Edible Landscaping With Parsley
by John Yazo
Parsley has become an extremely popular herb to be grown in the home garden, and an excellent plant choice to include in your edible landscape gardens. It is known for its unique flavor and ease to grow. Parsley is used as a delicious seasoning for many dishes, and when used in salads. It is also known to be high in vitamins A and C, along with other minerals.
Parsley is a biennial herb, that loves cool temperatures, and makes a great plant choice as an ornamental in a flower bed, or as a container planting. It can survive the winter months in mild climate areas, before it flowers early in its second season. In most cooler climates, parsley can either be taken indoors as a container planting, or mulch heavily to protect it from the cold weather.
Best grown in full sunlight to partial shade is what makes this herb a good choice as a part of your edible landscape. The soil conditions preferred is one with a healthy organic soil structure that drains well, and retains moisture. Due to their deep taproot, the soil also needs to be loose to a depth of 8 to 12 inches, or grown in raised beds. Parsley is a plant that will adapt well when planted in containers. If you live in an area that you will need to bring your parsley plant indoors for the winter months, it is best to grow them in a container so that you wont disturb their root system.
When planting parsley from seed, you will need to be a little patience, they are notoriously slow to germinate, taking as long as three weeks. There desire for cool temperatures makes the a good crop to grow in both the spring and fall. Direct sow seeds after all danger of frost has passed, planting the seed 1/2 inch deep in a row covered with a healthy organic soil, and keep well watered. Once the seedlings have emerged and have grown to a height of between 2 - 3 inches, thin there spacing to about 6 -10 inches apart. Transplants can also be started indoors 6 - 8 weeks before the last expected frost in your area.
The key to having a successful parsley crop is keeping the soil moist and fertilize once a month with a diluted solution of fish emulsion, parsley is a high feeder of nitrogen to keep their leaves flourishing. Using an organic mulch will keep the soil cool and consistently moist.
A regular harvesting will keep your parsley plants producing a fresh crop of tasty leaves.
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