Use this easy-to-grow herb either fresh or dried and as an edible or an ornamental.
It’soften grown as an annualand is used in cooking.
Curly leaf parsleys work well for cooking and add a gorgeousdeep green dimension to ornamental flowerbeds.
Credit:BHG / Zoe Hansen
Flat leaf parsleys include Italian types that taste sweet and strong, with a flavor recommended for cooked dishes.
Use this guide to grow and care for parsley in your garden.
Where to Plant Parsley
Call on parsley toanchor a kitchen herb collection.
Credit:Robert Cardillo
When grown within steps of your door, fresh herbs will quickly make their way into your summer dishes.
Then simply step outside and harvest what you needadding it to your cuisine seconds later.
Indoors, plant it in a sunny spot where it gets indirect light up to 8 hours a day.
Credit: Dean Schoeppner
BHG / Zoe Hansen
How and When to Plant Parsley
Start parsley from seedor purchase nursery-grown transplants.
Sow seeds outdoors in the spring or early fall when temperatures are mild.
Parsley seed is slow to germinate.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
So unless you are seeking a specific variety only available through seed, consider starting parsley from nursery-grown transplants.
Sow seeds outdoors 1 to 2 inches apart in well-worked, fertile soil.
Cover the seeds with 14 inch fine soil.
Credit:Marty Baldwin
Water the seedbed and keep it moist while seeds sprout.
Thin seedlings to 3 to 4 inches apart when they are 2 inches tall.
Light
Parsley grows best in full sun spots thatget lots of light most of the day.
Credit:Matthew Benson
Partial shade will also work for parsley, though they may not be as vibrant in color.
In warmer climates, the plants do better if they get afternoon shade.
Soil and Water
Parsley seeds don’t sprout all at once.
Credit: Illustration by Gary Palmer
Keep soil moist but not waterlogged to encourage more germination.
Temperature and Humidity
Parsley is hardy in most areas, so it withstands many different temperatures.
However, it does best in a moderate climate of 50oF to 70oF.
Credit: Gary Palmer
To protect parsley in colder climates, add mulch to outdoor plants.
Fertilize indoor parsley plants in containers every six weeks.
Use a liquid vegetable fertilizer at half-strength.
So for a bountiful harvest, sow parsley seeds each year.
Avoid shaving off the tops of stems; this stunts new growth.
Potting and Repotting Parsley
Anyindoor herb gardenbenefits from the addition of parsley.
Place indoor parsley pots in the brightest light possible.
you might also opt tobring outdoor parsley plants insidein fall to enjoy fresh snips throughout winter.
Dig parsley plants in fall and pot them in a container with drainage holes.
Be sure to use a prepared potting soil as garden soil will not drain well in a pot.
Place the container in a bright, sunny window and water regularly.
After growing inside through winter, parsley doesn’t usually transplant back into the garden well.
Discard the plant and start with new plants in the spring garden.
Pests and Problems
Parsley is a host plant for the caterpillar of the black swallowtail butterfly.
Once they’ve become butterflies, they’ll stop eating the leaves.
Parsley Companion Plants
Asparagus
Marty Baldwin
Parsley will keep away the asparagus beetle, protectingasparagusplants.
Frequently Asked Questions
Both flat and curly-leaf parsley can be dried for later use.
The easiest way is to place washed, stemmed leaves on a dish to air dry.
You also can freeze dried parsley leaves in plastic bags.
Use dried or frozen parsley leaves within a year for the freshest flavor.
