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How to Grow Parsley: A Complete Guide to Planting, Growing, and Harvesting

Learn how to plant, grow, and harvest parsley in your very own garden.

Botanical Name
Petroselinum crispum
Plant Type
Herbs
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Part Sun
Soil pH
Slightly Acidic to Neutral

Grow fresh, flavorful parsley right in your backyard with this easy gardening guide.

Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Parsley: it’s not just a pretty garnish anymore! This humble herb pulls double duty—brightening your plate and your garden. Whether you’re sprucing up soups or sowing seeds for the first time, parsley is a flavor-packed, foolproof favorite for gardeners of all levels. Let’s dig in!

About Parsley

This popular herb is used in sauces, salads, and especially soups, as it lessens the need for salt. Not only is parsley the perfect garnish, but it’s also good for you; it’s rich in iron and vitamins A and C!

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Native to Mediterranean Europe, the parsley plant (Petroselinum crispum) is a biennial but is usually grown as an annual in home gardens. After the first year, the leaves tend to become more bitter and tough, but the plant will gladly reseed itself in temperate zones.

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Planting

Where to Plant Parsley

Pick a spot that gets full sun (6+ hours of sunlight) and has well-draining soil that’s rich in organic matter. This herb needs more fertile soil than most herbs. Soil pH should ideally be around 6.0—slightly acidic. 

Try to also choose an area that is weed-free; it’ll be easier to see the parsley sprouting.

When to Plant Parsley

Parsley seeds can be started indoors or sown directly in the garden. However, the taproot of parsley plants is delicate, so take extra care if transplanting!

  • For a head start, plant seeds in individual pots indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last spring frost date.
  • Sow seeds outdoors 3 to 4 weeks before the last spring frost, as parsley is a slow starter.
  • For the best germination, soil should be around 70ºF (21°C), though parsley seeds will germinate in temperatures as low as 50ºF (10ºC). Learn how to warm your soil in the spring.

How to Plant Parsley

  • The germination rate of parsley seeds tends to be low, so consider soaking the seeds overnight before sowing to improve your chance of success.
  • Sow parsley seeds 1/4 inch deep.
  • Sow seeds about 6 to 8 inches apart. For larger plants, sow about 8 to 10 inches apart.
  • Be sure to keep the soil moist while the seeds germinate.
  • It can take 2 to 4 weeks for seedlings to appear.
    • Tip: Plant radish seeds in the gaps between parsley seeds. The radishes will sprout and grow before the parsley appears, and the radishes will mark the row.
  • Indoors, you can use a grow light to help seedlings grow. Make sure it remains at least 2 inches above the leaves at all times.

green parsley leaves

Growing

  • Be sure to keep parsley plants sufficiently watered, especially through the heat of summer.
  • Lightly mulch around the plants to conserve moisture.

Types

  • Flat-leaf varieties: Use in cooking because they have better flavor and are easier to work with than curly-leaf parsley
  • Curly-leaf varieties: Use when you want a fancier garnish

Harvesting

  • When the leaf stems have at least three segments, parsley is ready to be harvested.
  • Cut leaves from the outer stems of the plant whenever you need them. Leave the inner portions of the plant to mature. Ideally, allow 2 to 3 weeks for regrowth between major harvests.
  • If you want fresh parsley throughout the winter, replant a parsley plant in a pot and keep it in a sunny window.

How to Store Parsley

  • One method of storing the parsley fresh is to put the leaf stalks in water and keep them in the refrigerator.
  • Another method of storage is drying the parsley. Cut the parsley at the base and hang it in a well-ventilated, shady, and warm place. Once it’s completely dry, crumble it up and store it in an airtight container.

Gardening Products

Pests/Diseases

  • Aphids
  • Stem rot
  • Leaf spots
  • Carrot fly and celery fly larvae

Parsley is a favorite of black swallowtail butterfly caterpillars as well.

Wit and Wisdom

Recipes
Grilled Eggplant Halves With Parsley
Herbs
About The Author
Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann is the Executive Digital Editor of Almanac.com, the website companion of The Old Farmer's Almanac. She covers gardening, plants, pest control, soil composition, seasonal and moon c...
Read More from Catherine Boeckmann

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Comments

<span>Liesel</span> Wed, 03/19/2014 - 12:48
Why do the leaves turn yellow?
<span>Joan Mary Davis</span> Thu, 11/06/2014 - 21:41
I bought a big, beautiful Italian parsley plant in a large container from a nursery two weeks ago. I cut off a few yellow leaf branches last week and by this week there were many more yellow branches. I have kept the soil moderately moist and the plant is situated in front of a window in my living room. Why are the parsley leaves turning yellow? Thank you for any advice you can give me.
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Wed, 03/19/2014 - 17:22

If your parsley has yellow leaves, it is often a watering issue.Make sure that you water consistently each day, giving it a deep soaking at the base of the plant.
Also, is your parsley in a container? Make sure it's at least 10 inches deep so the parsley's long roots aren't overcrowded.
Finally, make sure the soil is rich with nutrients and that you aren't overfertilizing.

 <span>Kira</span> Tue, 01/14/2014 - 23:52
What do you do when parsley begins to flower? How much and how often should you cut it back? Thanks!
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Thu, 01/16/2014 - 06:11

Parsley is a biennial. The first year, it grows it leaves; the second year, it flowers to set seed and dies. You could still harvest any leaves though they'll have less flavor. Once parsley flowers, your harvest is over. You can keep the plant and enjoy the blooms.

 <span>Teachrjones</span> Sun, 10/05/2014 - 21:16
If you prune it and snip the buds before blooming, would it still be harvestable?
<span>Kberg</span> Wed, 08/06/2014 - 19:10
Our parsley has sprouted a large thick stalk right out of the center, which had caused the parsley production to halt and the stalk to continue to grow. What is this? If I remove the stalk will the parsley start growing again, or is my plant at the end of it's life?
<span>Andrea Lettman</span> Sat, 08/29/2015 - 19:13
I have the same stalk growing and did not see an answer to this inquiry. Do you know what to do?
<span>Kira</span> Mon, 01/20/2014 - 19:33
Ah, I see. Thanks for the information!
<span>Anonymous</span> Thu, 05/09/2013 - 03:53
i heard u only have to at least your finger size and push down into the ground and make a hole then put the seed or the seedling into the ground then cover it with the mud then water it and thats it