You can freeze it, but it doesn't stay crisp as to use for fresh raw celery in an uncooked recipe like a salad...great for soups, stews, stock. I got tired of using 2 stalks and losing the rest so looked it up, NCHFP said blanch 2-3 min., then I cut it into short pieces and vac seal. Not only am I not wasting it, it's clean and cut up when I want it :)

It is pretty good dried to add to cooked dishes.

If you live in a zone that doesn't freeze, why not let it go to seed? I first planted some Utah (something) about 5 or so years ago, and it still re-seeds! I always have celery growing somewhere. Of course, if you like it older anyway, why not keep a plant or 2 in your garden anyway.

Otherwise, I like the seeds - tastes great in sauces like shrimp cocktail sauce, homemade mayo, potato salad, etc. I also dry the leaves for seasonings in soups. It is especially a time saver to be able to pick some fresh right from the garden.

Celery is easy in our warmer climates - but probably not freeze-proof.

Bejay

I chop mine tiny and throw in ziplocs. I don't blanch - I just wash it first. I figure the freezing will kill off any creepy crawlies. Then I just take out handfuls to throw into soups, casseroles, stir frys, etc. I had tried dehydrating, but found I needed something to cook a long time for the celery to rehydrate - it was fine for stews and soups, but didn't work for stir frys.

I have actually started growing smallage, also known as cutting celery or celery leaf. It is pretty much just celery leaves. So I just go cut those in my garden in lieu of actual celery. The smallage dries well (looks like parsley dried) and can be added to lots of things - including potato salad, pasta salad, etc. Anything you can add dry parsley to, you can add dried smallage to.

And my whole point of telling you about the smallage was to let you know that you could dehydrate the leaves of your celery to use in things like potato salad. It adds the taste of celery, but then you don't have to deal with the defrosted or dehydrated texture of frozen or dehydrated celery.

I just started replanting the bottom from store bought celery this year and it grows a new plant.
Not as pretty and uniform as the original, but I've got plenty of fresh celery now.

I do freeze some for winter use. No blanch, just chop and freeze. I only use it cooked dishes.

Deanna

Thanks all! Nancy

Any recommendations on how to preserve fresh celery? I find that mine get soggy/limp very quick after picking... Unlike the store bought where it will stay crisp for long periods of time.

I've never grown celery, but do you mean your celery is 5 inches tall?

I freeze celery for cooking by just cleaning, cutting, and freezing in zip locks.

One of the best ways to have crispy home grown celery, is to pick it just before using it. We home gardeners have the advantage that way - (aren't we lucky?).

I suspect, however, one of the reasons that grocery store celery is so crisp, is because it is blanched - which gives it that crunch. I haven't bothered to do that, mainly because we don't eat too many dishes that call for it - stir fries, etc.

By shading celery - heaping soil around the lower plant, or piling up leaves or mulch around the stalks when ripening, will blanch the stalks - this gives them that crispness.

I also like to keep fresh picked celery in cold water, the same as a whole head of lettuce - to help with freshness. On the other hand, the leaf lettuces seem to keep better just washed and put in zip bags and refrigerated - as least for me.

bejay

Thank you. Do you think I could cut up and freeze it for soup/pot pie?

Celery keeps better in the fridge if you wrap tightly in foil. We are cutting and vac sealing our garden celery now.

kerryv I cut up left over veges and bag for later soups, including celery! Nancy