Garden Planner
All Plants

Celery

Apium graveolens

Vegetables

Demands rich, moist soil and consistent watering. Blanch stalks by wrapping or earthing up to produce milder, pale stems.

Overview

SunPartial Shade
WaterHighCalculate watering amount
Height30–60 cm
Spread25 cm
Spacing25 cm
Row Spacing35 cm
Germination10–21 days
To Harvest80–120 days

Companion Planting

Bad Companions

LettuceCornParsnip

Toxicity

SeverityNon-toxic

Celery is non-toxic to humans, dogs, and cats; however, raw stalks are fibrous and stringy, posing a choking hazard for small pets if not cut into small pieces.

Planting Tips

LocationFull sun with at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day; tolerates partial shade better than most vegetables.
SoilDeep, well-drained, moisture-retentive soil rich in organic matter with a pH of 6.5-7.5; amend with compost before planting.
Sowing Depth0.1 cm
Planting Depth8 cm
WateringKeep soil consistently moist at all times; celery is extremely thirsty and irregular watering causes bitter, hollow stalks.

1 cm of water per m² equals 10 liters. Use the Watering Calculator for exact amounts.

FertilizingApply a phosphorus-rich fertilizer at planting to promote root development, then side-dress with a balanced fertilizer mid-season.

Care Tip: Mulch heavily to retain moisture and regulate soil temperature; blanch stalks by mounding soil or wrapping with cardboard 2-3 weeks before harvest to reduce bitterness.

Common Pests

Aphids

Symptoms: Colonies of small soft-bodied insects on leaves and stems causing curled, stunted growth and sticky honeydew residue.

Treatment: Wash off with a strong water spray; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil for heavier infestations.

Prevention: Encourage natural predators such as ladybugs and lacewings; inspect plants regularly and remove weeds that harbor aphids.

Celery Leaf Miner

Symptoms: White serpentine tunnels (mines) visible within leaves, leading to blotchy, papery foliage and reduced plant vigor.

Treatment: Remove and destroy affected leaves; apply a spinosad-based insecticide if infestation is severe.

Prevention: Use floating row covers to block adult flies from laying eggs; remove nearby weed hosts.

Carrot Rust Fly

Symptoms: Wilting and rusty-brown discolored foliage; larvae tunnel into roots leaving brown, frass-filled cavities.

Treatment: Apply neem oil to the base of plants; remove and destroy heavily infested plants.

Prevention: Cover beds with fine mesh or row covers; rotate celery away from other Apiaceae crops for at least three years.

Common Diseases

Septoria Leaf Blight

Symptoms: Small circular yellow-brown spots on leaves and petioles with tiny dark pycnidia (fruiting bodies) visible in the center of lesions.

Treatment: Apply copper-based or approved fungicide sprays on a 7-day schedule; remove and destroy infected foliage promptly.

Prevention: Use certified disease-free (Septoria-indexed) seed; avoid overhead irrigation and improve air circulation with wider spacing.

Fusarium Yellows

Symptoms: Progressive yellowing and wilting of outer leaves, stunted growth, and eventual plant death; vascular tissue shows brown discoloration.

Treatment: No effective chemical cure; remove and destroy infected plants immediately to limit spread.

Prevention: Plant resistant varieties; rotate celery out of affected beds for at least 2-3 years.

Bacterial Leaf Spot

Symptoms: Small water-soaked angular lesions on leaves that turn brown and papery, often bounded by leaf veins.

Treatment: Apply copper-based bactericides at first sign of symptoms; remove heavily infected leaves.

Prevention: Use disease-free seed and transplants; avoid working in the garden when foliage is wet to prevent spreading bacteria.