Whether or not a fruit or vegetable can regrow itself from its roots depends mainly on the plant type. Celery is a vegetable that can participate in this phenomenon. But it can sometimes be unclear how long a celery plant can regenerate itself before it’s incapable of doing so again.
You can regrow celery for up to two years before it will stop developing on its own. Celery is a biennial plant, meaning after it has been harvested consistently for two years, it won’t grow again from the same base roots.
This article will explore why celery can regrow itself and how the process works. You’ll also learn the best techniques for regrowing your celery stalks. Keep reading.
Vegetative Propagation Allows Celery To Regrow Itself
Celery can regrow itself through a natural process called vegetative propagation, in which the plant is able to reproduce from its old leaves, roots, and stem.
There are two main instances where the event of vegetative propagation can occur. The first scenario is where the base of the celery plant that has been left in the ground after harvesting starts to regrow itself without any assistance.
When the leftovers of a celery plant remain in the soil after the primary stalks have been removed, the vegetable has the ability to generate new stalks as long as its environment allows it to do so.
The second scenario in which celery will regrow is artificial, meaning that the plant was assisted with its regeneration process. Artificial vegetative propagation involves taking the base and physically putting it into an environment where it can reproduce independently.
If you are remaining hands off, allowing the bases of the celery still left in the garden to regrow themselves, they will only be able to do so for two years. At that point, you would need to step in and begin the process of assisting the celery remains to regenerate.
As long as you are willing to keep the cycle going, you will be able to grow celery from its base as many times as you would like.
How To Regrow Celery
The physical act of regrowing celery from its base is a very straightforward practice. While most plants need seeds to be put into the soil to start developing, all you need is the bottom 2 to 3 inches (5 to 8 cm) of the celery plant.
Remove the Stalks From the Bottom Root
Once all of the stalks have been removed from the bottom root, cut the base to the correct length and place it in a jar or small bowl. The container needs to be filled partway with water until it covers the main part of the celery base. Then, place the container near a window with plenty of sunlight throughout the day.
Assuming that the weather cooperates and your celery root gets plenty of sunshine, you should start to notice new leaves and roots forming out of the celery base after about ten days.
Once you see the beginnings of fresh green stalks shooting out of the stump, transfer the regrowing celery into its permanent home.
Allow Your Celery To Regrow in a Pot
You can regenerate your celery stalk by allowing it to grow inside, away from the elements. This method is especially beneficial if you live in a climate that experiences extreme temperature changes or if it is not the best time of year to grow celery outside.
In this instance, all you need to do is fill a planter or pot with soil potting mix and some slow-release fertilizer to help build up the nutrients in the soil. Put the regrowing celery root into the soil and pack it tightly, covering it thoroughly with water.
Afterward, just like when regenerating the roots, you will want to place the planter near a window that lets in plenty of sunlight. As long as the celery base receives consistent sunshine and moisture via watering, it will eventually grow into a full-size celery plant. Then, you can pluck the stalks off to use again.
Let Your Celery Regrow in the Garden
If you have the space and ability in your yard, your celery has the potential to regrow even better when it is planted out in the ground. Having the option to reproduce the celery this way will depend mainly on the type of climate you live in and what season of the year you are planning to transfer your celery base out to the garden.
Celery has a very difficult time thriving in very cold weather. It will not be able to survive a frost and will need to have access to plenty of warm sunlight in order to regrow appropriately. If you attempt to regrow your celery outdoors, be sure to pay attention to these factors and plan accordingly.
When it is time to transfer your regenerating celery base from the container of water to the ground outdoors, you will need to pack it into the earth just like you would any other vegetable plant.
You will want to keep the soil consistently wet since celery produces best when sitting in very moist soil and can soak in as many nutrients as possible. It would also be beneficial to mix some compost or mulch in and around the celery roots because it will help to lock in moisture and provide the plant with additional energy.
Best Practices for Regrowing Celery
While the process of regrowing celery is pretty simple and does not take a lot of work, there are a few techniques that you will benefit from using throughout your growing experience.
Water the Celery Plant Often
Whether you are regrowing a celery base or putting in a brand-new celery plant, it is critical to ensure your vegetables get watered consistently and plentifully. Celery will develop much better if it is always moist. Keeping your reused celery roots wet will help them reproduce faster.
Regularly watering your celery base is particularly important if you are growing it in a hot or dry climate. In addition to surrounding the celery plant with mulch or compost, you can also cover it with a cloth to provide it with some shade and help keep the moisture locked in the soil.
Tie the Celery Roots Together
Another tip you can use to help your celery base grow its best in the garden is to tie its roots together with a small thread.
Celery plants have very shallow roots, to begin with, and they have the potential to be even smaller when you are regrowing them from an already-used base. So, it is important to keep them from spreading too far out.
Tying the roots together will prevent the plant from trying to take up too much room. Keeping the roots in one specific area will help the celery focus its energy on regrowing new stalks instead of moving further into the soil.
Watch Out for Major Temperature Changes
Rapid or intense temperature changes are the biggest threat to a celery base trying to regenerate in a garden. If the weather suddenly becomes too hot or cold, your celery base will have a harder time regrowing itself.
The lack of quick changes in the weather is one benefit of planting your celery base in a pot inside your home. However, this is not an option for everyone, and you may very well prefer to allow your celery base to reproduce in your garden outside.
If this is the case, you will want to keep a close eye on your celery roots while they are regrowing. If you notice your plant producing lots of leaves but no new stalks, it is most likely due to the temperature being too low.
To prevent your plant from under-developing, avoid transferring your celery base to your garden too early in the year, and cover the plant if it becomes too cold outside.
Final Thoughts
It is possible to regrow celery for up to two years as long as you give each plant’s base the proper care and attention. Follow these steps and tips so that you can enjoy fresh celery from the same reproducing base multiple times over.
