Why doesn't my parsley seed germinate?

Parsley seed is famously slow — 4–6 weeks isn't unusual, especially in cold soil below 10°C. Soak seed overnight before sowing; pour boiling water down the drill at sowing time (the heat softens the seed coat and triggers germination); keep the bed warm and moist. Don't give up on a batch before 6 weeks — patience is the answer.

Flat-leaf or curly parsley — which is better?

Flat-leaf (also called Italian) has the better flavour, a more open habit that's easier to pick, and is preferred by most cooks. Curly has a stronger texture, holds up to longer cooking, and is hardier in cold weather. Grow flat-leaf for everyday picking; curly for winter cropping. Both have the same growing requirements.

Is parsley an annual or biennial?

Biennial — it grows leaves in year one, runs to seed in year two, then dies. Treat as an annual: sow fresh each spring. The flower stalks in year two have a stronger flavour but the leaves become coarse and bitter. Save seed from second-year plants if you want to grow next year's batch from your own stock.

Can I grow parsley in containers in the UK?

Yes — a 25 cm pot grows enough parsley for daily picking. Use peat-free multi-purpose compost. Water consistently; parsley wilts in dry compost and gets bitter under stress. Place in sun or part-shade. One pot per household is usually plenty; for heavy use, two pots in succession.

When can I pick parsley?

8–10 weeks after sowing for the first picks, then continuously. Pick outer stems at the base of the plant; the centre produces new growth indefinitely. Don't strip a plant — leave 6–8 stems each time. Winter-protected plants give pickings from December onwards in southern England.

My parsley has gone yellow and bolted — can I save it?

No. Bolted parsley (sending up a flower stem) is going to seed and won't produce more useful leaves. The flowering shoots themselves are coarse and bitter. Pull the plant, compost the foliage, and re-sow if there's still growing time. Bolting in spring usually means the plant is in its second year; in summer, drought stress.

Parsley — Grow

Parsley

Petroselinum crispum

herb☀️ full-sun🪴 rich loam📏 small🌡️ RHS H4–H5

📋Quick Facts

Height

0.5-0.6m

Spread

0.3-0.5m

Water

💧💧 Average watering

Hardiness

Zone 2-11

About

Sow parsley seed direct from mid-March to August in successional batches every six weeks; or start indoors in modules from February. Germination is famously slow — 4–6 weeks isn't unusual. Pouring boiling water down the drill before sowing speeds things up; so does soaking the seed overnight first. Parsley is hardy (RHS H4) and crops right through a UK winter from a sheltered bed. It runs to seed in its second year, so sow fresh each spring and treat as an annual. Flat-leaf (Italian) parsley has the better flavour and a more open habit; curly is harder-leaved and better at standing through winter cold. Worth having two or three patches in any kitchen garden.

Top tip

Prefers moist, fertile soil; harvest outer stems first and protect a few plants for winter use.

Also known as: Salsa, Prezzemolo, Petroselinum crispum, Parsley, Perejil, Persil, Petersilie, Pietruszka

How to grow parsley

1
Soak the seed (optional)
Soak parsley seed overnight in tepid water before sowing. Speeds germination from 4–6 weeks to 2–3.
2
Sow direct or in modules
Mid-March to August outdoors; February onwards indoors in modules. 1 cm deep drill, sow thinly, cover lightly. Pour boiling water down the drill before sowing — an old gardener's trick that genuinely speeds germination by softening the seed coat.
3
Thin to 20 cm
When seedlings are 5 cm tall, thin to 20 cm apart. Don't transplant if you can avoid it — parsley dislikes root disturbance.
4
Keep weed-free and moist
Hand-weed regularly. Water in dry weather; parsley bolts in drought.
5
Pick outer stems
Pick outer stems at the base; the centre keeps producing. Don't strip the plant — leave 6–8 stems each time.
6
Protect for winter cropping
A cloche from October keeps parsley producing through to March in most of the UK.
7
Replace each year
In its second year parsley bolts; flowers, sets seed, dies. Sow fresh each spring. Self-sown seedlings from last year's plants are often the most vigorous.

Common questions

Pest Resilience

3/5 — Average

Carrot fly is a risk as it is in the Apiaceae family; aphids occasionally.

Companion Planting

Grows well with

Tomato Asparagus Carrot Chives

Visual Characteristics

Fruits

Yes

Harvest: Spring to autumn / fall

🍳

Culinary

Culinary Use

Tabbouleh, chimichurri, gremolata, soups, sauces, garnish, salads

The parsley year in your garden

Dispatching imaginary bots to check your garden out...

What to do now

How to Propagate

🌰Seed

Easy

This plant produces viable seeds for propagation

Hardiness Zones

H1a (tender)H7 (very hardy)

H1a

H1b

H1c

RHS H4–H5

USDA 7 equivalent

Parsley

Parsley

📋Quick Facts

About

How to grow parsley

Common questions

Pest Resilience

Companion Planting

Visual Characteristics

The parsley year in your garden

How to Propagate

Hardiness Zones

Names in Other Languages(7)