How to Grow Parsley

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To stimulate your skin and make your face feel fresh and soft blend a handful of freshly picked parsley (flat leaf or Italian) with a handful of mint and add enough yoghurt to make a paste-like consistency. Apply to face and relax for 10 minutes before washing off.

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Plant fresh herbs in cups and saucers to go around the kitchen or window sill. This not only adds a splash of fresh green color, it’s handy for healthy cooking

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Parsley and its variants is an easy to grow biennial. The rich green leaf foliage makes it an attractive plant for growing in the kitchen garden, in pots with other herbs or as a border or edging plant for brightly coloured annuals. For best results plant in full sun or semi shade in a moderately rich, well drained moist soil with a pH of between 5.5 - 6.7.

How to Grow Parsley

Parsley can be grown from seed or plants purchased from your local nursery. The varieties commonly grown for culinary use are the curly leaf parsley and flat leaf "Italian" parsley which has a stronger flavour than the curly-leaved cultivars. On average about 10 plants will be enough to provide a steady supply for most households.

To grow from seed, sow directly into warm garden soil or in seed trays. Seeds can be slow to germinate taking 2-4 weeks and soaking in warm water overnight before sowing can help speed up the germination process. The secret to growing from seed successfully is to keep the temperature consistent and the soil moist. Thin seedlings to 20cm (8 inches) apart so they are appropriately spaced with room to grow.

To keep the plants healthy refrain from picking young plants too soon as this can stunt their growth. Prune away any yellowed or dead leaves on mature plants and side dress with compost, manures or blood and bone in mid season. Take extra care while weeding as the long tap root does not like to be disturbed. To prevent parsley from going to seed break off the flat topped flower heads as they appear so the plant will produce leaves for a while longer.

Parsley is useful as companion plant for asparagus, tomatoes and roses and is said to be an insect repellent when planted with carrots. To improve the health and vigour of parsley interplant with peppermint.

Harvesting Parsley

Snip off fresh parsley stalks at the base as required. When using fresh in cooked dishes add towards the end of cooking to retain the flavour and colour.

To dry parsley hang in bunches in a shady place. Store the dried parsley in an airtight container.

Parsley can be frozen whole or chopped for use during the winter months.

Uses for Parsley

Parsley is rich in vitamins A, B and C and a source of iron and calcium. It contains apigenin, a flavonoid that reduces allergic responses and is an effective anti-oxidant.

The leaves are widely used as garnish and to flavour various dishes. Chewing the fresh leaves acts as a natural breath freshener.

Use chopped parsley sprinkled over the top of rice or vegetables, in soups and egg dishes, with meat or fish or in a salad. Serve steaks and fish with parsley butter or small sprigs of quickly deep fried parsley. When used with other herbs it is delicious in meat and poultry stuffing and it is the key ingredient in bouquet garni. Chopped parsley is commonly added to white sauce to make it more interesting.

Here are a few ways that I like to use parsley...

Mediterranean style salad:

Chop fresh parsley with diced vine-ripened tomatoes, diced cucumber and black olives. Season with fresh lemon juice, sea salt and black pepper.

Parsley dumplings for stew or soup:

Sift 1 breakfast cup flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder and 1 teaspoon of salt together. Add 1 egg, 1oz of melted butter, 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley and enough milk (about 1/2 cup) to make a stiff batter. Drop spoonful amounts into hot stew or soup, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes.

Pan fried fish with herb butter:

Pan fry fish and finish with a delicious herb butter. To make the herb butter melt a large knob of butter to a clean pan and cook until a nut brown color. Swirl in the juice of 1 lemon, 2 tablespoons of finely chopped parsley and 1 tablespoon of snipped chives. Pour over the cooked fish.

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