Parsley is one of those herbs that doesn’t get the attention it deserves. It has been relegated to the role of garnish—something put on top of a dish only to be discarded to get to the star of the meal.
But there’s more to this green wonder than meets the eye. This bright, herbaceous, and slightly bitter-tasting herb not only emphasizes the flavor of your meals but it can also be used to decorate your garden.
It is also packed with vitamins C, A, and E which makes it a great addition to a healthy diet.
The best part about this herb? You can easily grow this in your own back yard!
So today, we’ll be going through how to grow parsley at home. Let’s get started!
Understanding Parsley
Parsley is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae that is native to the central and eastern Mediterranean regions. It is widely cultivated both as an herb and as a vegetable. It grows as a bright green, biennial plant in temperate climates, or an annual herb in subtropical and tropical areas.
The most commonly grown cultivars of parsley are curly parsley (Petroselinum crispum) with ruffled leaves and Italian parsley (Petroselinum crispum neapolitanum) with flat leaves.
The main difference between these two types, apart from their appearance, is their color and flavor.
Flat-leaf parsley has dark green to bright leafy greens and a bold aromatic flavor. Whereas, curly leaf parsley has bright green leaves with an herbaceous and bright flavor.
It is also rich in nutrients including flavonoids and antioxidants, especially luteolin, apigenin, folate, vitamin K, vitamin C, and vitamin A.
While the size of mature parsley plants can vary depending on the variety you choose, they generally grow between 12 to 18 inches high and 9 to 12 inches wide.
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Growing Parsley
Once you’ve chosen the type that will work for you, then you need to choose the method.
Growing Parsley From Seed
Choose a planting site that has soil that’s rich in organic matter and has a neutral pH ranging between 6.0 and 7.0. Loamy soil with good drainage is your best friend when you’re planting parsley.
Starting parsley from seed is a slow process that can take several weeks.
Start them about 6 weeks before the last frost date indoors. Or you can sow them outdoors once the ground is easily worked. Make sure to add 10 to 12 inches of space between each plant.
Growing Parsley In A Pot
If you’re interested in growing parsley in pots, be sure that the pots are deep and wide enough since mature plants can grow long taproots that reach 12 to 18 inches long and 12 to 24 inches wide.
Remember to water them a little more often as potted plants tend to dry out faster. Also, keep them mulched well to help keep them from drying out.
Growing Parsley From Cuttings
Parsley is also easy to grow from cuttings. Simply cut stems from the parent plant leaving about 3 to 5 inches of stems and several healthy leaves at the top. Before transplanting, you’ll need to encourage root growth, to do this just place cut stems in potting mix. In about 2 to 3 weeks, you can transplant them.
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Caring for Parsley
As mentioned earlier, parsley is quite a low maintenance plant. Just make sure that they receive morning sun and partial shade in the afternoon. This herb grows best in temperatures ranging from 60° to 65°F.
Keep the soil evenly moist and avoid overwatering parsley. Don’t forget to mulch around the plants to keep the roots cool in the summer. Feed them with fertilizer every month.
Harvesting Parsley
While parsley can be slow to germinate, it doesn’t take long to harvest. Seed-grown plants can be harvested in 12 to 14 weeks while those planted from seedlings or cuttings can be harvested in as little as 3 weeks.
Parsley is ready to harvest when they’re about 6 inches tall. To encourage more growth, be sure to harvest whole stems from the base of the plant.
You can cut parsley as needed and you can preserve it by freezing or dehydrating fresh leaves.
Whether you’re growing parsley indoors or outdoors, growing parsley in pots, or growing parsley from seed or cuttings you’ll love this versatile plant.
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