quantities of nutrients for fast growth.
Planting Celery
Germination in 2-3 weeks
When - Celery seed is usually started indoors about 10
weeks before it is time to set the plants outdoors - that is, after
the soil is warm and the air temperature settled. The seed is
minute and finicky, and is started in much the same manner as
African violet seed, in closed containers to keep seedlings moist.
Soak seeds overnight to help germination. A simpler
method is to buy transplants. Transplant seedlings outside
when they are 4-6 inches tall and night temperatures don't fall
below 40F. Water plants before they are transplanted.
Some gardeners who have a long frost-free autumn season can seed a
late winter crop directly.
How - In rows 2 feet apart; with 6-8 inches between plants.
How Celery grows
Celery is a biennial that, if left for its second year would produce flowers and seed. It is harvested when immature.
Cultivating Celery
When seedlings are set out they need a quick start, which us usually
provided by watering the plants with a water-soluble high-nitrogen
fertilizer. Sine the plants have fine, almost hair-like roots,
use a heavy mulch to keep down weeds.
Blanching Celery
Few gardeners blanch (or bleach white) celery. For those who
want to experiment, select a few plants then wrap them from top to
bottom with heavy paper, perhaps a brown paper bag from the grocery
store cut to shape, and tied loosely with string. Only the top
leaves should be allowed to shot. Blanching should be done
about 2 weeks before harvest.
| Storage Requirements | ||
| Celery is best stored at cold temperatures in a perforated plastic bag. To refresh wilted stalks, simply place them in a tall glass of cold water. | ||
| Fresh | ||
| Temperature | Humidity | Storage Life |
| 32F | 98-100% | 2-3 months |
| 32F | 80-90% | 4-5 weeks |
| Preserved | ||
| Method | Taste | Shelf Life |
| Canned | fair | 12+ months |
| Frozen | good | 5 months |
| Dried | good | 12+ months |
Harvesting Celery
3 months after transplants are set out; 4 months from seed. Cut plants at the base, just beneath the crown, with a sharp knife and remove some of the outer leaves. Celery will easily keep for several weeks if stored in a cool, dark place.
Celery Pests
Celery leaf tier - Pyrethrum or rotenone dust.
Celery worm - (larvae of the black swallowtail
butterfly): Hand pick
Diseases for Celery
Early/Late blight - Buy quality seed and transplants; clean up the garden after each crop is harvested.
