Pruning guide
How to prune celery
More celery care
- How to prune celery — the species this cultivar belongs to
- How to prune celery — our other guide for the same plant
- Full celery care guide
- Common celery problems & fixes
- How to propagate celery
- When to repot celery
Pruning celery — FAQ
When should I prune celery?
From mid-summer onwards once stalks are at least 12 inches tall. Slice individual outer stalks cleanly at the base with a sharp knife, leaving the central cluster of young stalks intact. Blanching (mounding soil or wrapping stems) is a separate technique to reduce bitterness, not pruning.
How often does celery need pruning?
As needed when outer stalks reach harvest size. Celery rarely needs pruning in the traditional sense. Harvest outer stalks by cutting them at the base once they reach usable size, leaving the inner crown to continue growing. Remove any yellowed outer leaves. If growing as a cut-and-come-again crop, this outer-stalk harvest is the only pruning required.
How do you prune celery?
Slice individual outer stalks cleanly at the base with a sharp knife, leaving the central cluster of young stalks intact. Blanching (mounding soil or wrapping stems) is a separate technique to reduce bitterness, not pruning.