Where To Grow Parsley
Parsley needs a rich well dug soil which does not dry out too often.
It prefers full sun, but if the soil is good, it will do very well in partial shade.
Propagating Parsley
 The
two common varieties are curled-leaf and flat-leaf, although a wide
range is available from specialist seed companies. All varieties are
treated the same.
Parsley is often very slow to germinate because it needs high
temperatures. For this reason GardenAction always recommends that the
seed is sown in pots and kept indoors in a warm room until the seedlings have sprouted.
In
March
, sow
four or five seeds to the pot, and if you are lucky for most of them to
germinate, thin out to one seedling per pot. Prepare the soil outside by
digging it well, and incorporating as much organic matter as possible.
Add bonemeal to the top layer of soil. The seedlings can be
planted outside when they are about 8cm (3in) high.
Care of Parsley
A once monthly dose of general fertiliser will
keep the plants healthy.  Parsley
sown in
March
can normally be harvested from
July
to
July
the
following year. Because it is a biennial, it will then begin to produce
seed which ends the plants use as a herb. Sowing later than
March
is
fine, the plants will mature later, and this will extend the harvesting time.
Parsley does not usually suffer from pests and disease. Occasionally, carrot or
greenfly attack them - spray with derris (available at almost all garden
centres) as a preventative measure in
June
and
August
.
Container
Growing Parsley
Parsley is an excellent plant for growing in all sorts of containers
- some very attractive pots are made especially for growing parsley. No
special care is required - just keep them in a sunny spot, feed
regularly with a liquid plant food, and ensure the pot compost is kept moist. |
