Giant Red

Family: Apiaceae Vegetable

Sink your senses into Giant Red’s richly colored stalks, where deep garnet-red ribs rise with a crisp, refreshing snap and a clean, bright bite.

At maturity, the plants form bold, upright clumps with substantial, well-blanched texture that holds its integrity in the garden and shines in classic celery preparations—ideal for roasting, simmering into savory bases, and adding vivid color to sauces and pickles.

Light: Part SunMaturity: 80 DaysHabit: Upright

Planting schedules and alerts are optimized for Columbus (Zone 6b).

Crop Dates

Milestone	Date
Start Indoors	Feb 14th
Last Frost	Apr 25th
Transplant / Sow Outdoors	Apr 18th
Harvest Begins	Jul 7th
Harvest Ends	Oct 16th

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	80
Sun Requirements	Part Sun
Growth Habit	Upright
Support Needed	None
Planting Depth	Normal
Germination Temp (°F)	70
Min Soil Temp (°F)	45
Min Night Temp (°F)	28
Harden Off (days)	7

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Giant Red celery brings a high-crisp, high-hold crunch—those blanched ribs don’t collapse into stringy water when you cook them. Use it where you want both brightness and structure: roast for edge sweetness, or pickle to lock in that snappy bite and garnet color.

Best Uses

roasting until caramel-browned at the edges, then finishing with flaky salt
simmering into stocks and broths for a bright, green backbone
thin slicing for crunchy raw crudités and salads
pickling for sharp, ruby-red snap and color

Flavor Profile

crisp, watery snap clean bright bite with celery-like herbaceousness sturdy, well-blanched ribs that stay snappy under heat

Kitchen Pairings

lemon parmesan butter chicken mushrooms black pepper

Frequently Asked Questions

What pest or disease most commonly affects Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris var. cicla) and how do I control it?

Watch for leafminers and aphids, which can leave stippled or curled leaves; inspect the undersides regularly. Remove heavily affected leaves and spray aphids with a strong stream of water, then use insecticidal soap if needed. For disease, keep leaves dry and improve airflow to reduce leaf spot and downy mildew—avoid overhead watering and remove yellowing/spotty foliage promptly.

How often should I water Swiss chard during the main growing phase (until harvest at ~80 days)?

Keep the soil consistently evenly moist, aiming for about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water per week, increasing to 2–3 inches in hot, windy weather. Water at the base so the leaves stay dry, and check that the top 1–2 inches of soil are moist but not soggy. If growth slows or leaf stems become tough, increase watering frequency rather than just adding more water at once.

How can I tell when Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris var. cicla) ‘Giant Red’ is ready to harvest?

Harvest when plants form thick, well-filled leaf stems (about 8–12 inches tall) and leaves are large enough to use, typically around 70–85 days. Cut outer leaves first at the base of the petiole to encourage continued regrowth; don’t strip the entire plant at once. If leaves become very small and the plant starts bolting (flowering stalk), harvest promptly and expect earlier toughening.