Planting

Celery

Planting Time Plant celery in early spring once the soil can be worked, or start seeds indoors ten weeks before your last frost. Celery is pickier than a hungry hound in a steakhouse and likes cool, steady weather. If heat rolls in too early, this plant will bolt like it heard banjos.

Depth & Spacing Sow seeds one-eighth inch deep because celery seeds are tiny. Space plants eight to ten inches apart in rows one foot apart. These leafy stalks need elbow room like a cowboy at a buffet.

Soil & Fertilization Celery thrives in rich, moisture-holding soil loaded with compost. Mix in a balanced fertilizer before planting and feed lightly every couple of weeks. Treat celery right and it’ll grow crisp and proud for every soup and stew you dream up.

Watering Needs Celery is thirstier than a ranch hand after branding day. Water deeply and consistently to keep the soil evenly moist. If celery dries out, it turns bitter—nobody wants angry celery.

Sunlight Requirements Celery prefers full sun but tolerates afternoon shade. Too much heat will stress the plant faster than a bull rider on a greased saddle.

Harvesting Harvest celery when stalks are tall, crisp, and thick. Cut the entire plant at the base or take individual stalks as needed. Fresh celery snaps louder than a cowboy cracking jokes at a campfire.

Captain Greenhouse Tip If your celery starts sulking in the heat, lay down a mulch blanket around the base. It keeps the soil cool and moist, which keeps celery happy. Happy celery means crisp stalks that’ll make you strut around the garden like you just roped a runaway steer.