NC State Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteer Lani Leary
Think you know all about parsley? Are you thinking about your next herb garden selections? Parsley has been relegated to a simple garnish, but it was once respected as a medicinal plant, used by physicians to “purify the blood,” as a diuretic to reduce water retention, and as a digestive aid to stimulate appetite. It was used as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory to benefit cardiovascular health. It is valued by cooks for its flavor. It’s been dismissed as merely a sidenote and often thrown away from plate presentations but grow it yourself and you will taste that it’s been a main character all along. There are over 40 different cultivars, and they are worth considering over the traditional flat-leaf or curly parsley. Once you taste the difference, you’ll never go back to the supermarket’s two-version choices.
The store-bought commercial parsley isn’t really bred for flavor. It’s been farmed to survive the harsh marketing through machinery and then roughly handled while trimming, vacuuming, cutting and bundling. Commercial growers prioritize stiff stems, bruise-proof leaves to withstand long-distance shipping and a week under fluorescent lights. No wonder it’s often ignored and often tastes like the iceberg lettuce of the herb world.
Home-grown parsley can focus on deep aroma, sweetness and real texture. The world of parsley includes dozens of cultivars you may have never heard of but are worth a try. Some standouts include Giant of Italy with its big leaves and big flavor for pesto and salsa verde. Krausa has beautiful curly leaves and delicious stems. Bravour has moss curled, vigorous color and texture. Menuette is a beauty with its ferny, dill-like presentation. Green Pearl is raised for its curly, intensely green color and high yield. Riccio Verde is also a winner with its compact, ruffled, intensely green color. All these parsleys can be grown from seed and are available through seed catalogues.
Starting parsley from seed is notoriously slow but not difficult. You can sow seeds directly outdoors after frost or start indoors 2-3 months before transplanting - late February. You can soak the seeds in warm water for 24 hours to speed things up and rinse off the natural germination inhibitors, but commercial growers usually skip that step with no repercussions. Keep trays warm at about 70 degrees. Parsley seeds do not like the chill; they germinate slowly; and they hate having their roots disturbed. Don’t put seedlings out until the temperatures stay above 50 degrees. Seedlings adapt well to either ground planting or containers.
Parsley prefers a bright location and will wilt in shade. However, because it does not tolerate heat above 22°C, light partial shade is ideal. Parsley grows best in nutrient and humus-rich soils that are loose and moist. The herb does not tolerate drought, so make sure to plant in soil that holds water well.
Harvest parsley leaves together with the stem. With the onset of flowering, parsley loses a great deal of its flavor, so stop harvesting at this point. When harvesting, cut off individual leaf stalks carefully at the very bottom with a sharp knife or scissors. This preserves the growth center of the plant so that it can continue to produce fresh leaves.
Parsley is also an ecological powerhouse. It supports the entire life cycle of the Black and Anise Swallowtail butterflies. It is a nectar source for beneficial flies, wasps and bees. As a pest control, it attracts beneficial insects like parasitic wasps and ladybugs, which helps manage common garden pests. Allowing the biennial parley plant to go to seed ensures a continuous habitat for pollinators.
So while we are comfortable using the common flat-leaf and curly varieties of parsley, it is just as easy to branch out and include other tasty, beautiful parsleys in your herb garden. Enjoy the aroma and many textures of this great source of vitamins and flavor. Let’s broaden our repertoire and enjoy the herb that keeps on giving!
