Cool-season produce

Celery

Apium graveolens var. dulce

Also known as Stalk celery

Needs fertile soil and steady moisture; dry spells or heat make stalks stringy and bitter. Fall starts have time to size before spring.

EdibleCool-season crop

Growing spaceVegetable bed

Climate fitUrban core · USDA 9b–10a · Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b · Desert outskirts · USDA 8b–9b

Crop familyApiaceae (carrot)

Life cycleAnnual crop

Phoenix planting windowStart seed in August–September; transplant September–December.

How to plantStart tiny seed in trays and set out sturdy transplants.

Plant spacing8–12 in

FrostLight frost tolerated; cover during a hard freeze.

Time to harvestAbout 120–150 days

SuccessionOne or two fall transplant batches.

Special categoriesEDIBLE

Typical harvestCut outer stalks or whole plants in winter and early spring.

Right plant, right place

Will Celery grow at your Arizona property?

Needs fertile soil and steady moisture; dry spells or heat make stalks stringy and bitter. Fall starts have time to size before spring.

Best regional fit: Urban core · USDA 9b–10a, Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b, Desert outskirts · USDA 8b–9b.

Light

Full winter sun; give leafy crops afternoon protection during warm fall and spring weather.

Water

Keep the vegetable root zone evenly moist with regular irrigation; adjust to rain, soil, and temperature rather than using a fixed summer schedule.

Planting & stewardship

1
Prepare a fertile, well-drained bed and keep seed or transplants evenly moist through establishment.
2
Thin to the final spacing; crowding reduces harvest quality.
3
Watch for aphids and caterpillars and protect sensitive growth from a hard freeze.
4
Harvest before sustained spring heat causes bolting or poor quality.

Read the growing reference ↗ Planting dates can shift with cultivar, weather, and your yard’s microclimate.