How to Regrow Celery from Ends in the Fridge

Want to regrow celery from leftover ends? Follow this step by step process for your best chance of success. Regrowing celery is a fun and productive way to use the stem ends of your celery. You’ll see remarkable results in days and if you want, you can transplant the celery outdoors and have a great harvest at the end of the growing season.

regrow celery

Also Try: Regrowing Romaine, Regrowing Green Onions

Video: How to Regrow Celery from the Ends

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regrow celery 3 phases
Bottom left, freshly cut stalk. Bottom right, 2-3 weeks growth, lots of greens on top and roots forming. Top, once root forms celery can be transplanted into soil – inside or outside.

Steps for How to Regrow Celery

I like growing celery ends even more than romaine because you can actually grow full stalks by transplanting out to the garden. Here’s a look at three different stages of regrowing celery. 

Step 1

Cut celery stalks about 1 to 2 inches from the bottom. Eat and enjoy the stalks as you normally would. Wrap and store extras in the fridge.

celery stalk regrow celery
Day 1 of celery regrowing

Step 2

Place remaining stem in a shallow dish of water (about 1/2 inch). You can peel off some of the outer stalk bits, just be gentle so you don’t rip or disturb the root plate on the bottom.

Step 3

Place on a window sill or under grow lights.

Step 4

Change water every 1 to 2 days.

Day 2 regrowing celery
Day 5 regrowing celery
regrowing celery windowsill

Step 5

Watch the celery grow new shoots.  Also notice that the color of the celery deepens to a lovely green. As the center grows, you’ll want to peel back and discard some of the outer layers as they start to decay.

celery with roots

Step 6

If you look at the bottom of your celery, you may see roots develop as well. A good sign that you can transplant your celery to a pot or into the garden. 

celery in a pot

How cool is that?  I’ve done this several times and am always impressed by how quickly the celery turns green and starts sprouting new shoots. If you don’t want to go any further than this step – that’s fine. Use these greens in soups or salads for a fresh flavor burst.

celery with roots

After about 20 days, take the celery out of the water, strip off some of the yucky outer layers that don’t have any growth and plant the celery in a pot of soil. I’m actually not sure how long the celery would continue to grow in just water, I’ve always put it in soil after at around 20 days figuring it must need nutrients at some point. Ensure good light, consistent water and good drainage if keeping it in a pot indoors. I usually transplant outside in late May when risk of frost is gone.

Transplanting Celery Outdoors

I’ve transplanted several of my regrown celery plants outside. A few didn’t make it, but some have grown into full sized celery plants! Here’s how I do it.

regrown celery to transplant
Ready to move from the jar to the soil outside.
good roots on celery
The celery must have a good root system before you transplant it.
planted in raised bed
Dig a hole in nice soil and add celery plant.
watering celery
Water consistently, especially in the first 2 weeks. That root is used to living in water, so don’t let it dry out.

If all goes well, these plants will grow into full sized celery plants like these ones that I regrew a couple years ago.

multiple celery plants in the garden
Regrown celery plants in garden – mid summer.
celery in the garden
By end of summer, nice long ribs.

Whether you grow celery from seed, from fridge scraps or from greenhouse transplants, celery needs a lot of consistent watering to turn into crunchy, delicious stalks. If it doesn’t get enough water as it is growing, it will be tough and taste quite sharp. So water your celery frequently and deeply for best flavor. Even if you find your celery too strongly flavoured for eating plain, use it in soups or stews – it adds great flavour.

Growing green things on my windowsill brightens long winter days

Video: How to Regrow Romaine

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Have you ever tried regrowing any stem ends? I’d love to hear about your experience. If you try regrowing celery and you’re on social media, take a photo and tag #getgettys so I can see it and like it!

8 Comments

    1. I have never had roots grow on the romaine, so I don’t think it would work. And please note, you won’t get a full head of romaine from this method, just a few leaves.

  1. Pingback: Our job on the side | Weeds up to me knees
    1. Good luck!
      I really do recommend letting some roots grow out the bottom first by letting it grow in water for a while, but hey, what have you got to lose?!
      Enjoy.

      Getty

  2. I did this last year and planted it in my garden. I cut a few bits for salad and forgot about it. Now I see that it has gone to seed! I’m hoping for LOTS of celery next year.

  3. Hi Getty,

    I love your post! I had a question for you about transplanting plants grown in water into soil. Does this replenish the nutritional value for the plants or will these never be able to have the nutritional value of vegetables found in a grocery store?

    I’d love to be able to grow the vegetables in soil and reduce groceries so any feedback would be helpful!

    Thank you!

    Pri

    1. Hi Pri,

      Thanks for your comments and great question. One of the key functions of roots is to draw moisture, oxygen and nutrients from the soil. They do this throughout the entire lifecycle of the plants. When you transplant your plants into soil, the roots will grow bigger and will have greater opportunity to perform this function. Based on my rudimentary understanding, I believe your transplants should halve the nutritional value of any other similar plant.
      The celery I have transplanted and left outside all summer certainly has intense color and flavor; I can only presume its nutritional value is equally intense.
      Hope this helps and good luck!

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