How to grow parsley for self sufficiency

Why grow parsley?

Parsley is highly nutritious, with high amounts of iron, potassium, and other nutrients, and it tastes great. Use it in chimichurri, German one pot stew, in salads, and chopped and sprinkled on potato dishes, eggs, burgers, and all kinds of meals.

Like any fresh herb, parsley is best used as fresh as possible, so by growing your own, even if you only have a small garden, you can grow the most delicious and nutritious parsley.

The difference between flat leaf parsley and curly leaf parsley

Flat leaf parsley is the superior type to grow for use in cooking – it has more flavour and holds onto its flavour better when cooked. Flat leaf parsley is also easier to grow than curly leaf parsley, and has a better texture when you want to use a lot of parsley in salad or other dishes.

How to grow parsley from seed

1. Make furrows in the soil, around 1 inch (2.5cm) deep, spaced 1 foot (30cm) apart. Every 6” to 12″ (15 to 30cm) apart, sprinkle 3 or 4 seeds of flat leaf parsley in a clump and gently pat down, to get them in contact with the soil. 
2. Lightly sprinkle the furrow back on top of the seeds.
3. Gently water it in, then make sure to water every day in dry weather, just enough to keep the soil moist, not so much that you are drowning the seeds.
4. Leave the parsley to grow until big enough to start harvesting, then simply harvest sprigs as you need them and leave the plant to regrow. Cultivate around the plants if there are weeds coming up.

In climates with mild winters (USDA zone 7 and warmer), parsley has a biennial growing habit, so next spring, when they bolt to seed, let them set seed – the flowers are great for attracting beneficial insects to your garden, it’s so good to have parsley self-seed and pop up in unexpected places around the garden, and any seeds you save from your own plants will be uniquely adapted to the conditions in your garden.

If you live in a colder climate, you may be able to overwinter parsley for seed saving with row cover, cloches, greenhouses, or heavy mulch in climates as cold as USDA zone 5.

When to plant parsley

For best results, avoid sowing in cold weather and in hot, dry weather. In our mild climate I get the best results planting parsley anywhere in the second and third months of spring or the first month of summer. Any time of year when you would normally sow carrots is probably a good time to plant parsley.

How much parsley to plant

In fertile soil, plant at least 2 feet (60cm) of row per family member. I think I’ll double this next time around. If your soil is not great, your parsley won’t grow as big, so plant more of it.

How to save seed from parsley

In climates with mild winters, parsley will flower around 9-12 months after sowing, if you started it in spring or early summer. To save seed, simply leave the flowers to mature into seed, and then leave the seedheads to fully dry out. Shake the dry seedheads over a table to release the seeds.

If you’re in any doubt about them being dry enough, place on a piece of paper and allow to air-dry indoors for a few days. If you’re satisfied that they are dry enough to store, store in airtight jars or buckets.

Can I start parsley indoors in trays?

You can start parsley indoors as seedlings or plant starts if you have to, just be careful not to damage the root system when you are transplanting it. Plant seeds 1” deep in flats, small plug trays, or soil blocks, and plant them out as soon as possible after their first set of true leaves have grown.

Can I grow parsley in a pot on a balcony or courtyard?

Yes, parsley will grow well in pots. For best results, choose a pot at least 1 foot (30cm) deep, don’t overcrowd it, and make sure to keep it well watered in dry weather.