Parsley

Parsley, a member of the carrot family (Apiaceae), is a hardy biennial grown as an annual. This versatile herb is used in cooking or as a garnish and may be harvested in Sonoma County year-round. For its continued presence in the garden, set out new plants each year or allow an existing plant to reseed.

Parsley Varieties

Curley-leafed French parsley grows 6-18 in. tall and wide. Its deeply ruffled leaves give it a handsome appearance often used as a culinary garnish.
Flat-leafed Italian parsley grows 1½-3 ft. tall by 2 ft. wide. It is considered more flavorful than the curly-leafed French type and is often preferred for cooking, although either variety can be used in any cuisine.

Growing Parsley

Grow in beds or containers, plant as an edging, or mix parsley into an ornamental flower bed.
Provide moist, fertile soil amended with compost; usually no additional feeding is needed.
Purchase plant starts from a nursery or sow seed of this cool-weather crop March-May and again August-October. Provide some shade in a hot, summer garden.
Start seeds indoors 6 weeks before the last frost date.
Soak seeds overnight to hasten germination, which takes 10-28 days depending on the variety. Consult seed packets for days to germination.
Plant seed ¼ in. deep or less in a dampened, sterile germination mix; keep the planting area evenly moist. Spray with a mister to avoid disturbing seeds and continue spraying daily until seedlings are well-anchored. Place the container in a sunny window.
Transplant into beds or containers when seedlings reach about 2 in. tall.
Cover the soil with mulch to help keep it evenly moist.
Plan on 2-3 plants to supply individual or family needs.
Protect parsley from a hard freeze to survive over winter. A few plants started in spring usually last all winter in Sonoma County.
Expect to find parsley worms, larvae of the beautiful swallowtail butterfly, feeding on a few sprigs. Larvae go through 5 stages from black/brown with orange markings and spines to smooth, pale green fat bodies with black and yellow stripes before pupating and emerging as yellow and black butterflies.

Harvesting

Start harvesting parsley 60-75 days after planting and after several sprigs appear.
Harvest from the outside of plants. Cut only 2-3 sprigs from each plant at one time to keep it vigorously growing. Fresh sprigs can be kept in the refrigerator crisper for a week or longer.
Freeze or dry extra parsley for long-term storage.
Plants shift from growing leaves to growing flower stalks and blooms after overwintering. They start to bolt and form seed as days get longer in spring and temperatures warm up.
Remove year-old plants and replace them with a new crop.
Harvest some of the remaining sprigs until the new crop is ready.

Additional Information

Drying Herbs

April 2022