Celery Planting Guide

May

Your May guide to celery

celery rewards gardeners who pay attention to a few basics. Here's what matters in May, wherever you're growing.

Sun full sun

Water high

Days to harvest 80–120

Plant depth 1″

Spacing 15″

How to water celery
celery wants steady moisture. Check the top inch of soil every morning — if it's dry, water before the sun is high.
Where to put celery
celery wants at least 6 hours of direct sun. Less than that and you'll get leggy plants with weak yields.
Check your local forecast before planting
Your zone determines the exact week to plant celery. Pick your county below and we'll line everything up against your frost dates.

See when to plant celery where you live →

Celery is a marshland plant that requires consistent moisture and cool temperatures to produce crisp, flavorful stalks. It is a rewarding but demanding garden crop.

Apium graveolens · Vegetable · Apiaceae family · 80–120 days to maturity

Get Your Personalized Celery Planting Dates

Enter your ZIP code to see exact planting dates, soil compatibility, and growing tips specific to your county.

Where Can You Grow Celery?

Zone Compatibility for Celery Zones 2a – 10b

1a 1b 2a 2b 3a 3b 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b 9a 9b 10a 10b 11a 11b 12a 12b 13a 13b

Ideal (data available) Suitable Marginal Not recommended

Planting Dates by Zone

Zone	Start Indoors	Direct Sow	Transplant	Harvest
Zone 2a	Apr 18	May 23	May 30	Aug 22 – Oct 17
Zone 2b	Apr 10	May 15	May 22	Aug 14 – Oct 9
Zone 3a	Apr 3	May 8	May 15	Aug 7 – Sep 18
Zone 3b	Mar 29	May 3	May 10	Aug 2 – Sep 13
Zone 4a	Mar 25	Apr 29	May 6	Jul 29 – Sep 23
Zone 4b	Mar 20	Apr 24	May 1	Jul 24 – Sep 18
Zone 5a	Mar 21	Apr 11	Apr 25	Jul 18 – Sep 12
Zone 5b	Mar 14	Apr 4	Apr 18	Jul 11 – Sep 5
Zone 6a	Mar 6	Mar 27	Apr 10	Jul 3 – Aug 28
Zone 6b	Feb 27	Mar 20	Apr 3	Jun 26 – Aug 21
Zone 7a	Feb 18	Mar 11	Mar 25	Jun 17 – Aug 12
Zone 7b	Feb 11	Mar 4	Mar 18	Jun 10 – Aug 5
Zone 8a	Feb 1	Feb 22	Mar 8	May 31 – Jul 26
Zone 8b	Jan 21	Feb 11	Feb 25	May 20 – Jul 15
Zone 9a	Jan 13	Jan 20	Feb 10	May 5 – Jun 30
Zone 9b	Dec 28	Jan 4	Jan 25	Apr 19 – Jun 14
Zone 10a	Dec 4	Dec 11	Jan 1	Mar 26 – May 21
Zone 10b	Dec 4	Dec 11	Jan 1	Mar 26 – May 21

Why are some columns showing "—"?

Transplant shows "—" because Celery is best direct sown where it will grow. Transplanting can disturb the roots and slow growth.

How to Plant Celery

Planting Depth

15"

Between Plants

24"

Between Rows

🍂 Fall planting: Sow 10 weeks before your first frost date for a fall harvest.

Growing Conditions

☀️ Sun

Full Sun (6-8+ hours)

💧 Water

High — keep soil consistently moist

Keep soil consistently moist. Mulch heavily to retain moisture.

🧪 Soil pH

6 – 7

Prefers neutral to slightly acidic soil — ideal for most garden beds.

🗺️ Hardiness Zones

Zone 2a – 10b

📅 Days to Maturity

80–120 days

Medium-season crop. Start early for best results in shorter seasons.

👪 Plant Family

Apiaceae

Rotate with other families yearly to prevent soil-borne diseases. Don't plant in the same spot where Apiaceae family crops grew last year.

Succession Planting Celery

Celery matures in just 80–120 days, making it ideal for succession planting. In a typical 180-day growing season, you can get up to 2 successive plantings by sowing every 9.1 weeks.

Your actual succession count depends on your local frost dates. Enter your ZIP code to get personalized succession planting dates for your area.

Companion Planting for Celery

✅ Good Companions

Tomatoes Cabbage Cauliflower Leeks

❌ Keep Away From

Carrots Parsnip

Check more combinations with our Companion Planting Checker →

Growing Tips for Celery

Start seeds indoors 10-12 weeks before last frost. Keep soil consistently moist and never let it dry out. Blanch stalks by mounding soil or using collars for milder flavor.

Saving Celery Seeds

Recommended for Your Garden

🌱

Seed Starting Trays $8-20

Start seeds indoors with reusable cell trays and humidity domes.

🧪

Soil Test Kit $12-25

Test your soil pH, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium levels before planting.

🏷️

Garden Plant Markers $6-12

Keep your garden organized with durable, weather-resistant plant labels.

Reader favourite

Seed Saving & Storage Guide

$27 $157 value

Most saved seeds go bad before next season. This shows exactly when to pick, how to dry, and where to store seeds from 200 plants so yours don't.

200 plants, step-by-step: life cycle, pollination type, isolation
Exact temperature + humidity ranges that keep seeds viable
Bonus: searchable Google Sheets tracker + custom GPT assistant

Save a lifetime of seed money →

Celery by State

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to grow Celery?

Celery (Apium graveolens) takes 80 to 120 days from planting to harvest. Exact timing depends on your variety, growing conditions, and USDA zone.

What zones can Celery grow in?

Celery can be grown in USDA zones 2a through 10b. Use the planting calendar above to find the exact dates for your zone.

How much sun does Celery need?

Growing Celery requires Full Sun (6-8+ hours), High — keep soil consistently moist, and soil pH of 6 to 7.