The longer the celery grows, the tougher it will become. However, the tougher the celery, the more nutritious it tends to be. Harvest according to your personal preferences, but don’t wait longer than 5 months to harvest your first stalks!
If you like darker celery, wait until the temperature reaches around 70 °F (21 °C). The celery will be slightly tougher, but not inedible.
If your celery plant hasn’t reached this size by the time you want to harvest it, wait another week and measure the stalks.
If the plant isn’t at least 3 inches (7. 6 cm) wide, wait 1 to 2 weeks before harvesting it.
If there are open spaces or the plant isn’t compact at the top, it’s best to harvest the individual stalks as they grow.
The outer stalks are best for cooking, as they tend to be more nutritious. If you’re looking for tender stalks to eat raw, select a few from closer to the center of the plant. If you want to gather seeds from any of your celery plants, let the center stalks grow throughout the season.
Always be careful when using a knife in the garden, and remember to sanitize the knife after you use it to prevent the spread of bacteria, fertilizer, or pesticides.
Make sure you’re cutting in a straight line all the way across the bottom of the plant. If you cut on a diagonal, you might cut off one of the stalks. Be sure to hold the top of the plant upright as you cut to prevent it from falling over. Do not use scissors since they may damage the celery.
If you want more celery the following year, gather the seeds that fall from the remaining celery stalks at the end of the growing season, and plant them!
You can also use celery leaves in a variety of recipes, including soups and salads.
With the leaves attached to the stalk, the stalks will last for about 2-3 days.
Replace the water in the container every 1-2 days to ensure that the pieces are absorbing fresh water. You can cut the pieces to whatever size you prefer, as long as they fit in the container with a lid on it.
