Celery (Apium graveolens) is a biennial plant reaching 12 to 24 inches tall. A temperate-climate crop, celery grows best between 59 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. This vegetable tolerates frosty cold weather when planted in fertile, moist soil that drains well. There are three main categories of celery, but several varieties to choose from. Try to find a variety that matches your growing conditions with the plant characteristics that you desire.

Leaf Celery Leaf celery (Apium graveolens var. secalinum) produces a thin stalk and aromatic leaves and grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5a through 8b. This type of celery resembles the celery ancestor smallage grown in Old World gardens. The leaves and seeds are harvested and used in cooking, which gives a stronger flavor than other types of celery. Leaf celery repels cabbage white butterflies so it makes a good companion plant to cabbage plants. Par-Cel is an 18th century heirloom Dutch variety. Safir produces crisp leaves with a peppery flavor, and Flora-55 is bred to resist bolting.

Celeriac Celeriac (Apium graveolens var. rapaceum) produces an enlarged root, which is harvested, peeled and cooked or sometime eaten raw. It takes 100 to 120 days to grow a mature root ready for harvest. This type of celery likes coastal growing conditions like those found in USDA plant hardiness zones 8 and 9. Some varieties to try are Brilliant, Giant Prague, Mentor, President and Diamant.

Celery Celery (Apium graveolens var. dulce) likes long, mild growing seasons in USDA plant hardiness zones 2 through 10. The thick, crunchy stalks are ready for harvest in 105 to 130 days. Regular celery grows best when daytime temperatures stay below 75 degrees Fahrenheit with night temperatures between 50 and 60 degrees. Conquistador matures earlier than most varieties except Monterey, which is a very early maturing hybrid. Golden Boy grows short stalks, while Tall Utah 52-70 Improved grows long, dark green stalks.

Growing Tips Celery plants grow slowly when planted from seed, although seed gives the gardener more varieties to choose from than nursery grown plants. For a quicker start, purchase celery starter plants, which reach maturity quicker than seed-started plants. Plant your celery in the early spring for a summer crop, but plant it in the summer to harvest a winter crop. To achieve the light color on the celery stalks, place a light barrier around the stalks like a bottomless waxed milk carton. Make sure the leaves are sticking out of the top to gather energy from the sun.

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