How to Plant Celery Bedding Plants

Celery is grown primarily for its edible stalks for either use raw or cooked, though both the leaves and roots are also edible. Celery seed can be difficult to start, so it's often grown from bedding transplants purchased from garden centers and nurseries. Preparation of the garden bed prior to planting is vital as celery is unable to forage deeply in the soil for nutrients. Purchase healthy transplants with three to four leaves and transplant after the last spring frost so they have the best chance of thriving in the garden.

Things You'll Need

• Compost
• Fertilizer
• Hoe
• Spade
• Mulch

Instructions

1. Choose a well-drained garden bed in full sun. Lay a two- to three-inch layer of compost over the bed and till it in to an eight-inch depth to add organic matter to the bed. Apply two pounds of complete fertilizer per 100 square feet of bed to add additional nutrition.

2. Dig a planting hole as deep as the nursery pot and slightly wider. Space planting holes 12 inches apart in rows two feet apart.

3. Grasp the celery transplant by the base near the soil level. Pull the nursery pot from the soil ball using the other hand. Set the plant in the planting hole and fill in with soil, lightly firming it around the base of the celery plant.

4. Apply a two-inch layer of organic mulch over the bed and around the base of the plants. Mulching inhibits weed growth while preserving moisture in the soil.

5. Water immediately after planting, thoroughly soaking the soil. Continue to water once weekly, providing one to two inches of water per plant. Keep the soil moist but not soggy, watering more frequently if necessary during periods of drought.

6. Fertilize a second time six weeks after planting. Apply two pounds per 100 square feet of complete fertilizer. Lay the fertilizer between the rows at least six inches from the base of the plants so it doesn't burn the roots. Fertilize again, providing half a pound of nitrogen fertilizer per 100 square feet, four weeks after the second application.

Tips & Warnings

• Harvest celery when the stalks are a foot long and three inches in diameter. The outer stalks can be harvested individually, or harvest the whole plant at once. Store refrigerated for up to two weeks.

• Aphids and powdery mildew are the prime pests affecting celery. Treat aphids with insecticidal soaps and treat mildew with fungicides.

• Freezing kills celery plants. Place a row cover over plants if a mild freeze is predicted.

References

• Utah State University: Celery In The Garden