Parsley is the most-used culinary herb and at the same time one of the most frustrating to grow. For weeks nothing happens in the bed, you doubt the seed, resow or give up, and then it comes after all, just late and patchy. The trick is not a green thumb but understanding its quirks.
Three things you must know: parsley needs patience to germinate, it is biennial, and it is soil-fatiguing. Bear these three in mind and you have reliably fresh parsley. This article explains them.
Patience to germinate
Parsley is a slow germinator. It can take up to four weeks for the first tender seed leaves to show, and they rarely all come at once. That is normal and no reason to doubt the seed or resow straight away.
Crucial is that the soil stays evenly moist during this time. If the top layer dries out in between, germination stops. So keep the sowing spot consistently moist, if need be with a fleece against drying out.
Biennial: sow fresh every year
The second most common frustration: last year's parsley willingly sprouts in spring, but quickly grows tall, forms a flower stalk and tastes harsh. That is not your fault but its nature. Parsley is biennial: in the first year it makes leaves, in the second it flowers, seeds and then dies.
For an even harvest you therefore sow fresh every year, ideally in several batches. That way you always have young, mild plants instead of depending on last year's bolting stock.
Patience to germinate, keep it moist, sow fresh every year and never after carrot or celery. Know these four things and you never have empty parsley beds again.
The core rule for parsley
Frequently asked questions
Why does my parsley not germinate?
Parsley is a slow germinator and often needs three to four weeks. The most common mistake is too little patience and soil that dries out in between. Keep the sowing spot evenly moist, then it comes, just late.
Why does my parsley bolt and turn bitter?
Because it is biennial. In the second year it forms a flower stalk, turns hard and tastes harsh. That cannot be prevented. Sow fresh every year, then you always have young, mild leaves.
Can I sow parsley in the same spot every year?
Better not. Parsley is soil-fatiguing and belongs to the umbellifers. Where parsley, carrot or celery just grew, it grows poorly. Give the bed several years' break from this plant family.
Curly or flat-leaf parsley, which is better?
A matter of taste. Flat-leaf parsley has a stronger aroma and is more popular in the kitchen, curly is tougher and more decorative. In growing both behave the same, with the same germination patience.
When do I sow parsley?
From weeks 10 to 30, from early spring into high summer, in several batches. A late sowing gives plants that supply fresh leaves in mild weather into winter.
