Growing Hydroponic Celery
Celery is a staple in a vast majority of cuisines, and it’s been around for quite a while. Archaeologists discovered remains in Switzerland suggesting humans were transporting celery seeds as many as 6,000 years ago. The Egyptians apparently used celery to make woven garlands that have been found in Egyptian tombs, and the ancient Greeks gave celery to the winners of athletic events similar to how flowers are given today. I personally discovered celery in 1985, when I first tasted the popular ants on a log dish. I bet many of you discovered celery the same way.
Celery is a great choice for growing hydroponically because it prefers moist or wet, nutrient-rich conditions. Celery does take a significant amount of time to grow whether in soil or hydroponics, however growing hydroponically does speed up the process. It can take months for it to mature enough to begin harvesting. So, be patient. Once it’s grown you will be able to harvest and re-harvest your celery by using the cut and come again method, which makes this wonderful plant exciting to grow. You may also want to consider starting your celery from a cutting to speed things up.
Celery contains various antioxidants, vitamin K, vitamin A and fiber. According to a popular urban myth, celery has ‘negative calories.’ This isn’t true of course, but it is quite low in calories. The myth about ‘negative calories’ comes from the idea that just by chewing celery, you burn all the calories you ingested in the first place, and more.
| Hydroponic Celery | ||||
| Germination | Light | EC Range | pH Range: | Time to Harvest |
| 2-3 weeks | 14-16 hours | 1.8-2.4 | 6.3-6.7 | 3-4 months |
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Nutrient and Health Info - Celery contains various antioxidants, vitamin K, vitamin A and fiber.
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Tips & Tricks - Because celery takes so long to harvest from seed, consider growing it from a cutting. See below for more information.
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Germination:
Because celery is known to take up to 4 months to harvest from seed, you’ll want to consider growing it from a cutting. The most popular way to do so is to cut off the bottom of a celery stalk a couple inches from the base. You’ll want to start with a small stalk of celery so you can transplant it to net cups in your indoor garden. Place the base of your celery stalk in a shallow glass or bowl of water so that it can take root, and new celery plants will begin to emerge from the center. Place your newly rooted celery in your hydroponic system and begin enjoying celery in weeks instead of months.
Growing celery from seed can be rewarding also, in large part because there happen to be many specialty varieties that are difficult to find at your local store or farmer’s market. These might include varieties with specific flavors like that of pepper, or specific colors like pink celery. Give your celery at least 3 weeks to sprout before giving up on it. Using our Seedling Starter Kit or the paper towel method will help to increase the rate and speed of germination.
Light:
Celery will appreciate lots of light, so give it 14-16 hours of artificial light per day.
EC Range:
Celery is technically an herb and is part of the parsley family. Like many herbs, it prefers an EC range of between 1.8 – 2.4. Pair it with other herbs like oregano, cilantro, mint, and sage, or grow it with bok choy, sunflowers, zucchini and more.
pH Range:
Celery prefers a pH range of 6.3 and 6.7, so it will grow with many other plants in your garden. Fortunately, finding a pH zone that you can grow the vast majority of your plants with when growing with hydroponics is not difficult.
Nutrients:
Use our Green Machine nutrients to ensure your celery is getting the best mix of nutrients for herbs and leafy greens!
Time to Harvest:
If you’re growing your celery from seed, you’ll have to be patient. That means waiting up to 3-5 months before it will develop enough for your first harvest. But, if you grow from a cutting, your celery will be ready to be harvested much quicker. Expect this to take 6-8 weeks from planting your celery cutting.
Pruning and Harvesting:
Celery is an herb, so you can, use the cut and come again method to harvest it over and over. In the case of celery, you don’t have to leave more than an inch at the base for new shoots to begin growing.
Conclusion:
Celery is a healthy staple in a variety of cuisines. You may want to try our recipes, below. It’s also fun to snack on right from your living room hydroponic system. So, give celery a try if you’re patient and willing to wait for it to grow. Once it’s matured, you’ll have lots of celery to enjoy.
Check Out Our Celery Recipes!
Let’s grow together!