Can I Grow Celery in a Pot?
Turns out that yes, container grown celery plants are not only possible but circumvent the vagaries of the weather. Celery grown in pots allows you to move the plant around to keep it in an ideal temperature range. You can also start celery early in pots, well before the frost-free date in your area and then transplant to a larger container to move outside. Let’s look at some tips for growing celery in containers as well as care for celery in a container.
Celery Grown in Pots
So how do you go about growing celery in containers? Celery likes a soil pH of 6.0 to 6.5, alkaline. Limestone amended into acidic soil will cut the acidity. Choose a container that is at least 8 inches (20 cm.) deep and long enough to plant additional celery plants 10 inches (25 cm.) apart. Don’t use unglazed clay pots, if possible, as they dry out quickly and celery likes to stay moist. Plastic containers are a great choice in this instance, as they maintain moist conditions. Amend the soil with plenty of organic compost to aid in retaining moisture. Plant seeds 8 to 12 weeks before the last frost. Germination takes around two weeks. Sow seeds only 1/8 to ½ inch (3 mm. to 1 cm.) deep, covered lightly with soil. For an 8 inch (20 cm.) pot, sow five seeds with 2 inches (5 cm.) between seeds. I know they’re tiny; do the best you can. When the seeds have sprouted, thin out the smallest by half. When the plants are 3 inches tall (8 cm.), thin out to one plant. Keep the plants in an area of at least six hours of sun per day with temps between 60 and 75 degrees F. (15-23 C.) during the day and 60 to 65 degrees F. (15-18 C.) at night.
Care for Celery in a Container
Celery is a water hog, so be sure to keep the growing celery in a container moist at all times. Use an organic fertilizer (fish emulsion or seaweed extract) every two weeks. Other than that, once the seedlings have established, there is little to do but wait for those crunchy, zero calorie stalks to mature.
