Ribbed stalks earthed up until they blanch pale, leaves that dry into a useful herb, and a swollen root lifted in autumn: celery (Apium graveolens) is a vegetable eaten from top to bottom. It is greedy for soil that stays rich and cool, and for steady water — skimp on either and it bolts instead of fattening.
| Name | Apium graveolens |
|---|---|
| Family | Apiaceae (parsley family) |
| Type | vegetable, biennial |
| Height | 20 to 28 inches (50 to 70 cm) |
| Exposure | full sun |
| Soil | rich and cool |
| Harvest | fall |
Celery is the ultimate fall and winter vegetable. Here are the tips on how to grow it.
There are 2 major celery families: stalk celery, where the ribs are eaten, and celery root, also called celeriac, where only the root is eaten.
Stalk celery can itself be divided into two sub-families, green stalk celery and golden stalk celery.
Planting celery from purchased seedlings is the easiest and most efficient manner of growing celery.
Celery seedlings are planted directly in the ground from mid-spring to early summer, depending on the climate (wait for the end of the stronger frost spells).
The two great celery families are grown in much the same way, but they are spaced differently and harvested differently. Use this table to decide which one suits your plot and your kitchen.
| Type | Part eaten | Spacing | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stalk celery | The ribs, blanched before picking | 12 inches (30 cm) apart, rows 14 inches (35 cm) apart | 6 to 7 months after sowing, usually late summer and mid-autumn–late autumn |
| Green and golden stalk celery | The ribs; two sub-families of stalk celery | As for stalk celery | As for stalk celery |
| Celeriac, or celery root | The root only | 16 inches (40 cm) apart, rows 16 inches (40 cm) apart | Pulled in fall, before the first frost spells |
| Celery leaves | The leaves, used as an herb or spice | Taken from stalk celery plants | Cut as low as possible at the end of summer, then dried |
Whichever family you grow, the seedlings are prepared in exactly the same way.
Both stalk and root celery seedlings are prepared the same way. Note that stalk celery and celeriac are cousins, but don’t come from the same plant.
In spring, sow in a greenhouse or cold frame and transplant directly to the ground 2 months later.
Transplanting them from the sprouting bed to a nursery pot in the meantime will help the plant develop more before planting.
For these ribbed celery plants, it is important to tie the leaves together, to blanch them.
Sowing can start a bit earlier, as soon as late winter in mild climates.
Just as for stalk celery, proceed to prepare seedlings. But when you are transplanting them into the final growing bed, snip off the tip of the main root.
Snipping the tip of the root off leads to thicker, rounder roots that aren’t as fibrous.
Avoid planting celery in the same spot for the following 4 years, so that the soil may recover.
Growing celery from seed to harvest requires little care and the plant can be used in a great many culinary combinations.
Celery is very demanding on the soil’s organic nutrients. It will help a lot if you enrich the soil with vegetable fertilizer during the growing season, and add soil conditioner or compost before planting.
Run the hoe along the ground regularly and water in case of high temperatures and prolonged dry spells in summer.
Harvest takes place more or less 6 to 7 months after sowing. It usually happens in late summer and mid-autumn-late autumn.
Before harvesting, you must blanch your celery.
As for pulling the plants out, cut the leaves as low as possible at the end of summer.
You can dry these leaves and use them as an herb or spice.
You may pull out celery root in fall.
If you need to harvest all of your root celery at once, for instance to sell or share with neighbors or because you’re using the same plot immediately, you should know the roots will keep for a few weeks if stored in a cool, dry place.
However, if for your own consumption, it’s best to only pull the roots out on the day you’ll eat them: they’ll have a sweeter, richer taste if cooked on the same day.
This is a vegetable that boasts many health benefits for the body, tested and tried for generations.
In the days of Greek and Roman empires, celery was used for its medicinal properties, namely to treat urinary tract infections.
Though cousins today, stalk celery and celery root share a common ancestor that grew in marshes before being domesticated.
With high vitamin A, B and C content, celery is an herb that is also great to treat rheumatism.
Indeed, celery has purgative, diuretic, digestive and stimulating properties that induce good health. It is also recognized to have carminative and stomachic properties, that is, it enhances intestinal transit and supports stomach functions.
Even though originally its taste didn’t make it a favorite in the kitchen, over the centuries it was bred to become a delicious vegetable savored in the kitchen.
Today, on top of its culinary appeal, it is very much appreciated for its many health benefits.
Just like leek, celery is a diuretic and eases digestion. It will also provide you with a lot of vitamin C!
