Utah 52-70 Improved

Family: Apiaceae Vegetable

Planting Schedule

Provide your location or planting zone to unlock dates and add Utah 52-70 Improved to a garden.

Crisp, cool stalks with a clean, celery-bright snap—Utah 52-70 Improved delivers a refined crunch and a pleasantly mild, garden-fresh flavor that feels especially vivid after a cool spell.

Expect tender ribs with a sturdy, upright habit that helps keep texture crisp and uniform, ideal for bunching and long-season enjoyment. Grow it for classic celery character in fresh salads, bright sauces, and savory pickles—its flavor stays lively from first harvest through the heart of the season.

Light: Part SunMaturity: 85 DaysHabit: Rosette

Botanical illustration of Utah 52-70 Improved

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Utah 52-70 Improved Planting Dates by USDA Zone

Estimated US hardiness-zone windows for sow, transplant, and harvest. Enter a US ZIP above for exact local dates, or open a zone below.

Zone	Start Indoors	Sow / Transplant	Harvest
Zone 1a	Protected Environment Only
Zone 1b	Protected Environment Only
Zone 2a	Mar 16th	May 18th	Aug 11th – Aug 29th
Zone 2b	Mar 6th	May 8th	Aug 1st – Aug 25th
Zone 3a	Mar 6th	May 8th	Aug 1st – Sep 1st
Zone 3b	Mar 10th	May 12th	Aug 5th – Sep 21st
Zone 4a	Mar 6th	May 8th	Aug 1st – Sep 24th
Zone 4b	Mar 4th	May 6th	Jul 30th – Sep 27th
Zone 5a	Feb 27th	May 1st	Jul 25th – Sep 30th
Zone 5b	Feb 23rd	Apr 27th	Jul 21st – Oct 5th
Zone 6a	Feb 20th	Apr 24th	Jul 18th – Oct 10th
Zone 6b	Feb 14th	Apr 18th	Jul 12th – Oct 16th
Zone 7a	Feb 9th	Apr 13th	Jul 7th – Oct 20th
Zone 7b	Jan 30th	Apr 3rd	Jun 27th – Oct 28th
Zone 8a	Jan 21st	Mar 25th	Jun 18th – Nov 5th
Zone 8b	Jan 12th	Mar 16th	Jun 9th – Nov 12th
Zone 9a	Dec 26th	Feb 27th	May 23rd – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Dec 1st	Feb 2nd	Apr 28th – Dec 9th
Zone 10a	—	Oct 1st	Dec 25th – Feb 28th
Zone 10b	—	Oct 1st	Dec 25th – Feb 28th
Zone 11a	—	Oct 1st	Dec 25th – Feb 28th
Zone 11b	—	Oct 1st	Dec 25th – Feb 28th
Zone 12a	—	Oct 1st	Dec 25th – Feb 28th
Zone 12b	—	Oct 1st	Dec 25th – Feb 28th
Zone 13a	—	Oct 1st	Dec 25th – Feb 28th
Zone 13b	—	Oct 1st	Dec 25th – Feb 28th

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	85
Sun Requirements	Part Sun
Growth Habit	Rosette
Support Needed	None
Planting Depth	Normal
Germination Temp (°F)	70
Min Soil Temp (°F)	45
Min Night Temp (°F)	35
Harden Off (days)	6

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Utah 52-70 Improved is built for that glassy, celery-cool crunch—tender ribs with a mild flavor that stays vivid rather than turning harsh. Use it raw or quick-set in brine so the snap is the headline, and let lemony acids and salty fats ride right alongside it.

Best Uses

raw crudités and shaved-stalk salads where the crunch has to stay intact
light vinaigrettes and creamy dips that cling without turning bitter
quick brines for refrigerator pickles (snappy texture stays put)
stock-making for a fresh, green backbone

Flavor Profile

celery-bright snap mild, clean vegetable sweetness crisp, watery ribs cool herbal finish

Kitchen Pairings

lemon parmesan caesar dressing mustard tahini chicken

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the most common disease/pest issue for sweet celery (Apium graveolens var. dulce), and how do I treat it?

Celery is especially prone to Septoria leaf spot, which shows as small brown spots on older leaves that can spread in humid weather. Remove and destroy infected foliage, improve airflow (don’t crowd plants), and water at the soil line rather than overhead. If the spotting continues, use a labeled fungicide for leaf spot on celery and restart at 7–10 day intervals as directed on the label.

How often should I water sweet celery during its main growth phase, and what soil moisture level should I maintain?

During the main growth phase (after seedlings establish and through most of the 85-day season), keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Water deeply about 1–2 times per week, adjusting to heat so the top 1 inch of soil stays damp; hot, windy spells may require more frequent watering. Avoid letting beds dry out and then flood, which can contribute to bitterness and hollow, stressed growth in celery.

How can I tell when ‘Utah 52-70 Improved’ sweet celery is ready to harvest?

Harvest when plants have firm, well-developed stalks that are full length for the variety and about 85 days from transplanting (or roughly the stated days to maturity from sowing, depending on your timeline). Look for stalks that snap slightly and feel crisp, not rubbery, with leaves that remain green and upright. If stalks are thin or easily bend, give them more time before cutting near the soil line.