Celery

Celery (Apium graveolens var. dulce) is a biennial vegetable grown for its crisp, aromatic stalks and leaves. Varieties range from compact leaf types used as a herb to tall, self-blanching stalk types producing long, firm ribs. It demands a long growing season and rewards growers who provide steady moisture and fertile soil. Maturity ranges from 70 days for quick leaf types to 100 days for large stalk varieties.

Growing

Celery requires a long growing season and must be started indoors 10–12 weeks before transplanting. Sow seeds at just 2 mm depth — they need light to germinate and must not be buried. Keep the germination medium moist at 18–22 °C; germination takes 14–24 days. To speed germination, soak seeds in lukewarm water for 24 hours, dry them lightly, then sow. Give seedlings maximum light and lower temperature slightly after the first few weeks. Pot on at least once during the indoor phase. Harden off gradually before transplanting, setting plants 25–35 cm apart in rows 50–60 cm apart, once outdoor temperatures remain above 10 °C.

Care

Keep soil consistently moist throughout the growing season — celery is drought-sensitive and uneven watering causes hollow or bitter stalks. Feed regularly with a nitrogen-rich fertiliser to support vigorous leaf and stalk growth. Earthing up or wrapping stalks with cardboard several weeks before harvest blanches them, reducing bitterness in traditional stalk types. Remove any flower stems promptly to redirect energy into the stalks.

Harvest

Harvest outer stalks individually once they are firm, upright, and well-coloured, or cut the entire head at soil level when the plant is fully developed. Leaf celery can be harvested stalk by stalk from early in the season. Chinese Pink types are ready from 85 days and are best picked young before stalks widen. Tall Utah, the slowest at 100 days, delivers long, solid ribs — harvest before cold triggers bolting.

In the kitchen

Use celery stalks raw in salads, crudités, and slaws, or cook them in soups, stews, and braises where they add aromatic depth. Leaf celery works as a potherb — chop the leaves into broths, sauces, and grain dishes much as you would flat-leaf parsley. The pink-stalked Chinese varieties are a decorative addition to fresh platters. Celery seed and leaves intensify flavour in stocks and spice blends.

Storing

Freshly cut stalks keep for up to two weeks wrapped in damp cloth or paper in the refrigerator crisper drawer. Blanched and frozen celery holds for up to 12 months and is best used in cooked dishes. Leaf celery can be dried and crumbled for use as a seasoning, storing in an airtight jar for up to one year.