When to sow Celery in the UK
Celery is frost-tender, so the right week to sow it depends on where in the UK you garden.
Sowing and harvest dates by region
Celery is frost-tender, so its timings shift across the UK. Plot works them out from the Midlands and Lowland Wales baseline using Met Office average frost dates.
| Where you are | Sow indoors | Plant out | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| South West Coast and Cornwall | early February to late February | mid April to early May | early June to late October |
| South Coast and Channel | mid February to early March | late April to early May | mid June to late October |
| Greater London (Urban Heat Island) | early February to late February | mid April to early May | early June to late October |
| South East and Home Counties | late February to late March | early May to late May | late June to mid November |
| East Anglia | early March to late March | mid May to late May | early July to late November |
| Midlands and Lowland Wales | mid March to early April | late May to early June | mid July to late November |
| Wales and West Coast | late February to late March | early May to late May | late June to mid November |
| Northern England | late March to mid April | late May to mid June | mid July to early December |
| Scotland Lowlands and Central Belt | late March to mid April | early June to mid June | late July to mid December |
| Scotland Highlands and Islands | mid April to early May | late June to mid July | mid August to late December |
| Northern Ireland | early March to late March | mid May to late May | early July to late November |
| Channel Islands and Isle of Man | late January to late February | mid April to late April | late May to mid October |
Growing notes
Sow indoors mid-March to early April and plant out in late May or early June, about ten weeks after sowing, once all frost risk has passed. Chilling young plants below 10C for more than half a day triggers bolting, and the soil must never dry out or the stems turn stringy.
At a glance
- Spacing
- 23 cm between plants
- Row spacing
- 23 cm
- Plants per m²
- 18
- Days to maturity
- 130 days
- Yield per plant
- 0.5 kg
- Sun
- Full
- Frost tender
- Yes
- Grows in a container
- Yes, 30 litres or more
- Minimum soil depth
- 30 cm
- Balcony rating
- 2 out of 5
What usually goes wrong
- bolting
- celery leaf mining fly
- slugs
Companion planting
Grows well near
Keep away from
Related guides
Timings cross-checked against RHS guidance for celery.