Growing Hints for Celery

Celery can be a challenge to grow from seed. The seeds are tiny, they take about two weeks to germinate, and the small seedlings develop rather slowly. So patience is essential when growing celery. The long growing season, together with the attention needed by the tiny seedlings, means that celery is best started indoors early in spring or late winter. The tiny seeds are left on the surface or covered with a pinch of soil. It is sometimes helpful to cover the seeds with a damp paper towel or place the planting container in a plastic bag to help keep the seed moist.

Celery plants love damp soil at all times. In fact, they will thrive in a mucky area with poor drainage where few other plants will grow well. If you have such an area, you owe it to yourself to grow celery. If you don't have such an area available, use a thick mulch and keep the soil as moist as possible.

Celery plants were traditionally blanched when nearing maturity. This is usually done by mounding up soil around them, wrapping them in paper, or using some other material to keep the bottom three quarters of the plant shielded from exposure to the sun. This will yield a tender and more succulent plant (that more closely resembles the "celery hearts" available at grocery stores), but also one that is not quite as nutritious. Most modern varieties of celery, such as the popular "golden self- blanching," taste quite good without blanching.

For more crops, more complete gardening information, a garden journal and a planting schedule you can customize for your region, purchase The Seed Program!