Fresh parsley is full of flavor and vitamins. The rich green leaves add beauty and good taste to the garden. Learn how to grow parsley outside, inside, and in containers with these 5 tips.
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5 Tips for How to Grow Parsley
2. Plant parsley correctly
Parsley seeds are very slow to germinate. Sow seeds in the garden 1/2 inch deep and 6 inches apart. It can take 3 to 4 weeks for seedlings to appear.
For square foot gardening plant 4 per square.
You can also plant parsley transplants. Look for small transplants with bright green leaves. Plant parsley transplants at the same depth as the nursery container.
Parsley prefers well-draining soil and grows in full sun or partial shade. Do not overwater.
Carrots, chives, dill, onions, peas, and peppers are good companion plants for parsley.
For square foot gardening, plant 4 parsley plants per square foot.
Flat Leaf (Italian) Parsley: Looks like a large version of cilantro. Robust flavor often preferred over curly parsley. Try Dark Green Italian Giant.
Curly Parsley: Often used as a garnish. Flavor is similar to but less intense than flat-leaf varieties. Try Triple Moss Curled Parsley.
3. Care for parsley correctly
- Let top inch of soil dry out between watering.
- Parsley is one of the easiest herbs to grow and does not need a lot of special care or attention.
How to grow parsley in containers:
- 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.
How to grow parsley indoors:
Plant a parsley transplant in an unglazed terra cotta pot at least 8 inches deep.
Water parsley only when top inch or so of soil is dry.
Provide supplemental lighting for parsley for 10-11 hours with the lights about 6 inches away from the plant.
Ideal indoor temperature: 50°F-75°F.
- Parsley grown indoors benefits from a liquid organic fertilizer application each month during the growing season.
4. Harvest parsley often
Begin harvesting parsley when a harvest won’t take more than 1/3 of the plant. Harvest parsley using the cut-and-come-again method. It will continue to produce leaves all season. Harvest the oldest leaves first, leaving the inner leaves to grow.
Parsley is a versatile herb and can be used in dips, dressings, sauces, soups, potatoes, chicken, and the list goes on and on.
5. Allow parsley to grow for 2 years to attract beneficial insects to your garden
Often grown as an annual, this biennial herb will send a flower stalk up during its second year which attracts pollinators.
Allow a plant or two to overwinter, and the following year the tall flower stalk will form in the center of the plant. Swallowtail butterfly larvae are attracted to parsley flowers. The flowers develop into seeds that can be harvested to plant again or left to scatter and (hopefully) reseed.
The foliage of second-year parsley is coarse and not as tasty. Plant new parsley each year to harvest the greens.
Bruna Dessena
Tuesday 9th of November 2021
Good morning I am a brand new novice gardener that has started planting herbs in my tiny garden. My parsley ( flat leafed) is growing so well, but I have now noticed it has these flowers at the top! Must I cut this off? Is this the end of my parsely bush?
Angela Judd
Wednesday 10th of November 2021
Sounds like it is bolting and going to seed. You can cut it back, but you are just delaying it a bit. The energy will now be focused on producing seeds. You can choose another spot and plant a new plant or seeds.