Celery (Apium graveolens) is not just a garden crop, but a full-fledged source of nutritional and medicinal value. It is appreciated for its pronounced aroma, rich flavor, content of vitamins, trace elements, and essential oils, as well as for its versatility: the stalks, roots, leaves, and even the seeds are used for food. In Ukraine, celery is becoming increasingly popular thanks to healthy eating trends, but also because it is well adapted to the temperate climate. It can be grown successfully both in home gardens and on professional farms. Root and stalk types are especially in demand, while leaf celery is grown mainly as greens for fresh use and drying.
The crop has a long growing season — from 120 to 200 days depending on the variety and purpose of cultivation. This makes very early sowing necessary, especially in the northern and western regions of Ukraine. In the central and southern regions, celery can be grown without greenhouses, but in areas of risky farming it should be grown only through seedlings. Celery is demanding in terms of moisture, soil fertility, and light, but with proper care it produces consistently high yields. This is not a crop for the lazy: it requires a steady, methodical approach, especially during the first 60 days of development.
What you can get from one season of growing celery:
– full-sized roots weighing up to 500–700 g;
– crisp, juicy stalks up to 50 cm long;
– aromatic leaves suitable both for fresh use and drying;
– winter supplies: the roots store well, while the greens can be dried or frozen.
Before you start growing celery, you need to decide on your goal — that determines both the choice of variety and the growing method. In Ukraine, three main types of celery are available:
Root celery — grown for its fleshy, rounded root. This is the most versatile type for cooking and storage.
Stalk celery — forms thick, juicy stems that are eaten fresh or after blanching. It is popular in diet-focused nutrition.
Leaf celery — used as a seasoning, grows quickly, and can be cut several times in one season.
Recommended varieties for Ukraine:
– Root: Yehor, Maksym, Albin, Hrybovskyi;
– Stalk: Paskal, Atlant, Talisman;
– Leaf: Zakhar, Samurai, Zhadey.
Root celery has the longest growing cycle, up to 180–200 days, so it is almost always grown through seedlings. In the southern regions, stalk celery can be sown directly into open ground. Leaf celery is usually grown by direct sowing from late April. The site for celery should be well lit, with deeply cultivated, loose, fertile soil. The best preceding crops are cabbage, cucumbers, and legumes. It should not be planted after parsley, carrots, or other members of the carrot family, since there is a risk of carrying over diseases and pests.
Sowing celery for seedlings is an extremely important stage. The seeds are small and contain many essential oils, which slow germination. If untreated, the first seedlings may appear only after 20–25 days. To speed up the process, the seeds are soaked in warm water for 24 hours, then dried until free-flowing. Some growers use bubbling — saturating the water with oxygen during soaking — to increase germination energy.
Seedling sowing dates in different regions of Ukraine:
– South: January 20–28;
– Center: February 1–10;
– North and west: February 10–20.
The seeds are sown on the surface of a moist substrate without covering them deeply. The top is then covered with film or glass. The optimal germination temperature is +20 to +22°C. After the seedlings emerge, the covering is removed and the temperature is lowered to +15 to +18°C. At the stage of 2 true leaves, the seedlings are pricked out into cups of 100–150 ml. Ten days after pricking out, the first feeding with a complex fertilizer can be given. About 10–12 days before transplanting to a permanent place, the plants are hardened off by gradually acclimating them to open air.
Tip: if root celery seedlings have become overgrown, shorten the main root by one third when pricking them out. This helps form a proper, rounded root.
Once celery seedlings are 60–70 days old and have 4–5 true leaves, they can be transplanted into open ground. In the southern regions of Ukraine, this is usually early April; in the central regions, the second half of April; and in the north and west, late April or early May. The main thing is that the soil temperature should remain steadily at +8 to +10°C and the risk of frost should have passed. The site should be sunny, with loose, fertile soil and no stagnant water. Loams enriched with humus are best, but fresh manure should not be used.
Planting schemes depend on the type of celery:
– Root celery: 30–35 cm between plants, 40–50 cm between rows;
– Stalk celery: 25–30 cm between plants, 30–40 cm between rows;
– Leaf celery: 20 cm within the row, 25–30 cm between rows.
Before planting, it is worth watering the holes with a weak potassium permanganate solution or a biological product such as Fitosporin. The seedlings are planted up to the cotyledon leaves, but no deeper — it is especially important not to bury the growing point. After planting, the soil is firmed and watered. During the first few days, slight growth suppression is possible — this is a normal reaction to transplanting. Within a week, with moderate moisture, the plants begin growing actively. It is important to loosen the soil, mulch, control weeds, and apply the first feeding in time.
Celery is a moisture-loving crop, which is especially important in the central and southern regions of Ukraine, where summers are usually hot. Insufficient watering leads to coarse stalks and roots, hollowness, and poor development of green mass. For this reason, watering should be systematic: on average every 3–4 days, and more often in dry weather. About 10–15 liters of water are used per square meter. Watering is best done at the root in the evening to minimize evaporation.
Feeding is done in several stages:
– 10–14 days after transplanting — with an infusion of manure or green plant material;
– during the leaf growth stage — with a complex mineral fertilizer containing potassium and phosphorus;
– during root formation — with wood ash or a chlorine-free potassium fertilizer.
Root celery is recommended to be hilled 2–3 times per season — this helps form a rounded root. Stalk celery, on the contrary, is not hilled. To make the stalks more tender, blanching is used: the lower part of the plant is wrapped with paper or nonwoven material. This removes bitterness and makes the texture crisper.
A necessary step: in root celery, regularly remove the lower leaves that lie on the ground. This prevents rotting, limits the spread of fungi, and stimulates development of the root itself.
Celery is vulnerable to some diseases, especially in dense plantings, high humidity, or when crop rotation is ignored. The most common problems are septoria, bacterial leaf spots, rust, and rots. To prevent disease, proper spacing between plants should be maintained, foliage should not be watered directly, and water stagnation should be avoided. Biological products such as Fitosporin, Planriz, and Trichodermin are effective for prevention.
The main celery pests in Ukraine are:
– carrot fly;
– aphids;
– slugs, in cool and rainy summers;
– celery fly larvae.
Garlic infusions, tobacco infusions, and soapy water are effective against pests. Against slugs, traps, mulch made from ash or mustard, and regular cleanup of plant debris are helpful.
Roots are harvested in September–October, when temperatures drop but before frost. They are dug out with a fork, dried in the shade, the leaves are cut back to 2–3 cm, and then stored in a cellar. Optimal storage conditions are +1 to +3°C, with humidity at 85–90%, using moist sand or peat as the storage medium.
Stalks and leaves can be cut from mid-summer onward as needed. They are dried in the shade or frozen in containers. In dried form, celery keeps its aroma for 12–18 months and is excellent for soups, stews, and seasonings.
