Learn how to plant, grow, and harvest parsley in your very own garden.
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Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Parsley
Planting
Pick a spot that gets full sun (6+ hours of sunlight) and has well-draining soil that’s rich in organic matter. This herb needs more fertile soil than most herbs. Soil pH should ideally be around 6.0—slightly acidic.
Try to also choose an area that is weed-free; it’ll be easier to see the parsley sprouting.
When to Plant Parsley
Parsley seeds can be started indoors or sown directly in the garden. However, the taproot of parsley plants is delicate, so take extra care if transplanting!
- For a head start, plant seeds in individual pots indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last spring frost date.
- Sow seeds outdoors 3 to 4 weeks before the last spring frost, as parsley is a slow starter.
- For the best germination, soil should be around 70ºF (21°C), though parsley seeds will germinate in temperatures as low as 50ºF (10ºC).
How to Plant Parsley
- The germination rate of parsley seeds tends to be low, so consider soaking the seeds overnight before sowing to improve your chance of success.
- Sow parsley seeds 1/4 inch deep.
- Sow seeds about 6 to 8 inches apart. For larger plants, sow about 8 to 10 inches apart.
- Be sure to keep soil moist while seeds germinate.
- It can take 2 to 4 weeks for seedlings to appear.
- Tip: Plant radish seeds in the gaps between parsley seeds. The radishes will sprout and grow before the parsley appears, and the radishes will mark the row.
- Indoors, you can use a grow light to help seedlings grow. Make sure it remains at least two inches above the leaves at all times.
Catherine Boeckmann
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I’ve been wondering what the point of fresh parsley is, besides a pretty green decor. I’ll have to get some dried parsley and try to figure out it’s allure. I’ve wondered how it could possibly be great for anything but looks.
Very lovely set on a plate when serving heavy meals. Great for freshening your breath after the meal.
My parsley has seeds on it. What steps do I need to do to these seeds to plant them for new plants
Parsley, a biennial, will form seeds the second year. Once the umbels (seedheads) and seeds on it are mostly brown, cut them off the stalks. Don’t wait too long, or the seeds will fall off (shatter). Dry the seeds by placing the umbels on a cloth in a well-ventilated place. Once dry, rub the umbels to remove any remaining seeds that haven’t already fallen onto the cloth. Ripe seeds should be a dark brown. Winnow out any plant debris. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark, dry location for up to 2 to 3 years.
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It is a great photo! Thank YOU for taking it and releasing it into the public domain!
I have two parsley plants in containers on my deck. They have proveded prsley for my nieghbours and i for two years. However this year they seem to be prone to growing long stems with few leaves on them. They have full sun and are watered almost daily. I fertilize everything on my deck one a week.
Parsley is really a biennial and treated as an annual in cooler regions. The second spring after planting, the plant blooms, goes to seed, and then finally gives out. It sounds like your parsley is done. It’s easy to plant new seeds. Also, to keep parsley bushy, be sure to prune. Cut stems at the base of the plant, starting on the outside, to keep it full.
Can you plant parsley in the fall?
Hi Steve,
Parsley is a perennial, but it would need to grow significantly to be able to grow back the following spring. So no, it’s not recommended to plant parsley in the fall. You can plant it indoors with assisted grow lights, however.
