Celeries at a Glance
Learn how to grow celeries for a low-calorie, delicious crop, great for cooking and snacking.
December 2011/January 2012
By Barbara Pleasant
The chart below gives tips for growing various types of celeries, plus a list of the varieties we recommend. All of the celery varieties listed here are open-pollinated. Learn more about growing organic celeries in All About Growing Celery.
Apium graveolens
var. dulce
Upright plants yield the familiar form of celery.
Light color is associated with mild flavor, which is best for eating raw.
Darker green and red varieties taste stronger and are good for stocks and stews.
Plants need rich, moist soil and cool nights for best quality.
Grow as a winter annual in warm climates.
‘Conquistador’
‘Golden Self-Blanching’
‘Redventure’
‘Utah 52-70’
‘Ventura’
A. graveolens
Easiest celery to grow, with good winter hardiness.
Reseeds well.
Old outer leaves often taste bitter.
Harvest younger stalks for best flavor.
Stalks can be cut back to help push out tasty, new growth.
‘Afina’
‘Par-Cel’
A. graveolens
var. rapaceum
With regular water, these rugged plants grow slowly all season, with the best roots harvested
after the weather cools in fall.
One of the tastiest vegetables for root cellar storage.
‘Brilliant’
‘Ehud’
‘Mars’
‘Monstorpolgi’
Contributing editor Barbara Pleasant gardens in southwest Virginia, where she grows vegetables, herbs, fruits, flowers and a few lucky chickens. Contact Barbara by visiting her website or finding her on Google+.
