Growing Tall Utah 52-70 Celery in Your Garden

Tall Utah 52-70 is a classic celery variety beloved by home gardeners for its reliable performance and excellent flavor. This heirloom cultivar produces tall, sturdy plants with crisp, tender stalks that are perfect for fresh eating, cooking, and storage. If you're looking for a dependable celery variety that delivers consistent results season after season, Tall Utah 52-70 is an excellent choice.

What Makes Tall Utah 52-70 Special

This variety is prized for its vigorous growth habit and disease resistance. The plants develop long, thick stalks with a rich green color and exceptional crispness. The flavor is clean and classic, making it versatile for salads, soups, stews, and snacking straight from the garden. Tall Utah 52-70 also stores well, allowing you to enjoy your harvest for weeks after picking.

Starting Your Seeds

Begin seeds indoors 8 to 10 weeks before your last spring frost. Celery seeds require light to germinate, so scatter them on the surface of moist seed-starting mix and press gently into place without covering. Maintain soil temperature around 70°F and keep moisture consistent. Seedlings will emerge in 10 to 21 days.

Once seedlings develop their first true leaves, thin them and transplant into individual pots. Gradually acclimate plants to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days before transplanting to the garden.

Planting in the Garden

Choose a location with full sun and rich, well-draining soil amended with compost or aged manure. Space plants 8 to 10 inches apart in rows, allowing room for the tall growth habit. Celery is a heavy feeder and moisture lover, so prepare beds with plenty of organic matter before planting.

Watering and Feeding

Keep soil consistently moist throughout the growing season—celery needs steady water supply to develop tender, crisp stalks. Water deeply and regularly, especially during dry spells. Apply mulch around plants to retain moisture and regulate soil temperature. Feed every 3 to 4 weeks with a balanced fertilizer or side-dress with compost to support vigorous growth.

Blanching for Tenderness

For extra-tender, pale stalks, blanch plants as they mature by gently mounding soil around the base or wrapping stalks with cardboard or newspaper. Begin blanching about 3 weeks before harvest. This step is optional but produces the classic pale celery many gardeners prefer.

Harvesting and Storage

Tall Utah 52-70 is ready to harvest 85 to 100 days after transplanting. Pick outer stalks individually as needed, or harvest the entire plant by cutting at the base. For best flavor and crispness, harvest in the morning when stalks are full of moisture. Store harvested celery in the refrigerator where it will keep for several weeks.

With proper care, Tall Utah 52-70 delivers a bountiful harvest of delicious, crisp celery that will become a garden staple for years to come.

Overall, Tall Utah celery thrives in garden beds and containers, rewarding growers with crisp, flavorful stalks perfect for fresh eating, juicing, or cooking. Plant seeds indoors 10 weeks before your last frost, then transplant into rows spaced 2 feet apart with 6–8 inches between plants. This variety develops strong roots and excellent heart formation, reaching full maturity in about 100 days. With consistent moisture and moderate care, you'll harvest tender 11–12 inch stalks that make a nutritious addition to any home garden, no matter the size.

• Recommended by USU. Produces strong and delicious 11" - 12" tall stalks of celery.
• Good heart development and strong roots.
• Excellent for juicing or blending into health drinks.
• Easy to grow.
• Definitely worth including in any sized garden.
  
  
• Days to Maturity | 100 days

• Celery Seeds | Celery seed is usually started indoors about 10 weeks before it is time to set the plants outdoors. Plant in rows 2 feet apart; with 6 - 8 inches between plants.

Click here for complete Celery grow guide.