Sun
Sun to part shade, dies out with too much hot summer sun.
Water
Keep moist to germinate seeds, then regular water 1” per week or more if hot.
Soil
Ph of 5.0-7.0, Very rich and moist. To build up bed, apply 40 lbs. of manure or same amount of well-rotted compost to per 100 sq. ft. If grown in pots, use very loamy potting soil.
Fertilizer
2 lbs. of organic fertilizer about 6-8-6 to 100 sq. ft. before planting. If grown in pots, fertilize every two weeks with organic fertilizer or kelp or fish emulsion liquid fertilizer.
Hardiness
Treated as annual in cold climates. Parsley will overwinter in Zones 5-8 with a good mulch of straw or leaves. Grows better in the winter months in zones 9-11. Flat leaf variety hardier than curly and can withstand a hard freeze or snowfall but not for prolonged periods.
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Planting & Care
Propagate from fresh seed. Best germination if seeds are soaked for 24 hrs. Sow ½ inch deep in well tilled bed or start in a flat or 3 inch pots. Seeds take 2-3 weeks to germinate in temperature at least 50 deg. Keep soil moist till germination. Transplant only when very small as it forms a taproot and doesn’t like its’ roots to be disturbed. Do not transplant when too warm as they will fail. If sown in bed, thin to 6” spacing. Keep beds weeded as parsley does not like competition.
If you wish to make a perennial patch that sustains itself year to year, plant seeds two years in a row. Then let 2nd year plants go to seed in place and then pull them. Mulch beds with straw or leaves to survive the winter and in early spring you’ll get an early harvest of leaves on the 2nd year plants before they go to seed.
For fresh parsley in the winter, pot up a few husky plants from the garden and place on a sunny window-sill.
Enemies, Pests & Diseases
Pests
A tea made from parsley may be used as a spray in itself to control onion and carrot fly.
Tiny little bugs that are carried onto the plant by ants. Generally not a big problem but may spray with tobacco tea or insecticidal soap. Beneficials like ladybugs are a big help but only come around if you don’t use pesticides and if plenty of bugs to eat.
Tiny, tiny spider like creatures usually to small to see but leave white webbing as a visible sign. Usually hit in hot weather. They suck on the leaves making them droopy and curled no matter how much water. Beneficials that will help control are lacewings and ladybugs.
A good control for Spider Mites is from Jerry Baker’s Backyard Problem Solver, a concoction called “Clean-up Tonic.”
- ½ oz baby shampoo
- ½ oz tobacco tea (made from chewing tobacco)
- ½ oz antiseptic mouthwash
- Mix with 1 gal of water and spray plants liberally, especially the undersides of leaves.
Caterpillars, Armyworms, Cabbage Loopers, Parsleyworms, Tomato Hornworms
Since worms are large enough, generally can be controlled by handpicking for a small infestation. For bad cases, insecticidal soap or Bt (Bacillus thurgiensis) spray will work. Beneficials such as Braconid wasps, Tachinid flies, and beneficial nematodes are helpful without use of sprays.
Diseases
Caused by various fungi and bacteria causing spots on the leaves. Usually spread from wind or splashing water. Control by destroying infected leaves, water only in the morning and space plants far enough apart for good air circulation. One may also use mushroom compost which helps introduce beneficial fungi to combat the bad. A diluted solution of baking soda spray will protect healthy foliage but not already infected.
A white fungal growth near the base of the plant with a brownish crust in the soil. Don’t bury the crown of the plants with mulch or compost or when transplanting to prevent. Only water in mornings and provide good circulation around plants. Practice crop rotation.
Harvest & Storage
One can begin harvesting anytime after plants reach 6 inches high. Harvest only the outer leaves for a continuous supply. The proper way to pick the leaves is to catch hold of the stalk you wish to pick, lean it back and pull with one hand while holding the thick central stem so as not to break it. The stalk will then come off at the junction with the central stem so as to leave no piece behind to rot. This way of harvesting makes the next pick easier.
After picking, place stems standing in cold water in a plastic or glass cup or bowl. (metal will discolor the parsley) Do not refrigerate. Should be usable for about 4-5 days.
Turnip rooted parsley leaves are harvested like any other parsley, but in the fall the roots can be dug and stored in root cellar or frig for weeks.
Flat leaved Italian parsley retains its’ flavor better than curled when dried. Lay individual stems out on a cookie sheet lined with paper towels in dry place out of sunlight to dry. To dry curly leaved varieties, they will need a little heat. Spread out on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and place in oven for about 24 hours at 100 deg. Store dried herbs in airtight glass or plastic containers, preferably colored to keep out damaging light.
Curly parsley may be frozen. Wrap it in plastic wrap and put into the freezer for up to 6 months. You can also use frozen plants from the garden!
If saving and storing seed for next season, wait for seeds to turn from green to brown on the plant. Cut flower heads with seeds and lay on cardboard or paper towels to dry for a few days and separate them from flower head. Store them in glass or plastic containers free of moisture or in paper envelopes.
Nutritional Facts
Although used in small amounts, Parsley is high in Vitamins A, C and E. It also contains calcium, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and iron.
Resources
Cooksgarden.com – ‘Krause’, ‘Giante d’Italia’
Seedsofchange.com – Forest green, Italian flat leaved, Moss curled
Jungseed.com – Dark green Italian, Moss curled
Kitchengardenseeds.com – ‘Fakir’ turnip rooted
Victoryseeds.com – ‘Hortense’ rooted, ‘Neopolitanum’, and flat and curly types
Organicaseed.com – Italian flat leaved
Thegrowers-exchange.com – plants of ‘Italian dark green’ and ‘Starke’