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How to grow flat-leaf Italian parsley
Flat-leaf parsley is the everyday Italian herb. It is slow to germinate, but once established it gives leaves for most of the year.
Flat or curly?
Flat-leaf (Italian) parsley is the usual choice for Italian cooking, while curly parsley is often used as a garnish. Both are grown in the same way.
Be patient with germination
The RHS says parsley seeds are slow to germinate and can take a month or more, so do not give up too soon. Keep the soil or compost moist while you wait.
When to sow
Sow outdoors from mid-spring to late summer, directly where the plants will grow. Sowing small batches every few weeks gives a steady supply into autumn. You can also start seeds indoors from early spring for an earlier crop, and transplant seedlings outside when they are 10 to 15cm tall.
Spacing
Leave outdoor rows 20 to 30cm apart depending on variety, and thin seedlings to 15 to 30cm apart. Add the thinnings to salads. Transplanted seedlings also go 15 to 30cm apart.
Parsley in pots
Use a container at least 25cm wide and deep, filled with peat-free multi-purpose compost. Scatter seeds thinly and cover with about 1cm of compost. Containers dry out quickly in warm weather, so check them often and move them to shade in hot spells. Feed with an organic, balanced liquid feed every few weeks in the growing season if needed. See the container guide.
A biennial usually grown as an annual
Parsley produces leaves in its first year and flowers and sets seed in its second. Plants past their first year stop producing good leaves, so sow fresh plants each year, keeping a couple only if you want to save seed.
Pests
Parsley is related to carrots and celery and shares their problems. The RHS lists aphids, carrot fly, celery leaf mining fly, and slugs and snails, which favour parsley. Growing it in pots can make it harder for slugs to reach.
Harvesting
Pick leaves from late spring through autumn. Regular picking encourages more growth. Take a few leafy stems from the outside of the plant, cutting near the base. For winter crops, bring plants indoors, into a greenhouse or coldframe, or cover them with cloches. Given enough light and warmth, they keep producing leaves.
A warning about supermarket pots
The RHS says supermarket parsley is designed for short-term indoor use and should not be planted outside because of the biosecurity risk. Grow your own from seed instead.
In the kitchen
Use parsley in salsa verde and gremolata. See cooking ideas for recipes and the sowing calendar for dates.
Troubleshooting
- No seedlings after two weeks: normal. Keep the soil moist and wait up to a month or more.
- Yellow leaves: often too wet, or aphids. Check the undersides.
- Tunnels in the leaves: celery leaf miner. Remove affected leaves.
- Plants flowering: probably second-year plants. Sow replacements.
Making the most of it
Sow two small patches a month apart, one in a pot by the door and one in the garden, so you always have a young plant at the right age.
Winter parsley
For leaves in the cold months, sow in late summer and move a pot into a greenhouse, cold frame or sheltered spot, or cover plants with a cloche. Pick lightly in winter because growth is slow.
Frequently asked questions
How long does parsley take to germinate?
A month or more, according to the RHS. Keep the soil moist and be patient.
Does parsley come back every year?
It is a biennial. It makes leaves in year one and flowers in year two, when leaf quality drops. Sow fresh plants each year.
Can I plant a supermarket parsley pot outside?
The RHS says no: they are for short-term indoor use and carry a biosecurity risk.