DIY Network

Parsley Joe Lamp'l plants two varieties of parsley: a curly-leaf variety, Forest Green, and a flat-leaf variety, Dark Green Italian. From "Fresh from the Garden" episode DFFG-305

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You can direct-sow parsley seeds right into a garden bed or start the seeds indoors.

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	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D

To start seeds indoors, begin six or eight weeks before the last frost date in your area, then transplant the seedlings once they are several inches tall. Either way, it's a good idea to soak the seeds in warm water for 24 hours before you plant them. Parsley seeds are slow sprouters, and soaking helps speed up the germination. You may also want to check the date stamped on the seed packet (figure A). The fresher the seeds, the better: seeds that are more than two or three years old may not sprout at all.

To direct-sow, make a shallow trench, about 1/2" deep (figure B), and plant the parsley seeds, two or three per inch, along the length of the row. Next, lightly cover the seeds with about 1/8" of soil; water well. Keep the soil evenly moist but not waterlogged for the next several weeks.

Parsley germinates best when soil temperatures are between 50 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit (figure C). Even then it may take as long as three weeks for the seedling to emerge. Once the seeds germinate and the seedlings are about 1" tall, thin them to 6" to 8" apart.

To thin the parsley, use a sharp pair of scissors to snip the extra plants off near the soil line (figure D). Another option is to pinch them off at the soil line with your fingers. What you don't want to do is yank the seedlings up because this will disturb the roots of the nearby plants.

Place a light layer of mulch around the plants to help conserve moisture and keep the weeds down. When the soil seems dry, water well. Frosts and even a light blanket of snow won't harm parsley, so don't worry if the weather forecast calls for an unexpected dip in temperature.

Parsley is rarely bothered by diseases or pests, but on occasion a few parsley stalks may be devoured overnight. The culprit will almost always be the parsleyworm.

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