Sowing parsley ( Petroselinum crispum )
Parsley is a versatile herb from the umbelliferous family, perfect for the kitchen and suitable for both open ground and pot cultivation.
📘 Basic information
- Crop group: Herbs
- Crop family: Apiaceae family
- Crop height: approx. 60 cm
- Growth cycle: ± 100 days (at good pH value)
- Frost resistant: no
- Root system: 20–30 cm deep
🌱 Sowing & planting
- Sowing depth: 1–2 cm
- Pre-sowing in modules: 4 seeds spread per module of ±5 cm (5 or 6 cm pots)
- Germination temperature: 10–20 °C
- Germination period: 10–21 days
- Planting distance: plant modules or pots with 15 cm space around them
- Planting out: from the first true leaves and when the plants are strong enough
🌿 Popular breeds
📅 Growing times
- Sow indoors/glass: sow February–early March; harvest from June
- Summer (outdoors): sow outdoors mid-March–end of May; harvest from July
- Autumn/winter (under glass): sow August–September; harvest from December
Start cultivation (sowing)
Harvesting
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN
Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
🏠 Pre-sowing indoors / glass
Summer (outside)
🏠 Autumn/winter (under glass)
🏠 Indoor / under glass
Outside
🌞💧 Pitch & water
- Location: 🌤 moderate sun (part shade - part sun)
- Watering: 💧💧 moderate, keep the soil slightly moist without letting it dry out
- Fertilization: basic fertilization is sufficient
- Preferred soil: pH 5.6–6.0, well-drained. If the pH is wrong, the plant will discolor and may die.
🤝 Good & Bad Neighbors
- Good neighbors: asparagus, sage, thyme
- Bad neighbors: no known bad neighbors
🪴 Cultivation method step-by-step
- Sow parsley in modules: 4 seeds per cell at a depth of 1–2 cm.
- Keep the soil moist but not soaking wet; germination may be slow (up to 3 weeks).
- Plant out with approximately 15cm between plants as soon as the first true leaves have developed.
- Check the soil pH: too acidic or too basic quickly causes problems.
- For summer cultivation you sow directly outdoors, for autumn/winter cultivation you sow under glass.
- Harvest the outer stems regularly to encourage new growth.
❗ Dangers & Concerns
- Soil that is too acidic or too basic: plants discolour and eventually die.
- Snails can damage young plants.
- Pay attention to water management: do not allow your feet to dry out, but also do not leave your feet wet for long periods of time.
🧺 Harvesting & storing
- Harvest the outer leaves by twisting the stem away from the stem.
- Regular picking encourages new, fresh leaf growth.
- You can dry or finely chop and freeze excess parsley.
