Growing Parsley in Containers
by John Yazo
Parsley is a very common herb that is grown by the home gardener to be used in there everyday needs to add flavor to many dishes. It can be grown from both seed as well as cuttings. Growing this herb from seed is a little more difficult, so if new to gardening you may want to start by planting transplants fro a local garden center. Curly-leaf and flat-leaf are the two most common varieties, flat-leaf being the milder tasting of the two.
When growing parsley from seed in containers, you need a container with drainage holes in the bottom, a rich soil with an good healthy organic soil structure that retains moisture and drains well. Seeds from this herb are slow to germinate, unlike most other herbs, they can take 3 to 4 weeks. It is best to start them indoors as early as March in areas of cooler climates, like here in New England, because they need a warm environment for germination,this can be done in either seed trays, or individual pots. Once your seeds have germinated and have developed into to a seedling, you will need to thin them out so the stronger plants will have the room to grow. Thinning is best done by clipping the seedlings to be removed to soil level and not pulling them out by there roots, pulling can damage the root system of the stronger plants, and be sure to keep the soil moist, not soaked, during the germination process. A good healthy plant can take between 6 to 8 weeks before it is ready to be transplanted outside in the garden.
Parsley is a herb that is much easier to be grown from a transplant that can be purchased from most local garden centers. These transplants can be grown in containers or in your outdoor garden. The conditions that this herb prefers is a good healthy organic soil structure that retains moisture, nutrients and drains well. They are a plant that can be grown in an area of full sunlight or partial shade and be keep free of weeds.
Both the leaves and the stock of parsley are edible. Thinning the plant by taking cuttings from the plants outer sides will encourage growth and provide for a healthier plant. Harvest before the plant start to flower,these cuttings can be used fresh as needed or dried and stored for up to a year.
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