A vigorous, flat-leafed biennial herb grown as an annual for its richly flavored, dark green leaves — far more aromatic than the curly type.
Petroselinum crispum var. neapolitanum · also called flat-leaf parsley, Italian parsley
Windows are counted from the average date of your last spring frost.
Flat-leaf parsley produces heavier yields than curly types and holds its flavor better after cooking, making it the preferred choice for stocks, sauces, and fresh garnishes. A single plant kept cut will supply a household for months.
A little history. A biennial native to the central Mediterranean region, parsley completes leaf growth in its first year, then flowers and sets seed in its second. Most gardeners treat it as an annual, pulling plants before they flower.
Sow seeds ¼ inch (6 mm) deep, and aim for 9 inches (25 cm) between plants once thinned. Sow ¼ inch deep; keep the seedbed evenly moist — parsley germinates slowly and the surface crust will block emergence if it dries out. Seedlings emerge in 14–28 days.
Either works well — needs at least 8 inches of soil depth for its taproot to develop properly. In containers: 1-gallon pot minimum; 2-gallon preferred for sustained harvest.
Water deeply when the top inch of soil feels dry; more frequently in hot or windy weather. Water when top inch of soil feels dry to the touch. Aim for about 1 inch per week including rain.
Side-dress (scatter fertilizer along the row and water in) once a month during active growth. What to use: balanced compost or a 5–5-5 organic granular fertilizer; avoid high-nitrogen feeds that reduce flavor.
Remove any flower stalks immediately as they appear to extend the harvest. Harvest outer stems first, cutting at the base; never remove more than one-third of the plant at one time.
It's ready when stems are at least 6 inches tall and carry three or more leaf segments; outer stems are dark green and fully open. Do not harvest until the plant has at least 8–10 stems total. Cut individual outer stems at the base with scissors or a sharp knife, leaving the inner growing crown intact. Harvest in the morning after dew dries for best flavor and longest vase life.
Stand cut stems in an inch of water in the refrigerator, loosely covered with a plastic bag, for up to 2 weeks. Alternatively, chop and freeze flat in a single layer, then transfer to a bag.
Sow a second batch 4–6 weeks after the first to ensure continuous supply; the slow germination means gaps appear quickly if only one sowing is made.
In mild climates, mulch the crown with 3–4 inches of straw after the first frost; plants may survive and resume growth in spring but will bolt quickly in their second year.
Tomato
A low skirt of parsley at the base of staked tomatoes takes up little room, and any plant allowed to open its small flat flower clusters feeds hoverflies and tiny parasitic wasps that hunt aphids. Under low pest pressure this can keep aphid colonies on the tomatoes in check.
Asparagus
Gardeners have long tucked parsley between asparagus crowns, and no mechanism has been demonstrated. It is at least practical: parsley roots stay shallow enough to avoid the crowns, and the bed is left undug for years, which suits a slow starter.
Chives
Carrot fly finds its hosts largely by smell, and the onion scent of a chive clump can help cover the scent of carrot-family foliage nearby. Treat it as a small bonus, not a substitute for insect mesh over young parsley.
Carrot
Old charts keep these two relatives together simply because they want the same loose, evenly moist soil. There is no demonstrated benefit, and they share carrot fly and leaf spot, so mesh both from sowing and move the whole planting together at rotation time.
Rose
Parsley is said to protect roses from aphids, a pairing repeated in cottage-garden writing without supporting trials. It does make a tidy edging that shades the soil at the base of the canes, so treat the planting as ornamental rather than protective.
Spearmint
Spearmint runs underground and will thread through a parsley clump within one season, making clean cutting impossible. Grow mint in its own pot, or sink a bottomless container 12 inches deep to hold the runners.
Lettuce
Parsley can take 14 to 28 days to emerge, and a fast lettuce rosette often closes over the seedbed before then, leaving the seedlings starved of light and water. Sow lettuce at least a foot away, or wait until parsley has true leaves.
Give the carrot family 3 years away from this spot before any of its relatives return.
The pea and bean family, the cabbage family or the onion family thrive in this ground next season.
A light feeder that leaves soil little changed but hosts carrot fly and leaf spot in the top few inches. Wait 3 years before any carrot-family crop returns here. Peas or beans, cabbage-family greens, or onions and garlic all follow well after a compost topping.
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