Eating Garden

How to Grow Parsley

Petroselinum crispum

A leafy herb with slow-sprouting seed and a long harvest season once established.

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At a glance

  • Difficulty

    Easy

    1 of 5 · More shovels, more care

  • Sunlight

    Full sun

    6 to 8 hours a day

  • Water

    Average thirst

  • Growing in a pot

    Suitable for pots

  • Plant spacing

    10 to 12 in apart

More about this plant

Be patient while parsley seed wakes up, give each plant room and do not let the soil dry completely. Snip outer stalks near the ground so the center keeps growing.

  • Grows over two seasons.
  • Can grow in raised beds, the open ground.
  • Fine in a small space.
  • A good one to grow together with children.

Make it your plan

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What are you starting with?
Where will it grow?

Your plan, starting Nov 10, 2026

A harvest date cannot be estimated from this starting point. Add your location to compare this date with local planting windows. Your chosen date stays the same.

Add your location to compare this date with local planting windows. Your chosen date stays the same.

When to expect a harvest

There is no reliable day count for this starting point. Use the crop’s season and readiness signs below.

Harvest once the plant has several sturdy outer stalks and enough center growth to keep replacing them.

Mild spring through fall weather. Parsley is a biennial, but cold winters can kill it, so many gardeners grow it as an annual.

First, gather a few things

  • A young parsley plant
  • A draining pot with room for the roots
  • Potting mix that drains well
  • A watering can or hose

Start or plant it

Follow the steps for the way you chose to start.

  1. Start here

    1. Give plants room

    Thin or transplant to about 10 to 12 inches apart.

Water

Check the soil first. Heat, rain, and pots can change how often this plant needs water.

  1. 1. Check before you water

    Push a finger about 1 inch into the soil. Water when it feels dry there.

  2. 2. Water the roots

    Water slowly at the base until the soil feels moist a few inches down. For a pot, water until a little runs out of the drainage holes.

    Do not let parsley dry completely. Water deeply at least weekly when rain is short, and check containers more often.

Need help judging moisture? Read how to check the soil and water the roots.

If the plant looks unhappy

  • Too dry

    Leaves droop, yellow at the edges and stop growing.

    If the soil is dry, water deeply and check it again tomorrow.

  • Too wet

    Wet soil can yellow the plant and weaken its roots.

    If the soil is wet, wait before watering again and check that excess water can drain away.

While it grows

Check on your plant and do these jobs as they come up.

  1. 1. Mulch lightly

    A thin mulch holds water and keeps weeds from crowding the herb.

Looking after it

  • FeedingRarely needs feedingBegin with compost and follow a soil test. Container plants may need a light feed as the potting mix is depleted.
  • PruningNeeds pruningSnip outer stalks close to the ground and leave the small center growth in place.
  • ThinningThin seedlings to 10 in apartCrowded seedlings stay small. Pull the weaker ones and keep the strongest.
  • MulchA light mulch helps the soil stay moist and slows weeds.

Pick and store it

Use the plant's signs of readiness, then harvest gently.

  1. 1. Check if it is ready

    Harvest once the plant has several sturdy outer stalks and enough center growth to keep replacing them.

  2. 2. Pick it

    Cut the oldest outer stalks close to the soil. Leave the center leaves to continue growing.

  3. 3. Keep it fresh

    Use parsley fresh for the best flavor. Keep cut stalks cool and use them soon, or freeze chopped leaves for longer storage.

More picking tips

  1. 1. Cut outer stalks

    Snip near the ground and leave the center to make the next harvest.

Common problems

    Common mistakes

    • Giving up on slow seed

      Parsley can take two to five weeks to sprout. Keep the surface moist while you wait.

    • Growing seedlings in weak light

      Indoor plants stretch and weaken without bright overhead light.

    • Cutting the whole center

      The middle leaves make the next harvest. Take older outer stalks first.

    Companion plants for parsley

    Some of this is measured in trials and some is long-standing garden practice. Each note below says which it is.

    Good together

    Extension programs recommend this pairing:

    • CilantroCoriander (cilantro) has sometimes been found to deter pest insects when grown among parsley.Recommended by extension programs
    How to choose companion plants

    Questions about parsley

    Tap a question to see the answer.

    Will parsley grow where I live?

    Mild spring through fall weather. Parsley is a biennial, but cold winters can kill it, so many gardeners grow it as an annual.

    • LightFull sunAbout 6 to 8 hours of direct sun a day.
    • ShadeCopes with a little shade
    • SeasonA cool season cropUsually grown in spring, summer, or fall.
    • FrostSurvives a light frost
    • HeatCopes with heat

    What soil is best for parsley?

    • Soil pH6.0 to 7.0A cheap test kit from a garden centre will tell you yours.
    • Soil it likesLoam, Sandy
    • DrainageWants well drained ground
    • RichnessAverage ground is fine

    Use well-drained soil rich in finished compost or other organic matter.

    Test the soil before feeding. Avoid fresh manure and fertilizer that also contains weed killer.

    Before changing your soil, learn how to test soil acidity and understand the result.

    When and how deep do I plant parsley?

    When to plant

    Match these relative steps to your local seasons. Where frost applies, use the last freezing night in spring and the first in fall. In frost-free climates, follow trusted local seasonal guidance.

    • Start indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frostStart six to eight weeks before the last spring frost if you want larger plants at planting time.
    • Sow outdoors 0 to 2 weeks after your last spring frostDirect sow after the danger of spring frost has passed.
    • Plant out 0 to 2 weeks after your last spring frostSet hardened plants outside after spring frost danger has passed.
    • Seeds usually sprout in 14 to 35 days.

    What you need

    • How to start itFrom seed or a young plantYou can sow it straight into the ground, or start it indoors first.
    • How deep to plant0.125 in
      Planting depth: 0.125 in below the soil surface. Drawing is not to scale.
    • How far apart10 to 12 in
      Leave 10 to 12 in between plants. View from above; drawing is not to scale.

    What happens to parsley through the year?

    Measured from your last spring frost, because seasons differ from garden to garden. In frost-free climates, use trusted local seasonal guidance alongside these relative steps.

    1. Start seeds indoors

      6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost

    2. Sow outdoors

      0 to 2 weeks after your last spring frost

    3. Plant out

      0 to 2 weeks after your last spring frost

    How do I give parsley a better start?

    Simple ways to help your parsley grow, from the soil up.

    • Start with good soil

      Use well-drained soil rich in finished compost or other organic matter.

    • Give the soil a cover

      A light mulch helps the soil stay moist and slows weeds.

    • Make room to grow

      Thin seedlings to 10 inches apart.

    • Feed with care

      Begin with compost and follow a soil test. Container plants may need a light feed as the potting mix is depleted.

    Test the soil before feeding. Avoid fresh manure and fertilizer that also contains weed killer.

    Why is my parsley seed not sprouting?

    Parsley is naturally slow and may take two to five weeks. Keep the seed bed moist but not soaked.

    Can parsley grow in a pot?

    Yes. Use a draining pot with enough room for the mature clump and check moisture often.

    How should I harvest parsley?

    Cut older outer stalks near the ground and leave the center growing.

    Will parsley come back next year?

    It is a biennial, but cold winters may kill it. A surviving second-year plant soon flowers and makes seed.

    Helpful gardening guides

    Dig into the next thing you need, from starting a garden to getting watering right.

    Starting your first garden? Choose your space and get it ready, then plan local planting times.

    Browse all gardening guides

    Also filed under: Herbs

    Where this came from

    Advice varies with your climate and variety. Check the sources behind each section.

    Sources & review dates
    Timing
    University of Minnesota Extension, Growing parsley in home gardens · checked 2026-09-15
    University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, UC Master Gardener Program, Time of planting · checked 2026-09-24 · Where frost is rare, cool-season crops are timed to months averaging 55°F to 75°F.
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