Sea Celery - Apium prostratum - Care Guide
Image from Melbourne Bushfood
Apium prostratum, commonly known as sea celery, is a variable herb native to coastal Australia and New Zealand. The leaves are variable, with toothed leaflets, and a celery like aroma. The tiny white flowers occur in clusters. Sea Celery is used as a substitute for traditional celery. It imparts a salty taste and can be used as a garnish, to flavour soups and stews, or mixed with other herbs in a seasoning mix.
Image from Melbourne Bushfood
Good for:
- Beginners
- Pots
- Garden
Water
Moist Soils
Sunlight
Full sun/part shade
Size
30–50cm
Planting
Planting Sea Celery
Sea Celery grows well in full sun or part shade - choose a spot with well-drained soil. You can add organic matter to enrich the soil. Did a hole double the size of the tubestock pot.
If growing in a pot, fill with Osmocote Premium Potting mix. Dig a hole twice as wide and to the same depth as the existing root ball. Remove seedling or young plant from its pot, loosen the mix to free the roots and position in the centre of the hole. Backfill, firm down and water in well.
Harvesting
Harvest as needed by picking the outer stems throughout the season.
Drought tolerance
While sea celery can be drought-tolerant, we recommend watering regularly throughout the growing season for best results. Pro tip: Spread an organic mulch, such as pea straw or sugarcane, around the base of the plant to help retain moisture.
Soil
Sea Celery grows well in a wide-range of soil types. Sandy, Loamy, Sandy loam, Clay loam, Potting mix, Saline, Poor soil are all a go with this species.
Maintenance
Watering
Sea Celery loves moist soils so water often to keep the soil moist but not clogged. This may mean watering once every couple of days or more often in hot, dry conditions.
Fertilizing
Feed in Spring with our Native Plant Food and use organic liquid fertilizer to help keep the soil microbes happy and the plant well fed. This nourishes your plant by adding fast acting nutrients in the soil.
Tip: Allow a few days after fertilizing before harvesting/eating Sea Celery
Other guides: