Celery ‘Gigante Dorato’ Seeds | Golden Alpine Heritage Celery | Franchi Seeds

Celery ‘Gigante Dorato’ (Apium graveolens L.) is a unique golden-stemmed heritage variety from the Alps, prized for its superb flavour. Unlike self-blanching types, its golden ‘legs’ are achieved by traditional blanching (wrapping stems), resulting in tender, sweet, and less fibrous stalks. Perfect raw with dips like ‘Bagna Cauda’, as a base for sauces, or cooked. This packet contains approximately 5000 seeds.

🌱 Sow Feb-end Jun indoors or under cover. Needs a long season.
☀️ Prefers full sun to light shade. Rich, moist soil is essential.
💧 Water generously and consistently. Celery is a thirsty crop.
📏 Tall, sturdy plant. Requires earthing up or wrapping for blanching.

Bullet Technical Data
🌱 Depth: Surface sow, press lightly (needs light)
📅 Sow: February to end of June
☀️ Light: Full sun to partial shade
🌡️ Germ: 14-21 days (can be slow)
📏 Height: 60-75 cm
🪴 Space: 25-30 cm apart
⏳ Harvest: Late summer to autumn (from spring sowing)
🪙 Seeds: Approx. 5000 seeds

Tips & Tricks
Start early in warmth. For successful blanching and sweet stems, exclude light 2-3 weeks before harvest by wrapping stems with cardboard, newspaper, or soil. Keep soil constantly moist and feed regularly. A challenging but rewarding crop for the dedicated gardener.

Garden-to-Table Recipe
Celery with Paglino Cheese (Sedano al Paglino)

• 4-6 blanched ‘Gigante Dorato’ celery stalks, cut into batons

• 200g Paglino or other fresh, soft cheese (e.g., Robiola)

• Extra virgin olive oil

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Fresh bread, to serve

1. Arrange the fresh celery batons on a serving plate.

2. Place the soft cheese in a bowl in the centre.

3. Drizzle both the celery and cheese with a generous amount of olive oil.

4. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Serve immediately, using the celery stalks to scoop up the creamy cheese.
   A simple, elegant appetiser celebrating the celery’s sweet, crisp texture.