How to Grow Celery in the UK

How to Grow Celery in the UK: Complete Growing Guide

Celery is a challenging but rewarding vegetable to grow in the UK. With its crisp stalks and distinctive flavour, home-grown celery is far superior to shop-bought. While it demands attention to watering and feeding, the results are well worth the effort. This comprehensive guide will show you how to grow both trench and self-blanching celery successfully.

Types of Celery

Self-Blanching Celery: Easier to grow, planted in blocks, ready August-November, less hardy

Trench Celery: Traditional method, grown in trenches and earthed up, ready October-March, very hardy, superior flavour

When to Sow Celery

Celery must be started indoors in the UK:

• Indoor sowing: March-April in modules or pots
• Self-blanching: Sow March-April for August-November harvest
• Trench celery: Sow March-early April for October-March harvest
• Warmth essential: Needs 15-18°C for germination
• Avoid checks: Any cold shock can cause bolting

Soil Preparation

Celery needs very rich, moisture-retentive soil:

For Self-Blanching Celery:

• Rich, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil
• Dig in plenty of well-rotted manure or compost
• pH 6.5-7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
• Prepare beds in blocks for mutual blanching

For Trench Celery:

• Dig trenches 30cm (12 inches) wide and 30cm deep in autumn or early spring
• Fill bottom 15cm with well-rotted manure or compost
• Replace soil, leaving trench 7.5-10cm (3-4 inches) below ground level
• Space trenches 1.2m (4 feet) apart

How to Sow Celery

Celery must be sown indoors:

1. Use modules or small pots: Fill with seed compost
2. Surface sow: Sprinkle tiny seeds on surface (they need light to germinate)
3. Don't cover: Press seeds gently into compost but don't cover
4. Warmth needed: Keep at 15-18°C for germination (10-21 days)
5. Keep moist: Mist regularly to keep surface moist
6. Prick out: When large enough to handle, transplant to individual pots
7. Harden off: Acclimatise gradually to outdoor conditions over 2 weeks

Planting Out

Self-Blanching Celery:

• Plant out in late May-early June when 7.5-10cm (3-4 inches) tall
• Plant in blocks (not rows) for mutual blanching
• Space 23cm (9 inches) apart in all directions
• Plant at same depth as in pot
• Water thoroughly after planting

Trench Celery:

• Plant out in late May-early June
• Plant in single rows along centre of trenches
• Space 23-30cm (9-12 inches) apart
• Plant at same depth as in pot
• Water thoroughly after planting

Ongoing Care

Celery is very demanding:

• Watering: Water copiously and regularly - never let soil dry out; aim for 20-30 litres per square metre per week
• Feeding: Feed every 2 weeks with high-nitrogen liquid fertiliser
• Mulching: Apply thick mulch to retain moisture
• Weeding: Keep weed-free
• Remove side shoots: Pinch out any side shoots that appear

Earthing Up Trench Celery:

• Begin earthing up in late August when plants are 30cm (12 inches) tall
• Remove side shoots and tie stems loosely together
• Draw soil up around stems, leaving foliage exposed
• Earth up in stages every 3 weeks until only leaves show
• Alternatively, wrap stems in cardboard or newspaper before earthing up

Common Problems

Bolting: Running to seed prematurely. Caused by cold shock or drought. Use bolt-resistant varieties, maintain consistent warmth and moisture.

Celery leaf miner: Larvae tunnel in leaves causing brown blisters. Remove affected leaves; cover with fleece to prevent adult flies laying eggs.

Slugs and snails: Can devastate young plants. Protect with barriers or organic pellets.

Celery leaf spot: Fungal disease causing brown spots. Use disease-free seed; remove affected leaves.

Harvesting Celery

Self-Blanching Celery:

• Ready August-November (before first hard frost)
• Harvest when stems are large enough to use (usually 12-16 weeks after planting)
• Lift entire plant with a fork
• Not frost-hardy - harvest all before severe frost

Trench Celery:

• Ready October-March (very hardy)
• Harvest 3-4 weeks after final earthing up
• Lift entire plant with a fork
• Can be left in ground and harvested as needed through winter
• Protect with straw in severe weather

Storage

Celery is best used fresh but can be stored briefly:

• Fresh: Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks
• In water: Stand in a jar of water in the fridge to keep crisp
• Freezing: Chop and blanch for 3 minutes, cool, then freeze for up to 12 months (texture changes but fine for cooking)
• Trench celery: Can be left in ground through winter and harvested as needed

Recommended Varieties

Self-Blanching Varieties:

• Victoria: F1 hybrid, reliable, good bolt resistance, crisp stems
• Golden Self-Blanching: Traditional variety, yellow-green stems, good flavour
• Tall Utah: Tall, crisp, good disease resistance

Trench Varieties:

• Giant Pink: Pink-tinged stems, excellent flavour, very hardy
• Giant White: White stems, crisp, traditional variety
• Ideal: Compact, good for small gardens, reliable