Harvest and yield
The time from transplanting to harvest varies from 12 weeks in summer to 18 weeks in winter. The best harvest time is the early morning.
Reasonably compact plants over 1kg in total bunch weight are preferred, with 1.5 to 2kg bunch weight more common. Harvest before the stems become pithy or hard and fibrous. In spring, pick at earlier maturity to reduce bolting.
Harvesting celery is strenuous and it is best to wear rubber gloves. Some people develop skin allergies when handling celery or allergic reactions after eating it.
Pack and grade bunches in the field in 84L crates (30kg net). In the field or packing shed, wash with clean, cool water to remove soil. Perforated polythene sleeves can be placed over the stems, with the top left open, after free water has drained from the leaves and stalks. Bunches can be dipped in cold water at 0°C (hydro-cooling) to remove field heat before sleeving.
If hydro-cooling is not done, cool to 0°C with forced air or vacuum cooling in crates or bins as soon as possible after packing. Celery can be maintained in good condition for four to five weeks at 0°C and a high relative humidity (90-95%).
Celery is the highest yielding vegetable crop in Western Australia and produces 90 tonnes or 3000 crates per hectare under good management.
Acknowledgement
The original content of this page was authored by John Burt.