Parsley

This flavoursome leaf is great chopped in sauces and also whole for garnishes. 

Start planting your parsley in early spring to the start of summer to harvest in the late summer. 

If planting them outdoors, ensure to sow in well drained soil or partial shade. Sow the seeds around 1 cm deep trenches. Cover the trench and water. When the seedlings are large enough to handle, sow them 15 cm apart with 15 cm in between rows. 

If you choose to grow them in pots, sow seeds across a 25 cm pot of seed compost. Cover the seeds with a 1 cm layer of compost and water. Leave the pot in a cool place to germinate and ensure the compost doesn’t dry out by watering intermittently. Germination can take up six weeks. When the seedlings are large enough to handle, thin them out and plan them leaving about 2 cm in between plants. 

Top tips

– Remember to water during dry spells to improve your yield.

– To give the plants a boost, feed them every few weeks with a balanced liquid fertiliser.

– Prevent plants from becoming unsightly and encourage new growth, by snipping off any lower shoots that start to turn yellow.

– Parsley tastes great in casserole, check out the recipe section if you want to give it a try! 

Key timings