Parsley When to sow and plant When to sow parsley
Parsley is slow to come up. The RHS and Garden Organic both start it in spring, and the RHS sows again later so the leaves keep coming into autumn.
In short
The RHS sows parsley in early spring with bottom heat of 18 °C, or in late spring 0.5 cm deep, with repeat sowings in late spring and late summer. Garden Organic sows indoors in March and April and plants out in May and June.
Parsley: what to do and when
Under cover and outdoors, for UK conditions. The weather differs from year to year and from north to south, so check your local conditions too.
When to sow parsley
The RHS gives two starting points for parsley. Sow in early spring with a bottom heat of 18 °C, or in late spring, 0.5 cm deep in rich soil.
Garden Organic's growing calendar sows parsley indoors in March and April and plants it out in May and June.
Outdoors, the RHS plant entry for parsley sows it in situ, in succession from late spring through summer. In situ means where it is to grow, without transplanting.
For a steady supply, the RHS propagation guide adds a second and third sowing in late spring and late summer. These keep leaves coming for summer and autumn.
Sowing little and often
The RHS propagation guide groups parsley with other annual and biennial herbs, such as basil, coriander and dill. It sows these in spring and throughout the growing season, at three-week intervals until August.
The RHS says the growing season depends on the local climate and light levels, and can vary between plants.
Depth and germination
Parsley seed goes in shallow, but the two sources differ. The RHS sows in late spring 0.5 cm deep in rich soil. Garden Organic sows parsley seed 0.1 cm deep in pots.
Use fresh seed, the RHS says. Its propagation guide also warns that germination is slow. Garden Organic gives a germination time of 14–28 days.
Planting out and spacing
Garden Organic transplants seedlings when they are 5–10 cm tall, to 15 cm apart in rows or larger pots. Its calendar plants out in May and June.
Site. The RHS plant entry grows parsley in fertile, moist but well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. Garden Organic asks for deep, fertile soil in sun or partial shade. Unlike many herbs, it says, parsley will happily grow in partial shade, which makes it easy to slot in around the vegetable garden.
Pots. Garden Organic says parsley is equally happy in a vegetable bed or in a pot.
Garden Organic groups parsley with chervil and dill in the Apiaceae family.
Watering, feeding and picking
Garden Organic says to keep parsley well watered in dry weather and to feed regularly with an organic fertiliser.
Its calendar gives a harvest from June to October. Pick the leaves in the plant's first year, before flowering, and use them fresh or freeze them.
To stretch the harvest, Garden Organic covers the plants with horticultural fleece in autumn.
Winter and the second year
Parsley is a biennial: it lives for two years. The RHS rates it H6, which it defines as hardy in all of the UK and northern Europe, down to about -20 to -15 °C.
The RHS says parsley is normally grown as an annual. It can be overwintered, although the leaves become coarser in the second year.
Garden Organic says to remove any flower heads that appear. It adds that parsley grown for seed needs isolation.
Pests and problems
The RHS plant entry says parsley may be susceptible to carrot fly, aphids and celery leaf miner, and to a leaf spot and a virus. Carrot fly is covered in our guide on when to sow carrots.
Garden Organic warns that slugs like parsley as much as we do, so keep your plants well protected. See what UK sources say in our slugs guide.
Sowing parsley: what the RHS and Garden Organic say
| RHS | Garden Organic | |
|---|---|---|
| Sow under cover | Early spring, bottom heat of 18 °C | Indoors, March to April |
| Sow in late spring | 0.5 cm deep in rich soil. Outdoors in situ, in succession from late spring through summer | Not given |
| Repeat sowings | Late spring and late summer, for summer and autumn supplies | Not given |
| Depth | 0.5 cm (late spring sowing) | 0.1 cm in pots |
| Germination | Slow | 14–28 days |
| Plant out | Not given | May to June, when seedlings are 5–10 cm tall, 15 cm apart |
| Site | Fertile, moist but well-drained soil, full sun or partial shade | Deep, fertile soil, sun or partial shade |
| Harvest | Not given | June to October, first year, before flowering |
How to do it
- Buy fresh seed. The RHS says to use fresh seed for parsley.
- For an early start, sow in early spring with bottom heat of 18 °C, the RHS says. Garden Organic sows indoors in March and April.
- Be patient. The RHS says germination is slow, and Garden Organic gives 14–28 days.
- Garden Organic transplants the seedlings when they are 5–10 cm tall, 15 cm apart, in rows or larger pots. Its calendar plants out in May and June.
- Or sow in late spring, 0.5 cm deep in rich soil (RHS). The RHS plant entry sows parsley where it is to grow, in succession from late spring through summer.
- Sow again in late spring and late summer, the RHS says, to keep leaves coming through summer and autumn.
- Keep the plants well watered in dry weather and feed regularly with an organic fertiliser, Garden Organic says.
- Pick the leaves in the first year, before the plant flowers, and use them fresh or freeze them.
Common questions
When should I sow parsley in the UK?
The RHS sows in early spring with bottom heat of 18 °C, or in late spring. Garden Organic sows indoors in March and April and plants out in May and June.
How long does parsley take to germinate?
Garden Organic gives 14–28 days. The RHS simply says germination is slow and recommends using fresh seed.
Can I sow parsley outside?
Yes. The RHS plant entry sows it where it is to grow, in succession from late spring through summer. The RHS propagation guide sows in late spring 0.5 cm deep in rich soil.
How deep should I sow parsley seed?
The sources differ. The RHS sows in late spring 0.5 cm deep. Garden Organic sows 0.1 cm deep in pots.
Can I sow parsley in late summer?
Yes. The RHS adds a second and third sowing in late spring and late summer to keep supplies coming for summer and autumn. It sows annual and biennial herbs every three weeks until August.
Will parsley come back next year?
It can. The RHS says parsley is a biennial, normally grown as an annual. It can be overwintered, but the leaves become coarser in the second year.
Sources
We wrote this page using the sources below.
- Herbs: propagating, Royal Horticultural Society (RHS)
- Petroselinum crispum (parsley), Royal Horticultural Society (RHS)
- Parsley, Garden Organic