Growing Parsley, also curly leaf parsley or flat leaf (Italian) parsley

Petroselinum crispum : Apiaceae / the umbelliferae family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
P P P P           P P P

(Best months for growing Parsley in New Zealand - cool/mountain regions)

  • P = Sow seed
  • Easy to grow. Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 50°F and 86°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 8 - 12 inches apart
  • Harvest in 9-19 weeks. Cut stalks from outer part of plant.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Carrots, Chives, Tomatoes, Asparagus
  • Avoid growing close to: Potatoes
  • A parsley seedling
  • Flat leaf Italian parsley

Takes a long time to germinate, about 3 - 5 weeks before the seedlings appear. Grows to about 20 - 30 cm (8 - 10 in) until it flowers when the stems will shoot up to about 1 m (3 ft).

The useful leaves disappear when parsley flowers so it is best to have some more seedlings ready to plant.

Will self seed and produce plenty of new plants every year. Can survive snow and light frosts

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Parsley

Use the leaves and stems to add flavour and colour.
Can be cooked in dishes such as ratatouille.
Traditionally used in white sauce.

Your comments and tips

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05 Jun 24, Elisabeth (Australia - temperate climate)
Can I leave my Italian parsley in pots over winter and will they regrow next spring .Also I pulled 3 parsley bushes out of the garden because they grew over a metre tall and had huge roots should I have left them in to regrow ?
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10 Jun 24, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Read the notes about it.
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25 Mar 22, Pete (Australia - temperate climate)
I planted a bed of parsley about 9 months ago, it grew well and bushy. I have been harvesting the parsley for months and now it is turning yellow and sems to be collapsing. I was under the impression that parsley would last for 2 seasons. Apart from the fact that it has veen pretty wet does anyone have any idea why this is occurring? Thanks and cheers Pete
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29 Mar 22, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
The wet could be the problem. I had a ripper about 8-10 years and in Sept it just died in a week.
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17 Mar 21, Christine Hughes (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
Is it best to grow parsley in pots in a cool climate ( Clutha) or is it okay to put it directly into the garden?
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17 Mar 21, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Parsley should be alright in the ground. I have seen it growing through snow.
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07 Oct 19, phil (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
If you want your parsley seed to germinate quickly pour boiling water over them.
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13 Aug 22, John (Australia - temperate climate)
So you let it soak in boiling water until water cool?
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19 Aug 19, Margaret (Australia - temperate climate)
I always have parsley growing in my garden which self seeds and tends to pop up in unexpected areas around my garden. This year a parsley plant popped up in a perennial flower bed which has gone on to produce massive leaves up to 90mm across with fronds measuring more than 200mm in width. I have never seen anything like it and it is the most tender and sweetest parsley I have ever tasted. Can anyone shed any light on this apparent aberration?
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20 Aug 19, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Sounds like damn good rich soil to me.
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Showing 1 - 10 of 81 comments
See comments for all plants

Parsley grows really well in the US (west Coast). It's a little difficult to start from seed but once it starts producing, it is wonderful. After cutting it down (harvesting the leaves), it just grows back again. It just keeps growing until it freezes in the winter. I grow moss curled parsley.

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