Celery are biennial plants, thus, after harvesting them for two years, they will not grow back. You either, pull the remaining stalks out and you can as well, dig them out of the ground, including the roots.
This means you have your celery growing and re-growing for two years but not exceeding that period except you replant them.
Celery is a type of plant excellent for cooking and can be eaten raw too. Once they form stalks and ready for harvest, choose between using single stalks or full plants to acquire the most use out of your plants.
Knowing When to Harvest
1) Wait about 3 – 5 Months after Planting the Celery to Harvest it
To harvest the stalks, wait for 3 months after transplanting and 4 months in the case of starting with seeds. The longer it grows, the tougher it becomes and the more nutritious it tends to be but do not wait longer than 5 months to harvest your first stalks.
2) Harvest before the Outdoor Temperature reaches 18°C
Too hot temperature will make the celery dry and bitter. Harvest your celery when the temperature is 18°C. Oil and the air is humid. To harvest darker celery, wait until the temperature is about 21°C. The celery will be slightly tougher, but still edible.
3) Make Sure the Lower Stalks are at least 15cm Long
This is the ideal length prior to harvesting. For the tallest stalks, they should be around 18 inches long but can still be taller.
Read also: Can You Regrow Celery from Grocery Store?
Harvesting the Celery
1) Harvest the Longest Stalks on the Outside of the Plant as needed
When selecting your stalks, look around the outer edge of the plants. The outer stalks happen to be the most mature stalks. As for the inner stalks, they continue to grow after the outer stalks are removed.
2) Separate Stalks at the Crown if you don’t need the Whole Plant
With the aid of a serrated knife, cut the stalk away from the bottom of the plant, where all the stalks are held together. Take proper care when using a knife in the garden and always remember to sanitize the knife after use so as to prevent the spread of bacteria, pesticides, or fertilizer.
3) Cut Through the Crown just Below the Soil Line to Remove the Whole Plant
Push the soil away from the bottom of the plant until the crown is exposed. Using a serrated knife, cut just below the crown, separating the stalks from the roots.
Ensure you are cutting in a straight line all the way across the bottom of the plant. If you cut in a diagonal way, you might end up cutting one of the stalks. Also, avoid using scissors as it may damage the celery.
4) Remove the remaining Stalks from the Ground at the End of the Second Year
Celery are biennial crops. Thus, after harvesting the plants do not grow back after harvesting for two years. With this, pull the remaining stalks out after two years or you can dig them out of the ground, including the roots.
Read also: How Far Apart to Plant Celery?
Conclusion
Celery grows for two years and not that they come back every year. If you wish to have more celery the following year, put together, the seeds that fall from the remaining celery stalks at the end of the growing season and plant them.
I hope you find this article useful. I would like to hear from you. Let me know if you have any questions. Also, learn how celery is grown from stump here
