We’re continuing our all about herbs series with How to Grow Parsley and its Culinary Uses. Parsley, a member of the carrot family, is known for its mild, bitter flavor and is often found in two varieties; Italian flat-leaf and Curly leaf.  It is the most widely grown herb for garnish and flavoring. In warmer climates, it stays evergreen all winter and grows to be large and bushy.  Curly leaf parsley is often used as a garnish while flat-leaf, with its intense flavoring, is used in cooking.  Parsley is a lovely addition to the border of herb or flower gardens. 

How to Grow Parsley & Culinary Uses

Parsley is a versatile herb that works well in cooking, attracts beneficial pollinators when blooming, and repels asparagus beetles.

Fast Facts About Parsley:

Scientific Name:  Petroselinum crispum
Germination takes 14 – 30 days. Parsley can be slow to germinate so soak seeds overnight before planting.
Hardiness: Biennial, usually treated like an annual. While it can tolerate mild winters, the flavor tends to be more bitter the second year.
Lighting: Prefers sun, but will grow in part shade
Soil Conditions: likes rich, moist soil with a pH of 5.5 – 6.7
Fertilizer: Add a balanced fertilizer when planting and then a high nitrogen fertilizer every few weeks
Height: Parsley will grow to between 8-12 inches in height.
Spacing: Plant 12 to 18 inches apart
Ease of Growth: Easy
Time to Harvest: Can be harvested in 10 to 11 weeks
Good to Grow: Indoors and Outdoors 

How to Grow

Parsley can be grown in several ways, both indoors and outdoors.

To Transplant:  start parsley indoors 8-10 weeks before the last frost.
Plant seeds ¼” deep in potting soil. Keep the soil moist and wait for seedlings. When seeds sprout, move them to a sunny location, using grow lights if necessary. Soil should be a continuous 70 degrees for germination. Plant outdoors after the danger of frost has passed.
The plants will need to be hardened off before planting outside. To do this, place the plants in a sheltered spot outdoors for a week before planting

Direct Seeding Outdoors: Follow the same planting instructions as above. Choose a sunny site with well-drained soil. When the plants are 1 to 2 inches tall, space the plants 6 inches apart. Mulch around plants to keep the soil moist, but avoid letting the mulch touch the stems to prevent rot. Water plants deeply at least once a week and more frequently in dry spells, as they need 1” of rain per week to survive. Remove flowering stalks to increase leaf production. At the end of the season, allow one to two plants to self-seed.  Parsley is a favorite of common garden critters like rabbits or possums. It is also a favorite of Black Swallowtail  Butterfly larvae. Plant extra to share.

To Grow Indoors over winter: Dig a plant from the garden in the fall and replant it in a pot. Place in a sunny, cool, location.

Where to Plant:

Plant Next To: Asparagus, Peppers, Corn, Tomatoes, Apples, Pears, Beans, Cabbage, Kale, Cauliflower, and Broccoli.
Parsley repels the asparagus beetle and the rose beetle, along with attracting beneficial insects such as braconid wasp, tachinid fly, and other beneficial insects. 

Avoid Planting by these crops: Garlic, onions, and shallots can stunt parsley’s growth, while lettuce planted near parsley tends to bolt or go to seed early.  Mint has invasive spreading roots which can overtake parsley. Carrots, as parsley and carrots are in the same family, both plants will attract carrot root flies. The two plants can also cross-pollinate. 

 Harvesting:

Parsley can be cut any time after it has become large enough. Harvest the outer leaves by cutting them at the base of the leafstalk as needed to encourage leaf production Continue to harvest fresh parsley until the plant sends up a seed stalk and dies. The leaves can be used fresh or dried.   Store fresh parsley in the refrigerator in a plastic bag. Wash the leaves, drip dry, place them in a plastic bag, and then store in the refrigerator for up to a week.  Parsley can also be dried or frozen for later use.

Culinary Uses:

Parsley is a good source of vitamin A and C. It can be used as a garnish or in stews, soups, vegetables, potatoes, pesto, tabbouleh, vinegar, herb butter, and salad dressings. A sprig of fresh parsley can be chewed on as a breath freshener. As a delicate herb, it should be added during the last few minutes of cooking time. 

Popular Varieties:

From the University of Illinois Extension Agency.

• ‘Banquet’ – The standard in the finely curled parsley class.
• Plain Italian Dark Green – Standard plain leaf variety for flavoring.  Has bright green leaves and excellent flavor,
• ‘Argon’ – An improved plain leaf type.  Has an upright growth habit.

Diseases & Treatment 

Alternaria Leaf Spot: This causes small, round reddish brown spots with white or gray centers to form on the upper surface of the leaves. This can cause wilting and is worsened by warm, wet, or humid weather.
Treatment: Remove infected parts and avoid getting water on the leaves.

Cercospora Leaf Blight: cause small flecks with a yellowish outer circle. The leaves will turn brown, wither,  and die.
Treatment: Destroy infected plants and keep crops rotated.

Damping Off: Seeds wilt and die. This usually happens when soil is overwatered and contains large amounts of nitrogen.
Treatment: Keep seeds moist, avoid over-fertilizing and overcrowding, and make sure plants have good airflow. When planting in containers, wash them before and after use with soapy water. Rinse with a 10% bleach solution.

Powdery Mildew causes a white or greyish surface on top of the leaves in humid weather. It may cause leaves to curl.
Treatment: Provide good air circulation. Follow the recommended spacing between plants. Septoria leaf spot: causes small, angular, gray-brown spots with red margins on leaves. leaves. The plant will turn dark and wilt.
Treatment  Space plants to allow for proper spacing, weed regularly, avoid overhead watering, and rotate crops yearly. Destroy affected plants

Crown Root Rot: Leaves will turn yellow and brown. Stems discoloration will follow and the plant will die.
Treatment: Rotate plants, avoid overwatering, and provide good soil drainage. 

Parsley, especially the curly leaf variety, adds striking visual foliage and lines to a border or an herb garden. Make this Mediterranean herb part of your garden for both culinary and visual enjoyment. 

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