Celery (Apium graveolens)
16 sources cited · Verified
The short answer
- Ready in
- 70–84 days
- Site
- soil pH 5.8–6.8
- Biggest risk
- Cucumber mosaic virus
In the UK, celery are ready to harvest 70–84 days after planting.
Celery (Apium graveolens) — biennial.
Core growing advice on this page is checked against named horticultural and university-extension sources — see References.
At a Glance
Quick Facts
| Factor | Value |
|---|---|
| Soil pH | 5.8 - 6.8 |
| Germination temp | 15C |
| Optimal growing temp | 18-25C |
| Minimum survivable temp | -2C |
| Time to harvest | 70-84 days |
| Soil texture | RHS: "Fertile, moisture-retentive soil. Avoid sites where the soil dries out rapidly". |
| Drainage | RHS: moisture-retentive rather than free-draining, in a sunny spot. Utah State: "Full sun". |
| Lifecycle | biennial |
| Edible parts | stems (petioles) |
When to plant in the USA
United States. Timing is set by temperature, not by the frost date. Start seed about eight weeks before planting out — Utah State suggests sowing around 1 February for an April to early-May transplant, depending on your area — and set plants out at 3-4 mature leaves. The reason to wait is bolting rather than frost damage: celery passes a juvenile stage at two to twenty leaves, after which two to twelve weeks at 35-48F vernalises it and it runs to flower instead of thickening its stalks. Above 68F that progress reverses. Plant out once cool spells are behind you, not merely once frost is. Harden off by withholding water rather than by chilling the plants — the usual cold-hardening routine is exactly what triggers bolting in this crop.
Soil & Growing Conditions
Growth Stages
| Stage | BBCH | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sowing & Establishment | 0 | Sow indoors mid-March to early April. PLANTING DEPTH & SPACING: surface-sow thinly on moist compost with only a very light dusting of sieved compost/vermiculite over the seed -- celery seed needs light to germinate and a minimum temperature of 15C (RHS), taking up to three weeks. Prick out and pot on seedlings once large enough to handle; harden off before planting out in late May to early June, once frost risk has passed and roughly 10-12 weeks after sowing (Utah State: 10-12 weeks to transplant). Space self-blanching/block plantings 23cm (9in) apart each way (RHS); space trench celery 30-45cm (12-18in) apart in a single row, or use 18-24in (46-61cm) row spacing per Utah State guidance. Never let young plants sit below about 10C (50F) for more than a few days once growing -- prolonged chilling triggers bolting (RHS). |
| Vegetative (Leaf Stalk) Growth | 3 | Plants build a rosette of leaf stalks. Celery has a small, shallow root system and forages poorly for water and nutrients (Utah State), so keep the soil constantly moist -- RHS: the soil "should never be allowed to dry out"; Utah State recommends at least 1-2in (25-50mm) of water a week from rainfall or irrigation. Mulch with 5cm+ of organic matter after planting to conserve moisture (RHS). Feed with a nitrogen-rich fertiliser about a month after planting to sustain leaf growth (Utah State). Any water stress at this stage causes stringy, strongly flavoured stalks later (Utah State). |
| Stalk Thickening & Blanching | 4.1 | Once self-blanching plants' stems reach about 30cm (1ft), tie or wrap the outer stems with newspaper or cardboard in mid-to-late summer to exclude light and sweeten the inner stalks (RHS); trench celery is instead earthed up gradually -- soil mounded around the stems in stages from late summer -- to blanch it (RHS). Continue steady watering and feeding, but stop nitrogen feeding once stalks begin to swell, to reduce the risk of splitting (Utah State). Protect self-blanching celery with fleece or cloches ahead of the first autumn frosts, as it is not hardy (RHS); earthed-up trench celery tolerates more cold and can stand later into autumn. |
| Maturation & Harvest | 8 | Self-blanching/green celery is ready mid-summer to autumn; trench celery matures later, from late autumn into early winter (RHS). Harvest as soon as it reaches the desired size and before outer leaves start to yellow (RHS) -- typically 70-84 days from transplanting. Utah State: pick outer petioles once a foot (30cm) or more long, or lift whole plants once 3in (7.6cm) or more in diameter. Dig up whole self-blanching plants for use since they do not store well in the ground; lift trench celery as needed through autumn/winter. Refrigerate harvested stalks for up to about 2 weeks (Utah State); RHS gives no specific storage method, reflecting best-used-fresh practice. |
Harvest & Storage
Diseases
Pests
Nutrient Issues
Celery, Sown to Stalk
References
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country=UK
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EPPO code for the species Apium graveolens (distinct from var. dulce APUGD stalk-celery cultigen code and var. rapaceum APUGR celeriac).
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country=INTL
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Tier 1. US extension source on the mechanism: celery has a juvenile period of two to twenty leaves, after which it vernalises when exposed to 35-48F for two to twelve weeks; it devernalises above 68F. Celery needs a larger plant and a longer exposure to vernalise than celeriac.
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Kew POWO: native range Macaronesia to North Africa, Europe to West Himalaya; biennial habit, temperate biome.
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country=UK
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country=UK
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Host-specific: "Plants affected - Carrot, parsnip, parsley, celeriac and celery".
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country=UK
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RHS: "CMV also attacks spinach, lettuce and celery"; aphid-vectored, tool/hand transmission possible, no chemical control, resistant cultivars/sanitation/reflective mulch guidance.
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country=UK
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Primary UK source: sowing (surface-sow, min 15C, up to 3wk germination), self-blanching (23cm block spacing) vs trench (30-45cm rows) types, blanching methods, watering, mulching, feeding, frost tenderness, harvest timing/indicators, common problems.
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country=UK
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US extension corroboration on frost/cold tolerance: young plants damaged near freezing; mature plants can withstand light frost but temperatures much below 30F (-1C) can kill/damage; used to correct an overstated -5C survivable-minimum.
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country=USA
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Tier 1 US extension source: planting window, 10-12wk to transplant, 18-24in spacing, small/shallow root system needing consistent nutrients, 1-2in/week water, N feed timing, stop feed once stalks form, refrigerate up to 2 weeks.
16 independent sources are cited for this crop. Where they disagree - soil pH is the clearest case - every figure is preserved rather than averaged into false precision.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do celery take to grow?
Typically 70–84 days, depending on cultivar and growing conditions.
What soil pH do celery need?
A pH of about 5.8–6.8. That span reflects genuine variation between the authorities we cite rather than a single agreed figure — the References section lists each source's exact range.
What problems affect celery?
Our data links 2 diseases and 2 pests to this crop. See the sections above for each one and how to manage it.
Plan next season before the problems start
Almost everything on this page resolves to your own frost dates rather than the calendar — the last spring frost moves by roughly two months between zone 3 and zone 10. The USA Garden Planner works from your zone so the timing is already decided before the season starts.
Get the USA Garden Planner →Instant PDF download · Written for US growing conditions
Last verified 2026-08-06
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