Parsley is one of the most used fresh green herbs in the culinary world. Although dried parsley is also used, nothing can replace the taste and aroma of fresh parsley. If you don't have your own garden and don't trust what is sold in stores or you want to have fresh parsley in the winter, produced by yourself, then the solution is to grow parsley in a pot at home.
The advantages of growing parsley in a pot are that you can plant it at any time, even in winter and have fresh shoots all year round.
Characteristics of growing parsley in a pot
Parsley is considered an unpretentious and not very demanding plant, but for its successful cultivation in a pot, one must prepare and provide certain conditions.
There are two ways to grow parsley at home – to sow seeds or to plant a parsley root in a pot. When sowing seeds, the growing process is longer and more laborious and the first cutting of the stalks can occur only 1.5-2 months after sowing. But on the other hand, this method allows you to have fresh parsley for a fairly long time. When planting roots, fresh parsley will appear much earlier, about 3-4 weeks after planting, but the rapid depletion of the roots will not allow you to grow parsley for a long time, so they will have to be replaced.
For sowing and growing parsley at home it is recommended to choose early varieties of parsley. By the way, on the packaging of some seeds it is written that parsley can be grown in a pot. For example, curly parsley is considered easier to care for and is less demanding in terms of its conditions, so many people prefer to grow it at home.
Planting parsley seeds in a pot
Pot and soil
It is recommended to plant parsley in deep and spacious pots, as it forms a powerful root system. The height of the pots should be at least 15-20 cm, this size is necessary both when planting roots and seeds. The pot should have drainage holes that will allow excess moisture not to stagnate in the pot. It is good to disinfect the pot with a strong solution of potassium permanganate before planting.
To save time, you can buy soil in a specialized store; any ready-made soil for seedlings with an acidity level in the range of 6.5-7.0 pH will do. But you can prepare the planting mixture yourself by mixing garden soil, humus (compost) and river sand in a ratio of 3:1:1. Any soil, even purchased, is recommended to be disinfected in advance, for example, by baking in the oven or scalding, so that all pathogenic organisms and fungi die under the influence of high temperatures. Or pour it with a pink solution of potassium permanganate or phytosporin.
Preliminary preparation and sowing of seeds
In order for them to swell and germinate easily, you need to place the seeds on a damp cloth, which should also be covered with a small piece of moistened gauze on top, or use cotton wool. Put a lid on top so that the moisture does not evaporate quickly and put them in a dark and warm place for several days.
The seeds should not float in water, but only be slightly damp. Be sure to check that the cloths (or cotton) are slightly damp and never dry out. Up to 20-30 minutes before sowing, soak in a light pink solution of potassium permanganate.
Step-by-step instructions for sowing parsley seeds in a pot:
- pour a drainage layer (2-3 cm) at the bottom of the pot;
- fill the pot with soil;
- make grooves 0.5 cm deep and water them abundantly with water, allowing moisture to be absorbed;
- sow seeds;
- lightly sprinkle the seeds with soil (but not more than 0.5 cm);
- spray the soil on top with a spray bottle;
- cover the pot with glass or foil and place it in a dark place at a temperature of 25°C until shoots appear;
- ventilate the improvised greenhouse from time to time, moistening the soil with a spray bottle, if necessary;
- after the emergence of sprouts, the cover is removed and the pot is moved to a cooler place;
- in the case of thick stems, after a while they should be thinned out, leaving the strongest ones, since each plant needs enough space and light. It is optimal to leave one tuft every 5 cm.
When sowing parsley with seeds, the first shoots appear within 2-3 weeks and the first parsley can be cut only 50-70 days after germination.
Growing parsley on a window sill by planting roots and in a pot
For this method, you need to transplant the parsley roots from the garden in late summer and autumn into a pot, then you will have green shoots all winter. Before planting in a pot, it is highly recommended to free the roots from old soil and slightly cut the tops (only the long ones) so that their length is within 10-15 cm.
Step-by-step instructions for planting parsley roots in a pot:
- a drainage layer should be placed at the bottom of the pot.
- fill the pot 1/3 with soil.
- spread the roots in the pot 3-4 cm apart.
- cover with soil and lightly tamp.
- only the apical buds should protrude from above.
- water with a watering can.
- before the growth of new green leaves, place in a slightly cool place (15-18°C), and then move to a warmer (at least 18-20°C) and bright place (in winter only under a lamp).
When planting roots, the first harvest can be obtained after 3-4 weeks.
How to care for parsley in a pot
In order for parsley to fully grow and give a stable harvest, it is necessary to create certain conditions for the plant that will be most acceptable for the full development of greenery in the apartment.
To grow parsley, the best place to start is the south window, but you can also place the pots on the east or west window. However, with the onset of spring and even more so in summer, shading from direct sunlight is recommended.
For full growth, parsley requires a day length of at least 12 hours, therefore, during the period of short winter days in the evening and/or morning, it is worth providing additional lighting using phytolamps or full-spectrum LED lamps. The same applies if the weather is cloudy outside.
You should regularly turn the pot towards the light, as the parsley will lean towards the window. And in the summer it is advisable to move parsley to the balcony.
The optimum temperature for growing parsley at home is 18-20°C. The increased air temperature during the growth of parsley, as well as the lack of sunlight, leads to the fact that the sprouts stretch, deform and acquire a light green color.
Parsley is a moisture-loving plant, therefore it needs regular watering. But moisture retention, as well as drying, should not be allowed. Watering should be carried out when the top layer of soil dries out, of course, only with settled water at room temperature. At high temperatures and low humidity, it is recommended to additionally spray the parsley leaves with a spray bottle.
Periodically loosen the top layer of soil after watering (especially if a crust forms after it), which provides air access to the roots of the plant.
After reaching the required parsley development phase, you can cut the stems for use once a week. When cutting them, you should do it at a height of 10-14 cm on the branches. It is not advisable to cut the parsley to the root, nor to cut off all the stems at once. It is recommended to choose only the longest branches with large leaves and do not forget to leave the petioles.
Diseases and pests
If the watering of the plant and the temperature are incorrect, the parsley can be affected by fungal diseases. To combat them, it is recommended to carry out treatment with the biological product phytosporin and additionally correct the watering and maintenance conditions. The main pest of parsley is aphids, therefore, at the first signs, the leaves should be sprayed with phytoverm.
Important! After performing pest or disease treatment, it is necessary to adhere to the waiting period indicated on the product packaging, without using parsley during this period.
Find out what parsley juice helps with, read about the various health benefits of parsley and learn how to store parsley.
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