🌿
Parsley
Italian Flat Leaf
HerbsDirect SowTransplant
☀️
Sun
partial shade
💧
Water
Every 4 days
🌱
Germination
21 days
🕐
Days to harvest
75 days
📏
Planting depth
0.25 inches deep
↔️
Row spacing
12 inches
When to Plant
Start indoors 10–12 wks before last frost
Growing Guide
Soil: rich, moist · pH 5.5–7.0
Parsley is adaptable but prefers deep, moist, fertile soil. Work in 2–3 inches of compost. Good drainage with consistent moisture is the goal.
- Parsley seeds are notoriously slow to germinate — 14–21 days or longer
- Soak seeds in warm water for 24 hours before sowing to speed germination
- Sow ¼ inch deep, or start indoors 6–8 weeks before last frost
- Parsley is biennial — it produces leafy growth in year 1, then flowers and sets seed in year 2
- Plant in a permanent spot or plan to resow each spring — most gardeners treat it as annual
- Excellent container plant — grows well in pots on a sunny windowsill year-round
Care
💧 Water every 4 days
🌿 Fertilize every 21 days
📐 Spacing: 6 inches apart · 12 inches between rows
Recommended sub-rows: 3
Harvest & Storage
Ready in 75 days with a harvest window of 90 days.
- Harvest outer stems from the base, leaving the inner growing crown intact
- Begin harvesting once plants have 6–8 leaves and are well-established (6–8 weeks after transplanting)
- Flat-leaf parsley has superior flavor to curly types and is preferred for cooking
- In zone 5, parsley often overwinters with minimal protection and resumes growth in early spring
Storage
Stand stems in a glass of water in the refrigerator (like cut herbs) for up to 2 weeks. Alternatively, chop and freeze on a baking tray, then bag for long-term storage.
Companion Planting
Grows well with:
tomatoasparagus
Keep away from:
lettuce
Essential Tools
- Nothing special. A dedicated herb pot works beautifully.
Pests & Diseases
- Parsley caterpillar (Black Swallowtail): large green/black/yellow striped caterpillar — hand-pick and relocate (they become beautiful butterflies); damage is usually minor
- Leaf spot (Septoria): brown spots with yellow halos — remove affected leaves; avoid overhead watering