Celery
Apium graveolens • Apiaceae
🌱 Seed Category
Vegetable
🌍 Origin Region
Native to the Mediterranean region and parts of Europe and Asia. Well-adapted to temperate climates worldwide.
📅 Days to Maturity
85 to 120 days from transplanting to maturity. Can be harvested progressively by cutting outer stalks as needed.
🌡️ Hardiness Zones
Typically grown as an annual vegetable in USDA Zones 2 through 10, though it is biologically a biennial.
About This Seed
Seeds are extremely tiny, oval to slightly curved, ribbed, and light to dark brown with papery remnants of fruit tissue attached. The resulting plant is a biennial herbaceous vegetable featuring crisp, fibrous leaf petioles (stalks), feathery compound leaves, and a dense, upright growth habit reaching 18 to 24 inches in height.
Growing Information
Growing Season
Cool-season crop. Start indoors 10 to 12 weeks before the last spring frost. Frost-tolerant once established.
Germination
Germination takes 14 to 21 days at optimal soil temperatures between 60°F and 70°F. Seeds require light to germinate, so they should not be deeply covered. Pre-soaking seeds in warm water for 24 hours can help speed up germination.
Planting Instructions
Plant seeds on the soil surface or press very lightly with a maximum depth of 1/8 inch. Space plants 6 to 10 inches apart in rows spaced 18 to 24 inches apart. Prefers rich, highly organic, consistently moist soil with a pH between 6.0 and 6.8.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun to partial shade (at least 6 hours of sunlight daily). Demands very high, consistent moisture and frequent watering as celery has shallow roots and cannot tolerate drying out. Low drought tolerance.
Companion Plants
Beneficial companions include tomatoes, beans, brassicas, leeks, and spinach. Avoid planting near parsnips or carrots to reduce pest issues.
Special Characteristics
High water content, excellent source of vitamins K and C, attracts beneficial insects when allowed to flower, and prefers cool weather conditions.