Growing Parsley
Parsley: Not Just for Salad
Parsley is one of the most common herbs in the kitchen, whether as flavoring, garnish or spice, you can expect a savory treat with the freshness of parsley.
The list on ways to use parsley in cooking is endless! It has a subtle taste that does not overpower other flavors, and can be used as a palate cleanser in gourmet dishes. The well-known variety of parsley is the Italian parsley, which has flat leaves.
It is widely used as seasoning that adds flavor and a fresh note to any dish. The curly leaf parsley is another variety that is often used in most garnishes.
Parsley has medicinal properties as well. It can be a diuretic. Kidney stones and infection of the gall bladder is said to be preventable if parsley is taken regularly. It does wonders for the digestive tract and cleans the digestive system as it is carminative. Parsley is also beneficial as a tonic for the liver and kidney.
Growing parsley is not hard. Keeping one in your kitchen will be very productive especially if you love cooking. Read on for our full guide on how to grow parsley in your own garden or kitchen.
Growing Parsley
Parsley is easy-to-grow, so having an ample supply in your kitchen is not a problem. It can grow both indoors and outdoors, but it’s ideal to start sowing Parsley indoors. Sow the seeds six weeks before the last frost. When planting Parsley, choose a well-lit location where the sun can shine on the plants. You can use any type of garden soil as long as it is fertile, moist and well-drained. It’s best to use acidic or neutral soil, ranging from 5.6 to 7.5 pH. The optimum range is 6.0 to 7.0 pH.
Plant 12 seeds per pot or that would be 4 to 5 seeds per plug. If you’re starting from seeds, it will take about 8 weeks for seeds to develop into plugs. Germination takes about 21 to 28 days. When we calculate the duration from plugs to matured plants, it will take about 6 weeks. Make sure to space the seeds 9 to 12 inches apart, as Parsley can grow up to 12 to 18 inches high once it matures. Transplanting Parsley is possible when the plugs set in.
Care
Water Parsley regularly to keep the soil moist but do not let the soil get soggy. Mulching is a good idea to reduce weeds. Use fertilizer at least every four months. There are also some dangers of pests when growing Parsley such as aphids, spiders and mites, but make sure to use organic/ chemical-free insecticidal soap.
To store Parsley, dry or freeze it. This can be done by cutting the stalks above ground level. The development will be hindered if Parsley stalks are cut near the top.
