Utah celery is a disease-resistant heirloom seed introduced in 1953. It produces crisp, string-free celery that grows large, light green bunches with 12-inch stalks. The compact plant will grow 24-30 inches tall and is perfect for small gardens.
Enjoy the light and refreshing flavor of this vegetable raw, juiced, or in soups or stocks. The juicy stalks are a quick and nutritious snack!
Sow seeds indoors eight to ten weeks before transplanting. Seeds need light to germinate and should be pressed one-eighth inch into the soil. Transplant seedlings outside after the last frost date when temperatures are reliably above 40ºF.
Transplants can go directly into the ground or a pot at least 20 inches deep. If planting in a pot, mulch around the top of the soil to prevent celery from drying out in the heat. Celery is a companion plant to broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower.
Harvest celery stalks from the outside of the plant when they are 12 inches or taller. The whole plant can be harvested when it is 3 inches in diameter. Inner stalks are the most tender and taste the best uncooked. Celery harvested in hot, dry weather may be tough, stringy, and bitter.
Dig up an entire celery plant before the first heavy frost. Cover the roots with dirt and stalks with straw, and keep the plant in a humid location with near-freezing temperatures. In the spring, replant celery after the last frost and allow the plant to flower. When seed heads grow brown and dry, cut them off, break up the pods, and store seeds in cool, dry place for up to five years.