Parsley is a very common herb, used to flavor various dishes and also commonly used to decorate courses. It is known for its property of neutralizing bad breath: after a meal you can chew the twig that decorates your plate to freshen your breath. Parsley is an easily cultivated plant every two years in temperate climates and annually in cold climates.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Prepare to Plant
Step 1. Choose a type of parsley
Parsley has two main varieties: with curly leaves and with smooth leaves (also called Italian parsley). Parsley with smooth leaves tends to have a slightly stronger flavor than parsley with curly leaves, although both varieties are relatively delicate. You will also need to decide whether to grow parsley from seeds or start from a potted plant.
Step 2. Choose your seat
Parsley is suitable for any vegetable garden or pot and does not present particular conditions for growth. Choose an area that receives at least partial lighting, in your garden space or among other garden plants. If you decide to grow parsley in a pot, place it on the windowsill that receives morning sunlight.
Step 3. Prepare the soil
Soil that is relatively thin, rich in nutrients and compost and with a pH between 6 and 7 is perfect for parsley. Test the pH of the soil and add peat moss if it is too basic. To create the perfect blend, mix 50% potting soil and 50% compost to provide nutrients. This will create a light, airy soil that will help the parsley's small root system to take hold in the soil.
Part 2 of 3: Spread the Seeds
Step 1. Soak the seeds in soapy water
Fill a large cup or bowl with warm (not boiling) water, add a drop of dish soap and mix the solution so that the soap dissolves. Put all your parsley seeds in the solution and leave them to soak for an hour. The heat of the water and the detergent will help break the outer shells of the seeds, which are notoriously hard, and will help them germinate faster.
Step 2. Rinse and move the seeds to another bowl of water
Using a small colander, pour the water with the detergent and run some lukewarm water over the seeds. This way you should remove all traces of soap and prepare the seeds for the next step. Fill a bowl with hot water (about 40 ⁰C) and soak the seeds. Leave them overnight to allow the germination process to continue.
Step 3. Dry the seeds
After they have been soaked in hot water for 24 hours, remove the seeds from the bowl using a colander and spread them on a sheet of wax paper to dry. When they are completely dry they are ready to be planted.
Step 4. Start planting seeds indoors
If you want to speed up the sowing time further, you can plant them in small containers in advance and then transfer them to the final container when they have germinated; 6-12 weeks before the last frost before spring, plant the seeds in small containers and water them every day. In this way they should have enough time to start sprouting, and then have more time to complete the growth when they are moved to larger pots or to the vegetable garden.
Part 3 of 3: Plant the Seeds
Step 1. Plant at the right time
Wait until all chances of having a frost are over and sow parsley right in the garden if you haven't started the process indoors. The seeds are usually planted in early spring, between March and April.
Step 2. Dig holes or rows
Using a small garden shovel, create rows in your garden, spaced 12-15cm apart and long enough to plant the seeds at 7.5cm intervals. The seeds (or sprouts) must be covered with 1.5 cm of earth, so the holes, or the rows, must not be too deep.
Step 3. Transplant the seeds
Transplant seedlings started indoors after the first frost and when they are at least 7.5cm tall into your garden. Place the seeds so that the plants are 7.5 cm apart, in rows that are 15 cm apart. In this way, the parsley will have plenty of room to grow, space that will be exploited to the full with the beginning of spring.
Step 4. Water the parsley
Water the parsley generously at least once a week to encourage longer main root development. You will need to water more often during particularly dry and hot periods. If you are growing parsley in pots indoors, give it enough water to make the soil barely moist. Consider installing a drip system if you can't water regularly.
Step 5. Keep weeds at bay
Weeds can mix easily with parsley, but they will deprive it of some nutrients and sunlight. Compost around the plants to help the soil maintain its moisture level and prevent weeds from growing. Afterwards, weed up any weeds you can see and throw them away from your garden.
Step 6. Keep delivering nutrients
Fertilize parsley once a month using a generic fertilizer to support the growth of the grass for the entire season. You can also keep adding compost to the soil to help it stay nutrient-rich all the time, giving your parsley extra help.
Step 7. Collect the parsley
When it has groups of 3 fully developed leaves, the plant is ready to be harvested. Harvest the parsley gradually throughout the season, cutting the outer stems of the plant just above the ground level to encourage further growth. Collecting leaves from the top of the plant will reduce your yield.
Step 8. Freeze the leaves for later use, or dry them and store them in airtight containers
You can use parsley stored for a year, it will keep a great flavor.
Advice
- Parsley also grows well indoors, in a sunny spot. In this case, be sure to use a deep pot so that the plants can develop their own long roots.
- The roots of parsley are edible. Depending on the variety you have grown, the roots can be similar to a carrot or parsnip. Both raw and cooked, the roots are perfect for soups, stews and minestrone.
Warnings
- Hot, dry weather can make your plants brown. If this happens you need to prune the plant, removing all dead parts, and water generously.
- If the parsley blooms, the plant will no longer produce flavorful leaves and must be weeded out.
