# Growing celery



## Possumfam (Apr 19, 2011)

Perhaps it's my zone, :dunno: but I have never heard of anyone growing celery here. I've done a little research, but I'm still pretty clueless. So, when you plant, are you planting from seed, or did you purchase a plant? When does it grow, where does it grow? I'm wondering if it's too hot down here.


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## Lake Windsong (Nov 27, 2009)

You can take the base of the stalk you buy at the store and regrow celery. Put it in a shallow bowl with some water, change the water daily. After about a week, plant it in a small pot in your kitchen window, it will regrow indoors...


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

*You can buy celery seeds to plant*

You can buy seeds to plant and some nurseries have seedlings to buy. I have tried both with no luck. I have some seeds, but I couldn't get them to grow.

I currently have 2 celery stalks started as described by Lake Windsong. I have had them growing for a couple months now. I would like to have many more going, but am grateful for these 2. I would like to have a lot of celery growing in my garden.

I wonder where celery is grown in the U.S.? It needs to be wet.


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

I don't know if it is any longer but it used to be raised over by Holland and Hudsonville in the muck fields there. I know that some of the celery that I've bought in Meijers has been grown in Mi as they put a big sign over it when it is Michigan produce.
I've grown it and it is a PITA.. good stronger than store bought and you have to blanch it a bit to get the color down to a pale green so that it can be eaten raw.
I have tried for two years to get cutting celery going. not one bit of luck there yet. I may have to find someone who has plants and just transfer them .. once it self seeds you shouldn't have to plant it again.
I have also grown and like celeraic. you eat the big root. but something here loves it more than me and I am too busy this year to plant it and protect it. the stalks on top are great for flavoring stews and soups but you have to pull them.. too tough and stringy. but the big root is to die for.. celery flavor but turnip texture.. or potato.

In Florida I would try it in early fall thru the winter and water heavy.. they do love their water.


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

Lake Windsong said:


> You can take the base of the stalk you buy at the store and regrow celery. Put it in a shallow bowl with some water, change the water daily. After about a week, plant it in a small pot in your kitchen window, it will regrow indoors...


Never knew that! Looks like it's time for a little experimenting.


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

I've never had any luck with celery in my garden ... so I replaced it with swiss chard ... which is rather easy to grow.

http://www.gardenersnet.com/vegetable/chard.htm


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## Possumfam (Apr 19, 2011)

We did start a celery plant from the store about a year ago, it started very nicely, after it got about 6" tall, we transplanted outside in a pot. It did okay for a month or two but then we lost it. So maybe we'll try again and keep it in the house. I read a post about someone wanting to can the celery from their garden and I thought about asking in that thread, but I didn't want to highjack it.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

*Why not dehydrate?*



Possumfam said:


> We did start a celery plant from the store about a year ago, it started very nicely, after it got about 6" tall, we transplanted outside in a pot. It did okay for a month or two but then we lost it. So maybe we'll try again and keep it in the house. I read a post about someone wanting to can the celery from their garden and I thought about asking in that thread, but I didn't want to highjack it.


I think dehydrating celery would be easier and better than canned. Maybe there is a purpose for canned celery. I know you can buy cream of celery soup, but I don't think I have ever bought it or used it.


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## Possumfam (Apr 19, 2011)

weedygarden said:


> I think dehydrating celery would be easier and better than canned. Maybe there is a purpose for canned celery. I know you can buy cream of celery soup, but I don't think I have ever bought it or used it.


Oh, I don't want to can it, I would dehydrate it, but I want to know how to grow it first. Someone else was talking about canning it from their own garden, so I'm looking for info on growing it.


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## PrepN4Good (Dec 23, 2011)

Emerald said:


> I don't know if it is any longer but it used to be raised over by Holland and Hudsonville in the muck fields there. I know that some of the celery that I've bought in Meijers has been grown in Mi as they put a big sign over it when it is Michigan produce.


My cousin is a celery farmer in MI (as was his father, my uncle); near my home town there are low spots in valleys that we always called "the celery flats" because they were wet, soggy, & perfect for growing celery. They would periodically flood them with river water (I guess like rice...?)

I've always wondered why I never saw celery plants or seeds in nurseries, & figured it was just one of those specialized plants that "amateurs" can't grow. Well, low & behold, a month ago I found a single packet of celery seeds at Home Depot. I HAD to buy them, but haven't got up the nerve yet to try 'em.


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## UniqueOldGal (Mar 7, 2012)

In zone 8 in Oregon I heard it was hard to grow -would bolt early due to cold nights and temp fluctuations-and blah blah blah.That never happened to me. For me it was astonishing! I grew from seed (small thin stalks) and nursery plants (half the size of grocery store) and it is so strong flavored I used half as much for soup and stir fry and stew and stuff. ALSO when I cut the first plant off but left the root a whole ring of baby plants grew around the stalk by September! A huge amount of food from one plant/seed! So, it's never in farmer markets here but I feel they just don't even try 'cause of all the bad press! I start inside around Feb/March and move to greenhouse in May then outside....the ones I leave in the greenhouse longer(through June) get MUCH bigger. I grow the typical "Utah" seed.It seems Florida humidity would be liked by these wet-loving plants???....but we get 105 and dry as heck and they do fine as long as I keep the roots wet. I think experimenting with a batch of early sprouts in several localities may help.


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## Possumfam (Apr 19, 2011)

These last few posts explain alot! If I can find some seed, I'm gonna try it. Or, I'll try from the grocery store celery again. You've given me some hope. Thanks for all the input.


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

Most garden centers around here carry the seed ... Let us know how it goes!


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