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
S S S S S S S S S S S S
T T T T T T T T T T T T
P P P P P P P P P P P P

(Best months for growing Parsley in Australia - temperate regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • 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 10°C and 30°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 20 - 30 cm 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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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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06 Mar 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I am no expert and have usually grown most things from seedlings. Last year I started trying to grow a lot more from seed. I had a couple of parsley plants from seeds last year. My experimenting has lead to this practice. I made a 1m stand at the back of my shed - on the north side. I have 4 Styrofoam boxes on it. I fill the boxes with a mix of sand soil and compost etc. I then put some good really munched up potting mix on the top (about 25cm) - it is quite fine nearly like rough sand/soil. I plant my seeds and then put some more potting mix on top. I have enclosed the whole thing with shade cloth - about 600mm above the boxes to just blow the box bottom (keeps the birds out and provides shade - cooling in hot weather at the moment). I have set up a spray line above the boxes. I plant the seeds and just put the spray line on for 15-20 seconds a day. I have about 80-90% germination of white onion, leeks and red onions in the last 2 weeks or so. The points from above - keep soil moist and cool and don't disturb the soil and water with heavy watering.
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31 Dec 17, Trudi (Australia - temperate climate)
Can you freeze parsley
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