Parsley is a lush plant growing up to a foot high in a beautiful rosette of green foliage. Try growing parsley plants as companions to annuals, perennials, and herbs in beds, containers, and window boxes. Plants make a nice seasonal edging and provide a striking contrast to colourful annuals, like yellow pansies or bright pink petunias. Curled parsley has a more ruffled appearance than flat-leafed parsley, but both are equally lush. Whichever variety you choose, make sure it's a Bonnie Plant® so you'll have Bonnie's 100 years of experience providing plants for home gardeners behind you.
Quick Guide to Growing Parsley
Plant parsley in spring once the ground is workable. The edible green foliage is great to grow on its own, but is also a wonderful complement to flower beds and window boxes.
Space parsley plants 6 to 8 inches apart in an area with full sun and nutrient-rich, well-drained soil with a pH of 5.5 to 6.7. Offer partial shade if growing in warm climates.
Before planting, ensure your native soil is packed with nutrients by mixing in several inches of aged compost or other rich organic matter.
These leafy herbs enjoy consistent moisture, so check soil regularly and water when the top inch becomes dry.
Promote prolific leaf production by regularly feeding with a water-soluble plant food.
Harvest parsley stems by cutting them at the base once they're large enough to use. Never cut more than one-third of the plant at a single time.
Soil, Planting, and Care for Growing Parsley
Parsley is an annual in the North, growing from spring until freezing weather. In milder climates, it is frost-proof and lives through winter. The second spring after planting, the plant blooms, goes to seed, and then finally gives out. When you see it send up a flower stalk, it's time to yank the plant because at this point the leaves will taste bitter.
Plant in the spring (or in fall in zones 7 and warmer). Normal winters in the South and Southwest provide wonderful growing conditions for parsley and many gardeners use it in pots and flower beds as a green foliage filler with pansies and violas for winter. For the summer, Italian flat-leafed parsley is a bit more heat tolerant than curly parsley.
Set plants in full sun or partial shade, and rich, moist soil with a pH between 5.5 and 6.7. Improve the quality of the soil by mixing in some aged compost-enriched Miracle-Gro® Performance Organics® All Purpose In-Ground Soil with the top layer of existing soil before planting. Or, if you prefer to grow parsley in pots, fill them with Miracle-Gro® Performance Organics® All Purpose Container Mix. It also contains nutrient-filled aged compost, but is lighter and fluffier than in-ground soil—just right for pots.
Rich, nutrient-filled soil will form a strong foundation for growing, but you'll get even better results if you replenish those nutrients throughout the growing season by feeding parsley with Miracle-Gro® Performance Organics® Edibles Plant Nutrition. Not only does it feed your plants, but it also feeds the valuable microbes in the soil that help those plants take up all the nutrition they need.
Keep the soil moist by watering thoroughly whenever the top inch is dry. To help keep roots cool and moist, mulch around the plant, but don't cover the crown of the plant or the plant will risk getting rot. In September, promote new foliage by cutting back plants set out in the spring; this is especially true for plants grown in vegetable and herb beds strictly for their harvest.
To grow parsley year-round no matter where you live, you can also grow it indoors, either in pots in a sunny window or in a water-based (aka hydroponic) growing system. A unit like the Miracle-Gro® Twelve™ Indoor Growing System is a great choice—it's simple to use (even if you've never grown in water before), provides the plant with a truly nurturing growing environment, and has a sleek, modern look.
Troubleshooting when Growing Parsley
Parsley (along with dill and fennel) is a favorite food of the brightly striped parsleyworm caterpillar, which becomes the treasured black swallowtail butterfly. Some gardeners plant enough parsley for themselves and the beautiful butterflies-to-be, which are likely to appear in late summer and fall. While parsleyworms may eat much of the plant, they won't kill it, and giving them habitat is worth it. A serious pest, though, is the whitefly. To get rid of it, spray the undersides of the leaves thoroughly with insecticidal soap.
How to Harvest and Store Parsley
Gather parsley stems and leaves as needed. Harvest parsley by cutting the leafy stems from the base of the plant—this will also serve to make the plant grow back bushier. Freeze parsley for winter use; although it is easily dried, it does not keep its flavor well.
How to Use Parsley in the Kitchen
Parsley pairs well with meat and egg dishes, potato and pasta dishes, vegetables, rice, salads, and soups, as well as cottage cheese and herb butters. Add chopped parsley to a dish near the end of the cooking process or sprinkle it on vegetables or salads immediately before serving to keep the fresh flavour. Parsley is also a chief ingredient in bouquet garni.
FAQs
Is parsley for seasoning or just a garnish?
Parsley makes a wonderful seasoning. The flat-leaved Italian parsley is thought to have superior flavor, while the curly parsley has more ornamental appeal. The flavor of parsley is delicate, but it adds an herbal freshness to foods such as tabbouleh, herbal butter, potatoes, and even parsley pesto. Also, consider using parsley as a breath freshener or palate cleanser between courses.
I have caterpillars on my parsley. What can I use to kill them and still be able to eat the parsley?
The most common caterpillars on parsley, as well as dill and fennel, are the colorful larvae of the black swallowtail butterfly. These plants are host plants, providing nourishment for the juvenile form of an elegant adult. First, you should consider leaving them alone. As soon as they move on to the next step in metamorphosis, the pupae, you can cut off damaged leaves and fertilize your plant, and it should recover. If that isn't acceptable, try moving the caterpillars to an alternate plant such as Queen Anne's lace, which is commonly seen on roadsides and along the fence lines of old fields. Just cut the leaves on which the caterpillars are feeding, place them at the base of the new host plant, and wish them well.
My parsley lasted all winter, but now it looks terrible. I thought it was a perennial. What can I do?
Parsley is a biennial, not a perennial. What that means is that it grows into a plant one season, and after winter's cold temperatures, it blooms, sets seeds, and dies. The better idea may be to replant in spring, letting it grow all summer and winter. Then, next spring, don't wait for it to bloom. Just pull it out and replace it. However, if you need a low-growing green winter filler with pansies, parsley is an excellent choice.
Instead of being dark green, my parsley is covered with tiny white dots. What is happening?
Your parsley is probably hosting a pest called whitefly, which is the perfect name for it. Use your hand with your fingers outstretched to shake the foliage of parsley. Do you see little white flies take flight around the plant? If so, you need to spray the plant with insecticidal soap, paying special attention to the undersides of the leaves. Follow the directions on the label to find out how long you need to wait before picking and eating your parsley.
Parsley prefers soil enriched with plenty of organic material, such as compost and well-rotted manure. And a pH of 6.0-7.0 provides the best range for nutrient absorption and vitality. Sow seeds 1 inch apart at a depth of ¼ inch, and keep the soil moist for the entire growing season.
Sow seeds directly into garden soil, three to four weeks before the last frost. For a speedier germination, soak parsley seeds overnight before sowing them. I like to start my parsley seeds indoors, 2 1/2 to 3 months before the last frost, in order to get ahead and have larger plants to start off the growing season.
Each plant can grow 1 to 2 feet tall, depending on the variety, and can withstand a light frost. Parsley seeds don't sprout all at once. Continue to keep the soil moist, but not waterlogged, to encourage more germination.
Parsley that is grown outdoors requires a thorough watering once or twice each week. The soil should be damp to a depth of around two inches. Allow the soil to mostly dry before you water in abundance again. Keep the water around the base of the plants and try to keep the leaves as dry as possible.
As with most herbs, parsley does best in a sunny area that receives direct light for six to eight hours a day. It can tolerate some light shade. Sow seeds directly in the ground where you will grow the plants, after danger of spring frosts has passed.
There are a few reasons why parsley won't grow well. Mainly poor watering practices, overcrowding, or temperature issues. Too much or too little water can stall growth and eventually cause it to wilt. Keep it consistently moist and use a meter gauge to help you maintain the perfect level.
Parsley doesn't need much room to grow, however it will get much bushier if you give it plenty of space. So space your seeds or seedlings about 6-8 inches apart when you plant them into the garden.
Parsley has a long taproot and does best in containers at least 8 inches deep. Parsley grown in containers benefits from a liquid organic fertilizer application each month during the growing season.
Parsley's a natural in any container and is just as easily grown in a small pot, large patio planter, or mixed into a window box. But, due to their deep taproots, they need some depth to their container – choose vessels that are at least 12 inches deep for the most vigorous performance.
If the parsley has any flowers, pinch them back (deadhead) or remove them with scissors. First, check and see of your parsley plants have grown any blooms. If these blooms have begun to fade, it's important that you deadhead them. To deadhead means to remove the dying flowers before they form seeds.
Parsley really love water and do not like to dry up! It might even be hard to overwater it, but still, even a water-loving plant can get overwatered. Always feel the soil before watering - it should feel damp but not wet.
This is the number one cause why parsley leaves turn yellow. The plant is largely grown indoors, and if you do not give it enough sunlight, it will suffer from its lack. To discover more about this problem, place your parsley outdoors under a bright summer sun for a day or two.
Cut at the base of the plant to include the stem (instead of just cutting the leaves) in order to stimulate more growth from the center of the plant. Remember not to harvest more than 1/3 of the plant at a time. Also parsley is a biennial plant.
You can eat the stems of parsley, but they are much more bitter than the leaves, so I recommend just using the leaves for most recipes. By placing all stems together, you can easily remove them in one quick cut.
There is no harm in eating the fresh parsley or cilantro stems; they don't have the best texture, so we recommend chopping most of the larger stems off. Don't throw parsley stems away; compost or save for making veggie stock!
Soil: enrich the soil with compost and aged manure. Position: full sun to part shade. Feeding: apply seaweed solution or an organic liquid fertiliser regularly. Watering: regular watering required, especially during hot, dry weather.
How do you harvest parsley without killing the plant? Simple—just take what you need each time you harvest. Don't cut the plant all the way back, and don't pull the plant—just snip off a stem or two or three, and your plant will keep producing parsley all season long.
Well, there's no need to rue(!) the arrival of cold weather, because a few of our favorite kitchen seasonings, like parsley, are cold hardy and continue to grow year-round. Easy to overwinter in many regions, parsley produces crisp, fresh leaves at a slow but steady pace in cool temperatures.
The general rule of harvesting parsley is to regularly pick a few leaves instead of an occasional large harvest. Doing so will keep the plants busy producing foliage. Otherwise, parsley goes to seed early in the season. Keep in mind that it takes a parsley plant two to three weeks to grow back after a harvest.
Parsley plants are often used to trap pests and draw them away from the most important tomato plants, making them great tomato companion plants! Aphids love tomatoes, so to get rid of them, plant parsley nearby.
American Serpentine Leafminer. This serious celery pest attacks parsley and many other vegetables. Adult leafminers feed on flowers, and the females feed on plant juices. Females also insert their eggs between leaf surfaces.
Parsley is a biennial, not a perennial. What that means is that it grows into a plant one season, and after winter's cold temperatures, it blooms, sets seeds, and dies. The better idea may be to replant in spring, letting it grow all summer and winter.
Parsley herbs (Petroselinum crispum) grow best in a sunny, preferably south-facing window where they will receive six to eight hours of direct sunlight every day. If your window doesn't provide that much light, you'll have to supplement it with fluorescent lighting.
If you have ever bought a live pot of herbs from the supermarket, you will have found that you must use all the herbs in a short period, as they often do not last very long sitting on the shelf in your kitchen. There are several reasons for this: Such herbs are not intended to last more than 1-2 weeks.
How long does a parsley plant last? Parsley plants will only last for two years before they reach the end of their natural growing cycle. They are a biennial, which means they put on leafy foliage the first year, and then bolt (go to flower and set seed) in the second.
How do you harvest parsley without killing the plant? Simple—just take what you need each time you harvest. Don't cut the plant all the way back, and don't pull the plant—just snip off a stem or two or three, and your plant will keep producing parsley all season long.
Parsley is best picked as needed, cutting the stems at the base, so that new leaves grow back quickly. You may want to grow several plants so that you can harvest from one while another is left to produce new growth.
Pick a spot that gets full sun (6+ hours of sunlight) and has well-draining soil that's rich in organic matter. Soil pH should ideally be around 6.0—slightly acidic. Try to also choose an area that is weed-free; it'll be easier to see the parsley sprouting.
This is the number one cause why parsley leaves turn yellow. The plant is largely grown indoors, and if you do not give it enough sunlight, it will suffer from its lack. To discover more about this problem, place your parsley outdoors under a bright summer sun for a day or two.
To reduce repeated freezing and thawing, cover mulched plants with a shroud made of row cover or an old sheet. In addition to buffering cold winds, the cover will protect the plants from rabbits, deer, and other hungry animals.
Address: 2033 Gerhold Pine, Port Jocelyn, VA 12101-5654
Phone: +8524399971620
Job: Central Manufacturing Supervisor
Hobby: Jogging, Metalworking, Tai chi, Shopping, Puzzles, Rock climbing, Crocheting
Introduction: My name is Edmund Hettinger DC, I am a adventurous, colorful, gifted, determined, precious, open, colorful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
