How to grow your own parsley

Parsley belongs to the Umbelliferae family and is a plant very popular all over the world. There are many different varieties, although in our country the flat-leaf one is known above all, which is especially aromatic. In the countries of northern Europe, curly parsley is used more, very leafy and of an intense green color, of which there are also varieties.

Parsley It is a biennial plant. This means that after planting, you can harvest this aromatic for two years before the plant flowers and then the leaf stops developing.

Parsley pots in your kitchen

There are still greengrocers that give you fresh parsley, but it is a good custom that is less and less frequent. It is an aromatic that is used continuously in Mediterranean cuisine, so if they do not give it to you, it is a great idea to grow it at home to always have it on hand.

You can buy a pot with the already developed plant as they sell it in gardening and also in some markets. In this case, keep in mind that the plant is deeply rooted and it is important that at home transplants into a larger pot sooner.

If you want to plant your own parsley, you can buy seeds at nurseries or online. When buying the seeds, you should make sure that the packets They do not show any visible damage or degeneration. Seeds in damaged bags may be unusable or may be infected with pests. If possible, choose certified organic seeds.

The best time to plant parsley in a pot is in late summer. Then the parsley will grow faster and soon you can start harvesting the leaves.

The correct location and care of potted parsley

parsley likes partially shaded places. Therefore, it is better not to place the pot in full sun. If you have a balcony or terrace, place the parsley in a protected place with long periods of shade. Regarding maintenance, parsley is relatively undemanding:

You just have to make sure that the soil in the pot does not get too wet when watering Parsley does not tolerate waterlogging. To check if the soil is still moist before watering, plunge your entire thumb into the pot before watering to see if there is still enough moisture. If that’s the case, you can wait a bit longer before watering. Whenever you plant the parsley from scratch, it is important keep the soil moist. At first, you can cover the pot with a piece of non-woven fabric, such as felt, to better maintain moisture in the soil. Parsley germinates best at slightly high temperatures. So at first, it’s a good idea to grow the plant indoors. then you can let it grow indoors in a partially shaded spot and slightly cooler or put it outside on the balcony or on the terrace.

plant parsley in the garden

Also in small garden plots, parsley grows best in partially shaded locations. The soil must be well drained, sandy and rich in humus. Can enrich the soil with compost or organic fertilizers from autumn to increase the nutrient content in the soil.

For a harvest in summer and autumn, You can sow parsley from mid-March.

plant the seeds one or two centimeters deep. The rows should be 20 to 30 centimeters apart. Parsley it takes three to four weeks to germinate. During this time, you must ensure that the soil is always moist and that no weeds grow in the flower bed. For keep the soil moist You can also cover the garden with a geotextile mesh until it sprouts. If you want to harvest parsley in winter, you can still sow in July. In this case, however, greenhouse cultivation is recommended.

How to properly care for the plant

In the orchard or garden, parsley needs humidity, but you must avoid waterlogging, just as it happens if you grow it in a pot.

Except for fertilization at the beginning, parsley does not need any additional fertilizer. In order for the aromatic plant to sprout again after harvesting, you can regularly loosen the soil with a hoe. You should also always keep the land free of weeds.

Parsley does not get along with all plants. If you want to grow more plants in the same garden, you must choose the right neighbors. Parsley goes well with tomatoes or chives. Lettuce, on the other hand, prevents parsley from growing and should always be planted with enough space between them.