Sow celery seeds from February to April on the surface of a good free draining, damp seed compost and cover with a fine sprinkling of vermiculite or compost. Place in a propagator or seal the container inside a polythene bag until after germination.

Transplant when large enough to handle into trays or individual modules. Grow on steadily in cooler conditions, when seedlings are 6-7cm tall, gradually harden off before planting out once all risk of frost has passed.

Plants can be earthed up (mounding soil around the stems) so the stems become blanched, start doing this once stems are 30cm tall. Draw up the soil 7.5cm at a time leaving the top exposed. Alternatively, use collars made of corrugated cardboard, brown paper, newspaper, plastic drainpipe or similar.

Other celery, including green and self-blanching celery should be planted 20cm apart in a block to ensure the plants shade each other to aid blanching.

Celery Leaf also called cutting celery and soup celery, is darker, leafier, and has thinner stalks. The leaves have a strong, almost peppery flavor that makes for a great accent in cooking. We advise against direct sowing leaf celery, but once it gets going is easy to grow. Needs regular watering throughout the summer as it is essential plants are kept moist throughout the growing season. Celery Leaf doesn’t require blanching or earthing up as you would with stem-celery. All types of celery require very regular watering throughout the summer and it is essential plants are kept moist throughout the growing season.  Harvest a few stems and leaves from each plant to extend the harvest period rather than exhausting a single plant.