Growing Celery - way easier than you think!

I love having fresh celery in the house.  We use it for snacks, lunches, the Guinea Pig loves it, and it gives great flavor to recipes as well.  I buy about two bunches a week in the winter.  In the summer I grow it myself outside.

In the photo below, the celery is in the black pot to the right of the concrete bench.

I had been told for a long time that celery will not thrive in Alaska and it is too much work, blah, blah, blah!  But I have Reed (my super farmer son who likes to try new things) and we decided one year to try celery.  We have never looked back and we have never bought celery in the summer again!

To grow celery, I start by seeding liberally in 4 inch pots with loose loamy soil.  Keep it damp and warm, I usually start celery indoors in about mid April.  The two types I have had the best success with are Utah Green and Utah tall.  Both types are available from many online and possible local sources.  High Mowing Seeds has the Utah Green variety and Landreth has the Tall Utah.

Once the seed comes up keep it moist.  Celery likes to have its feet wet, and will start to wilt if it gets the least bit dry.  It doesnt seem to mind cooler weather and even does well in a windy location once it is established well.  The pot above in the photo has both types of celery growing in it and it is in a location that gets a lot of water , but not necessarily full sun. 

After your 4" pots have become well established, transplant into a larger container.  I usually put 4-5 plants into a 12" pot and let them go.

Harvest as you would leaf lettuce.  I don't take up the whole plant like you buy in the grocery, I take the outside stalks for most of my uses (snacking, cooking, etc.), and I take the inner stalks for salads, and soups that call for a leafier bit of celery.  Harvest gently, or use a knife.  You risk pulling up the root if you are pulling too hard on the stalks.

If freezing weather catches you off guard as it did us last year (we had an August frost) just put the celery indoors or in the greenhouse.  It can tolerate a little cold but not continued freezing.  A light frost wont hurt it if you put it in soon after.  I didnt notice any damage and it held until well into October, which in Alaska is almost always cold.

Plant more than you think you will need - we never have enough of the stuff.  It tastes so good and it is so easy to give the kids and company for snacking.  We love to make a snack tray with celery stuffed with peanut butter or creme cheese.  Veggies and protein!  Perfect!