Giant Golden Improved untreated Celery - Ferme de Sainte Marthe seeds

Celery is a vegetable from the Apiaceae family (formerly Umbelliferae) and comes in various forms. The most common are celeriac, celery branch, and cutting celery. These three types of celery originate from the same plant, marsh parsley. This plant is a hardy perennial, native to Mediterranean countries, and is also known as perpetual celery.

In terms of cooking, celeriac is grown for its large round root, with a pungent flavour. It can be consumed raw (grated, in remoulade...) or cooked (mashed, gratin, or sautéed). Celery branch is grown for its stalks, which are the main veins of its leaves. These can be eaten raw, for example with salt, or cooked to flavour soups or sauces. The leaves of cutting celery are similar to parsley and perfectly enhance soups or slow-cooked dishes. Celery is rich in vitamins, minerals, and low in calories.

In the vegetable garden, plant celery in a sunny or semi-shaded spot. It is a hardy plant that can reach a height of 50 to 70 cm (20 to 28in) for celeriac and celery branches. Only cutting celery is shorter and can be grown in a pot.

Celery prefers damp, light, and rich soils. In the previous autumn, add mature compost after thoroughly loosening the soil. During cultivation, provide vegetable fertiliser as celery requires a lot of nutrients. They are excellent autumn-winter vegetables to be sown under shelter in spring.

Harvesting: For celery branch and cutting celery, pick the leaves at the base according to your needs, starting from 5 to 6 months after sowing. Before winter frosts, you can completely remove the root ball and store it in a cellar for several weeks. As for celeriac, it is harvested in autumn and before the first frosts. Dig up the bulbs, let them dry for a day on the ground, and cut the leaves above the collar as well as the rootlets.

Storage: The leaves of celery branch and cutting celery are best consumed fresh to fully enjoy their aroma. However, they can be dried and used as an aromatic herb or frozen. Celeriac should be stored in a cool and humid place, protected from light, and can be kept for several months.

Gardener's tip: To reduce watering, we recommend mulching the soil with thin successive layers of grass clippings, if possible mixed with dead leaves, starting from late May. This protection helps the soil retain moisture and also reduces weed growth.