Celery, Utah Tall

  Celery , Tall Utah

Heirloom. Organic.  Tall Utah Celery.  Long and crisp stalks have unbeatable flavor. Once you have tasted organic celery grown at home, you will never go back to store-bought celery. Tall Utah produces large plants with compact hearts. Plants average 30” tall. Stalks are 12” long and medium-dark green. Best for late summer crops. Harvest at desired stage of growth.  Many gardeners say celery is hard to grow, but I have always had good success with it. The fruits of the labors of experienced gardeners will be even sweeter when growing celery. It grows best in climates with long, moderate temperature seasons, but can be grown in most places with proper technique. Please do some research on the internet before planting to improve your odds.

Planting Tall Utah Celery

While starting seeds of the Tall Utah Celery is not necessarily difficult, the right conditions will make the process successful. Sow Tall Utah Celery seeds directly in the ground in the spring when the threat of frost has passed or start in containers several weeks before transplanting into soil. Keep the ground moist but not wet for the first couple of weeks. Pick a sunny, well-drained spot for planting for the best performance. Tall Utah Celery prefers a well-drained fertile soil in a sunny position.  You may want to “blanch” the stalks if you like a milder tasting celery. Blanching involves covering the growing stalks to keep them light colored, tender and mild tasting.

Height: 24-30”    Days to harvest—90 to 105 Days

Spacing: 12-18" inches Depth: 1/16  inch Germination: 15-25 days

Starting from Seed Indoors

Generally, the time to start your seeds is about 6- 8 weeks before the last expected spring frost date in your area, planting the seedlings outdoors about 2 weeks after that date. Another way to figure is to plan on setting out sturdy seedlings in the garden when night temperatures stay in the mid-50 degree range both day and night. Count back and sow seeds 2 to 3 weeks before that date normally arrives. Place a few seeds (5 to 10) into each pot and push them into the soil with your finger. Cover the seeds to a depth of approximately 1/16 inches of the potting mix. Mist each  pot with water until the soil appears moist. Place the pots in an area which will provide both light (which is required for germination) and heat, preferably about 65 to 70 degrees F and at least 8 hours of light each day. Check on the seeds every day and keep the seeds damp but not drenched by misting with your plant mister. You should see sprouting in about 15 to 25 days. Once your seedlings have reached about 4 to 6 inches in height, choose an area in your garden to transfer them. You can also use containers like barrels or clay pots. Dig holes twice the width and depth of each of your pots. Fill up each hole with water then let it drain off. Place a pot in the hole center and level so that your seedling is at the same level as the surrounding soil. Push dirt in carefully all the way to fill the hole back up. Water each seedling carefully so as not to soak the leaves or stem. Celery likes rich soil, add lots of organic matter to the soil before planting. 

Direct-seeding into the Garden

Turn over the area you've selected to a depth of approximately 1/2 inches. Rake the area until it's level and smooth. Water the area until the soil is damp but not saturated. Scatter the seeds in the area. Gently rake the area to distribute the seeds further and protect them from birds. Or, press the seeds into the soil and cover with no more than 1/16 inches of soil. You can also place 2 to 3 seeds every 3 to 4 inches in rows approximately 12-18 inches apart, and cover seeds with 1/16 inches of soil. Place planting stakes around the area so you will know where to water. Check on your seeds about once a day. Make sure to mist the soil whenever it appears dry. Germination for Tall Utah Celery plants is approximately 15 to 20 days, depending on the warmth of the soil.   

Germination Problems

Growing plants from seeds successfully depends on a lot of factors and this makes it impossible to guarantee success on every batch of seeds planted.  Factors include, soil composition, PH, temperature, moisture levels, seed depth, soil density, seed viability, seed storage and many others.  We tested the germination of all our seeds and this seed variety is around 80%, but your results may vary based on exactly how you plant and all the environmental factors.  Good luck.