Horti Tops® Celery Golden Selfblanching 2

Celery Golden Selfblanching 2 (Apium graveolens)

Beyond the Supermarket Stalk

Homegrown celery is a revelation – the flavor is far more intense than the bland store-bought stalks. This is because commercial celery is bred for mild flavor and long shelf life, while garden varieties prioritize taste.

Types of Celery

Stalk celery: The familiar type with thick, crunchy stalks. Requires blanching (blocking light) for tender, mild stalks.

Leaf celery (cutting celery): Grown for intensely flavored leaves rather than stalks. Easier to grow and more cold-hardy. Excellent for soups, stocks, and seasoning.

Celeriac: Grown for the large, knobby root rather than stalks. The root has concentrated celery flavor and stores for months.

Culinary Uses

The holy mirepoix: Celery is essential in the French mirepoix (with onion and carrot), the base of countless dishes from soups to braises.

Raw: Crisp stalks are classic with peanut butter, cream cheese, or dips. Slice thin for salads like Waldorf salad.

Braised: Cook celery hearts slowly in stock until tender and glazed. An underrated side dish.

Growing Challenges

Celery is famously demanding – it needs rich soil, constant moisture, and a long growing season of 4-5 months. Start seeds indoors very early (February or March) as germination is slow. Leaf celery is much more forgiving for beginners.

Growing Celery Golden Selfblanching 2