Herb

Growing parsley

Petroselinum crispum · Apiaceae
By Hannah Price · Updated 12 November 2026

Parsley calendar

Parsley sowing, planting and harvest calendar (UK)
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Sow indoors			Sow indoors in March	Sow indoors in April
Sow outside				Sow outside in April	Sow outside in May	Sow outside in June	Sow outside in July	Sow outside in August
Plant					Plant in May	Plant in June
Harvest					Harvest in May	Harvest in June	Harvest in July	Harvest in August	Harvest in September	Harvest in October	Harvest in November	Harvest in December

Timings suit lowland southern and central Britain and most of Ireland. In northern England and Scotland, or in a cold spot, start two to three weeks later in spring and finish earlier in autumn.

Overview

Parsley is a hardy biennial usually grown as an annual for its leaves. It is one of the few culinary herbs that prefers cool, moist conditions to baking sun, which makes it well suited to British summers. In its second year it runs to flower and the leaves turn coarse, so most gardeners sow a fresh batch every spring and again in midsummer.

Varieties to try

Curly types such as 'Moss Curled' and 'Champion Moss Curled' are hardy, decorative and good for edging beds. Flat-leaved kinds have a stronger, cleaner taste preferred by many cooks; 'Plain Leaved 2' and 'Giant of Italy' are widely sold and vigorous. Hamburg parsley is a separate type grown for its parsnip-like root.

Soil and site

Best soil: Moist, fertile soil or compost that does not dry out in summer.

A spot with sun for half the day suits parsley well, and it copes better with dappled shade than most herbs. Soil should be rich and moisture-retentive, so add compost to sandy ground. It grows happily in pots and window boxes, as long as you never let the compost dry out completely.

Sowing and planting

Germination is famously slow and erratic. Soaking seed overnight in lukewarm water helps, as does sowing into warm soil from late April rather than cold March ground. Indoors, sow in modules to avoid disturbing the long taproot, then plant out young clumps in May. Direct sow thinly in shallow drills and keep them moist until the seedlings appear.

Spacing: Thin direct-sown rows to about 20 cm; pots of three or four plants work well by the kitchen door.

Care

Water regularly in dry spells, as stressed plants bolt early and taste bitter. A liquid feed every few weeks keeps pot-grown plants leafy. Remove any flower stems that appear in the first year. In autumn, cover a few plants with a cloche, or pot some up for a cool windowsill, to keep picking through winter.

Harvesting and storing

Begin picking once plants have plenty of leaves, cutting the outer stems near the base and leaving the young centre to keep growing. Stems keep for several days in a jar of water in the fridge. Flat-leaved parsley freezes better than it dries; chop it and freeze in small bags or ice-cube trays.

Common problems

Carrot fly larvae sometimes tunnel into parsley roots, causing reddish, wilting leaves; a fine mesh cover prevents it. Slugs and snails graze seedlings in damp weather. Aphids can colonise the undersides of leaves, especially on stressed plants, so rub them off or blast them away with water.

Read more on the problems that most often hit parsley:

Not sure what you're looking at? Try diagnosing it by symptom.

Month-by-month reminders

Jobs for parsley come round in March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December. Each month page lists the rest of the garden's jobs for the same weeks.

Grow alongside

Sources

Names follow Kew's Plants of the World Online; timings and spacings reflect UK growing practice and were checked against the references below. Text is our own. See our editorial policy.