Celery
Apium graveolens var. dulce
Celery is a slow cool-season crop with a long indoor lead time of 10–12 weeks before the last frost. Crisp stalks depend on uninterrupted moisture in the high water class and moderate temperatures; dry spells or heat during establishment produce stringy, narrow ribs. Transplant outdoors from two weeks before the frost through the frost date after hardening.
Plant family Apiaceae · Also called stalk celery
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Start seed early for slow emergence.
Start seed indoors 10–12 weeks before the last frost, sowing only about 0.3 cm deep. Germination is slow, often 14–21 days, so patience and steady seedbed moisture matter.
Transplant outdoors from two weeks before the last frost through the frost date. Light frost tolerance means hardening is still required, but the crop is not as hardy as cabbage.
Use this range as a planning baseline and adjust for local conditions.
Use this range as a planning baseline and adjust for local conditions.
Use this range as a planning baseline and adjust for local conditions.
Use this range as a planning baseline and adjust for local conditions.
Give upright plants consistent depth.
Space plants 20–30 cm apart with rows near 60 cm. Upright clumps of ribbed stalks need airflow to limit leaf diseases in humid summers.
Containers require at least 30 cm depth and about 15 litres per plant. Shallow pots exaggerate moisture swings that celery tolerates poorly.
Core measurements
Crop-level planning range.
Crop-level planning range.
Crop-level planning range.
Crop-level planning range.
Allow for the mature form of the selected variety.
Install support early when it is required or useful.
Never let the root zone dry out.
Six hours of direct sun minimum suits full-sun classification. In hot regions, afternoon shade sometimes helps if moisture keeps pace, though the dataset still targets open sun.
High water need at 35–50 mm weekly with pH 6.0–7.0 reflects celery’s shallow, fibrous roots. The key tip pairs early indoor starts with steady moisture after transplant.
Sunlight
Full sun (6+ direct-sun hours/day)
Soil pH
A suitable acidity range for general growth.
Weekly water
High water need.
Keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged, especially during establishment and harvest development.
Count maturity from transplanting.
Expect 85–120 days from transplanting. Whole plants can be lifted, or outer stalks can be cut over time if regrowth is desired in mild weather.
No succession interval is listed because the long indoor and field timeline makes staggered plantings less common for home gardens than a single well-timed batch.
Read with the full crop profile.
Read with the full crop profile.
Read with the full crop profile.
Read with the full crop profile.
Start early, transplant after hardening, and maintain steady moisture throughout growth.
Celery growing questions
Why is celery started so early indoors?
The dataset lists indoor start 10–12 weeks before the last frost because germination and early growth are slow.
How deep should celery seed be sown?
About 0.3 cm. Shallow placement matches small seed size and the 14–21 day germination range.
Can celery survive light frost?
Frost tolerance is light frost. Transplant timing spans two weeks before the last frost through the frost date with hardening.
When is celery ready relative to transplanting?
Harvest days of 85–120 are counted from transplanting, not from indoor sowing.
Profile values are crop-level planning ranges compiled from sources S1,S2,S4. Local climate and variety can change actual results.
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