Parsley

Name Origin:

Relates to the habitat of the parsley plant in nature, where it naturally grows among rocks - the Greek word of which is petros. More on the History of Parsley.
 

Natural Order:

Umbelliferæ
 

Growing Cycle:

Hardy biennial herb
 

Origins:

Native to Mediterranean shores, and cultivated for at least 2,000 years. As early as the 15th century there are records that parsley had developed several well-defined forms and numerous varieties. Parsley now has the largest number of varieties among all garden herbs.
 

Height:

Parsley grows to a height 2 feet or more tall when it flowers in the second season.
 

Characteristics:

Dark green leaves with long stalks.
 

Parsley Flowers:

Erect, branched flower stems which bear umbles of little greenish flowers.
 

Parsley is perhaps one of the easiest to grow of the sweet herbs. Plants will thrive in ordinary soil with only a moderate amount of light; making it a great option for container gardens.
 

Parsley Seeds.

Parsley seed is slow to germinate and can require 4-6 weeks to sprout. Soaking seeds in water for at least 24 hours will speed germination.
 
This moisture requirement also means that parsley should be sown very early.
 

Sowing Parsley Seeds.

Sow in cold frames or beds for later transplantation. One option is to sew in rows only 3-4 inches apart with alternating rows of radishes. By the time the parsley seedlings appear the radishes will have already been harvested. The radishes will also help mark the rows as well as loosen the soil and shape the parsley seedlings.
 
Another common companion for parsley is lettuce. Another early producer, lettuce will be harvested just as the parsley is taking hold providing the gardener with a much more efficient use of their garden space.
 
When sowing parsley seeds in open ground, set drills 12-15 inches apart with at least one inhc between seeds.
 
For small gardens, parsley makes a great edging for flower beds and borders. When used for this purpose, it is best to sow parsley seed thickly in late October or November in twin rows close together (3 or 4 inches apart). Best results are obtained when the plants are removed in the fall and fresh seeds are sown for the following season.
 

Cultivation.

Conduct your first thinning around May to space plants two inches apart. When they begin crowding, harvest each second plant.
 
Parsley does best when the soil is supplied with humus, preferably from decaying leguminous crops or from stable manure.
 
To maximize yields, parsley responds well to being transplanted as many as three times during the growing cycle.
 

Parsley Harvest.

Harvest leaves as needed to flavor your cooking or cut up to half the leaves just above soil level. Parsley leaves are a favorite place for black swallowtail butterflies to lay their eggs, look for striped caterpillars prior to cutting the leaves.
 

Parsley Seed Harvest.

When growing parsley for seed production, remove every imperfect or weak plant so that only the healthiest plants can fertilize each other. Protect these plants over the winter and they should bloom the next growing season. Plants tend to irregularly ripen their seeds which makes some seeds ready 1-3 weeks before others. Keep the harvests separate as the early seed producers should be given priority in next year's garden.
 
Cut parsley heads when the bulk of the seed is brown or dark in color. When gathering the seed, take care to avoid shaking the stems and scattering the fine seeds. Thresh lightly over tightly woven fabric or old sheeting and retain only the ripest seed. The stalks can be spread thinly on the sheets and set in the sun for two days to ripen addition seed.
 
Dry all seed lots for 10-14 days to make sure they are thoroughly dry, turning daily.
 

Harvesting Fresh Parsley.

It is common for gardeners to divide their parsley plants into three parts so as to have a succession of cuttings. Once the plants have been cut, it usually takes about three weeks for a new crop of leaves to grow and mature. Larger overall yields will be achieved if only fully matured leaves are cut and the under-developed leaves are left to continue growing.