did you know?

For such a humble herb, parsley's history is shrouded in danger and death. According to an old folktale, the seeds must travel to hell and back before they germinate. The ancient Greeks, who dedicated the herb to their hero Archemorus, believed that parsley grew where the blood of Archemorus was spilled when he was eaten by serpents.

general maintenance:

To increase production, harvest mature outer leaves regularly.

pests/diseases:

Damping off, leaf spot, as well as larvae of carrot and celery fly, and black swallowtail may occur.

controls:

To reduce damping off, use pasteurized propagation media and bottom heat. For leaf spot, remove diseased plants and reduce soil moisture. Control fly larvae by removing diseased plants. Handpick black swallowtail larvae.

how to sow/plant:

After danger of frost has passed and when soil temperature reaches 50°F, direct sow seeds 3–4 inches apart, 1/4 inch deep. Or sow indoors in pots 8 weeks before last frost, and transplant outdoors. Water upon planting. When true leaves emerge, thin seedlings to 6–8 inches apart.

water and fertilize:

Keep soil uniformly moist, and fertilize monthly with balanced fertilizer, following package directions.

garden hint:

Soak seeds overnight before planting to speed germination. Direct seeding produces more vigorous plants. Raising seedlings indoors does not save any time; since parsley has a taproot, transplanting will only set back growth.

features:

• Fragrant
• Frost Tolerant
• Heirloom
• Shade Tolerant

garden uses:

• Containers
• Edging
• Flowerbed borders

other uses:

• Culinary/Edible
• Dye (dried stems make a green dye)

combine with:

other culinary herbs, such as anise (), basil (), chives (), dill (), and nasturtium () in the kitchen garden or in containers.