Way back in the day, the famous herbalist Hildegard von Bingen was already singing celery’s praises for its medicinal powers. Fast forward to today, and science backs her up—celery is packed with healthy, active compounds. When you’re planning your garden, you’ll usually run into three main types: celeriac (root celery), stalk celery, and leaf celery.
When to Harvest Your Celery
If you’re growing celeriac, you can usually start harvesting about four months after sowing your seeds. For most of us, that means the harvest kicks off around June. To get them out of the ground safely, grab a garden fork and gently lift the bulbs out of the soil. Once they’re up, just trim off the leafy tops and the fine little root hairs.
How to Store Your Harvest
Depending on the variety you planted, your celery roots can weigh anywhere from half a pound to a whopping four pounds! If you have a cool basement or root cellar, you can store them side-by-side in a box of sand. Just a pro tip: make sure the “heart” leaves and the top of the bulb stay uncovered. If you want to keep your celery fresh for even longer, you can always pop it in the freezer.