Celery
Apium graveolens var. dulce
Apiaceae · carrot family
- Matures
- 90–170 days
- Harvest
- Over a period · Annual
- Sun
- 4–8+ hrs
- Spacing
- 6–12 in
Planting window
When to sow, by microclimate — foggier blocks run a different calendar than sunnier ones.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foggy | ● | ● | ● | ● | ||
| Sunny | ● | ● | ● |
| Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foggy | ● | ● | ||||
| Sunny | ● | ● |
Well-suitedMarginalNot suited
Sunlight
How well it does at each level of direct sun per day.
<2 hrsNot suited
2–4 hrsMarginal
4–6 hrsWell-suited
6–8 hrsWell-suited
8+ hrsWell-suited
Well-suitedMarginalNot suited
Soil depth
Root room it needs — useful for sizing raised beds and containers.
6–10"Not suited
10–15"Marginal
15–18"Well-suited
18–24"Well-suited
Well-suitedMarginalNot suited
Spacing
Room each plant needs — along the row and between rows — for sizing beds.
- In-row
- 6–12 in
- Between rows
- 24 in
Growth habit
The shape it makes in the bed and how tall it gets — what tells you whether to give it a trellis, a stake, or just room.
- Habit
- Upright
- Mature height
- 1.5–2 ft
Stands on its own; the tallest types appreciate a stake in wind.
How to start it
Sow it where it grows, or raise it under cover and set it out — and how far ahead to start the seedlings if it's the latter.
- Usually
- Transplant
- Start indoors
- 8–10 weeks ahead
Direct-sowNot suited
TransplantWell-suited
Started under cover, then set out as a seedling.
Well-suitedMarginalNot suited
Getting started
How it goes in the ground — how deep to sow or set it, and the soil temperature it needs to wake up. The cold-soil floor is the real limiter for direct-sowing in a foggy SF spring.
- Started from
- From seed
- Ideal soil temp
- 60–70°F
- Sow depth
- 0.25 in
- Time to emerge
- 7–12 days
Germinates between 40–75°F; happiest around 60–70°F.
30°F110°F
IdealWorkable
Pests & diseases
What tends to trouble this crop — what it is, what you'll see, and what to do about it, least-toxic first.
Pests1
Aphids
- What it is
- Aphids have soft pear-shaped bodies with long legs and antennae and may be green, yellow, brown, red, or black depending on the species and the plants they feed on. A few species appear waxy or woolly due to the secretion of a waxy white or gray substance over their body surface.
- What you'll see
- Low to moderate numbers of leaf-feeding aphids aren't usually damaging in gardens or on trees. However, large populations can turn leaves yellow and stunt shoots; aphids can also produce large quantities of a sticky exudate known as honeydew, which often turns black with the growth of a sooty mold fungus.
- What to do
- Before planting vegetables, check surrounding areas for sources of aphids and remove these sources. On the other hand, these aphid-infested weeds can sometimes provide an early source of aphid natural enemies.
Diseases2
Powdery Mildew
- What you'll see
- Older leaves and leaf petioles of plants with powdery mildew may be covered with a white powdery growth. Young leaves develop small circular white powdery spots that slowly enlarge to cover the leaflets.
- What to do
- In most cases, planting resistant varieties or avoiding the most susceptible varieties and following good cultural practices will adequately control powdery mildew. Provide enough water and avoid excess fertilizer.
Black Heart
- What you'll see
- Black discoloration of leaves in the center of the plant. Affected tissue eventually dies. Injury occurs gradually and is not visible until later in the season. This nutrient imbalance is a localize deficiency of calcium which is essential for cell development.
- What to do
- Control black heart applying calcium rich fertilizers to the soil. Use bone meal, blood meal, or calcium sprays. Avoiding water stress is a good way to minimize this problem.
Sources
Every figure above is backed by these.
- UC Master Gardeners, San Mateo–SF Countiesbacks plantingWindow, startMethod · Foggy & Sunny calendars, Celery row (transplant): foggy Mar-Aug; sunny Feb-Apr & Aug-Sep. Start method: Foggy & Sunny calendars, Celery row: (T) transplant only.
- UC Master Gardeners, Sonoma County (Planting Summary)backs daysToMaturity, inRowSpacing, rowSpacing, startMethod · Vegetable Planting Summary, Celery row: 90-170 days, 6-12 in in-row spacing. Between-row spacing 24 in (Celery row). Start method: Vegetable Planting Summary, Celery row: method T (usually transplanted).
- UC Master Gardeners, Santa Clara County (Containers)backs soilDepth · Container soil-depth list, celery under moderate-depth (12-18 in).
- Golden Gate Gardening (Pam Peirce)backs sunlight, lifecycle, harvestStyle · Celery prefers full sun but tolerates part shade in mild coastal conditions; needs steady moisture. Habit and harvest: annual, over-a-period — from this source's entry for this crop.
- UC Master Gardeners, Sacramento County (Germination)backs germination · GN 154 Celery: Table 1 min 40°F (optimum special — 85°F day / 70°F night, diffuse light); Table 2 germinates 50–68°F, zero by 77°F — read as soil optimum ~60–70°F, max ~75°F; days 7–12 at 59–68°F.
- USDA GRIN Taxonomybacks botany
- Penn State Extensionbacks plantingDepth · Penn State MG Vegetable Seed Planting Guide, Celery row: sow seeds 1/4 in deep.
- Kansas State University Extensionbacks growthHabit · K-State Research and Extension (Butler County) Celery guide: 'Celery grows to a height of 18 to 24 inches and is composed of leaf-topped stalks arranged in a cone that are joined at a common base.' (18-24 in) — tight upright stalks, so classified upright.
- UC Master Gardeners, Santa Clara Countybacks startMethod · Start method: Planting chart: Celery carries a Transplant row only; From seed to transplant 8-10 weeks.