edenhana

Celery

Needs consistently moist, rich soil and a long growing season; it stalls and turns stringy if it dries out.

Sun
full sun
Water
high
Spacing
25cm
Harvest
Ready in 120-150 days
Difficulty
advanced
Grows in
Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Tasman, Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago, Invercargill / Southland
Expected yield
1 head per plant
Cost to grow
~$6 NZD
Grocery value
~$25 NZD
Companion plants
Cabbages, Leeks, Onions, Spinach, Tomatoes, Cauliflower, Bush beans, Sweetcorn
Plants to avoid nearby
Parsnips, Potatoes
Common diseases
Septoria leaf spot
Common pests
Aphids, Slugs and snails

When to plant by region

In Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne and Napier / Hawke's Bay: August-October. In Hamilton / Waikato, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson and Tasman: September-October. In Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast and Christchurch / Canterbury: October-November. In Dunedin / Otago and Invercargill / Southland: October.

Growing stages

  1. Germination & sowing

    • Slow and often patchy to germinate, keep seed-raising mix consistently moist
    • Needs warmth to germinate reliably
    • Best started indoors given its long growing season

  2. Seedling & establishment

    • Slugs and snails can quickly destroy young seedlings
    • Keep soil consistently moist, celery stalls and turns stringy if it dries out even briefly
    • Needs rich, well-fed soil from the start

  3. Vegetative growth

    • Septoria leaf spot can appear on foliage in humid conditions
    • Aphids often cluster on new growth
    • High, consistent watering is critical through this long growing stage

  4. Harvest120-150 days from sowing

    • Ready from about 120-150 days, a long-season crop that needs patience
    • Slugs and snails can still damage outer stalks close to harvest
    • Septoria leaf spot on outer leaves late in the season, remove affected leaves before use

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