Growing parsley

  • Space plants 12 to 18 inches apart.

  • Add some general purpose fertilizer and compost to the soil.

  • Parsley is a cold-tolerant biennial. My plants survived a 10 deg. F. night we had one winter.

  • Harvest the stems from the outside of the plant as you need them. The center will continue to grow and will bloom in its second year.

2026

(Descriptions and photos are from the seed company websites unless otherwise noted.)

Parsley

Japanese parsley Mitsuba

This delicate and refreshing Japanese herb is easy to grow. It loves shade; it can be grown in full to part shade and is perfect for low-light spaces in the garden. This savory little parsley family member is also popular in Chinese cuisine and is reminiscent of its cousins parsley and cilantro. It is typically used raw, sprinkled atop a meal to give it the perfect final touch. The leaves, stems, roots, and seeds are all edible and excellent in stir fries, soups, salads, and other Asian-inspired dishes. Note: cooking can bring out bitterness, so it's best used fresh or added at the end of cooking. The plants are similar to parsley in their growth habit. Prefers cooler spring and fall weather. (Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds)

Reviews from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed customers:
This stuff grows like a champ in the pnw - mine has been going for 2-3 years now and I can harvest midwinter or midsummer. I'd never tasted this herb prior to planting (love parsley and cilantro so I went for it) but it's not to my taste. I haven't been able to eradicate it - it's not invasive in the least, just has a very determined taproot and has come back easily from my repeated deheadings. If you've never tasted it before, maybe try it in a pot until you do, them plant it in the ground and your grandkids will be able to harvest it!

The PARSLEY JAPANESE, MITSUBA has been fun to grow indoors and outdoors. I tried a few seeds in my hydroponic set up indoors and it did amazing with endless harvest. I prefer the plant in its own container because it is really pretty and grows quick and full infact, I couldn't keep up with harvesting. It never went to seed even in the dome greenhouse when it was up in the high 80's.


Dark Green Italian Plain

80 days. Parsley with flat and deeply cut leaves on very tall, stocky stems. These sturdy plants tolerate light frosts for fresh, aromatic harvests with minimal protection throughout the cool weather months. Harvest prior to killing frosts and dry the leaves for future use. Open pollinated variety. (Territorial Seed)


Gigante d’italia

High grade selection of flat leaf parsley, suitable for indoor or outdoor cultivation.
60-90 days. A well-named variety with very large, flat leaves on strong, upright stems. At first glance, Gigante resembles a rangy, wild-looking Celery! The deeply indented leaves form an unexpectedly large, open plant growing to 3' tall.

Gigante is an obvious favorite of Italian cooks, since flat-leaved Parsley is vital to their cuisine. These sweet, intensely-flavored leaves are most prized and central to almost every pasta sauce. Gigante is also perfect for gremolata, a savory Italian mixture used in Osso Buco and rice dishes or rubbed under the skin of fowl before roasting - try it! Combine the zest of three to four lemons, 1/3 to 1/2 cup chopped Gigante Parsley, 1 minced Garlic clove and 1 Shallot. Using a sharp blade, chop everything together until finely minced and use immediately.

Suitable for potted plant sales, bunching and processing. Plant size: 24 inches wide and 36 inches tall. Open pollinated variety. (Territorial Seed)