How To Grow Curled Parsley
Curled Parsley, a biennial known for its curled and frilly green leaves, can be planted as an edible edging around a garden bed or landscape. As a biennial, the parsley plant offers delicious leaves its first year, and goes to seed its second year. A benefit of its final year are its edible roots, which are considered the most flavorful part of the plant.
Set plants in full sun or partial shade, and rich, moist soil with a pH between 5.5 and 6.7. Used as a garnish or seasoning. Grows in sun to part shade.
Planting and Care
Curled parsley contributes fresh green color and frilly texture to anyvegetable garden.
Plant in the spring (or in fall in zones 7 and warmer). Normal winters in the South and Southwest provide wonderful growing conditions for parsley and many gardeners use it in pots and flower beds as a green foliage filler with pansies and violas for winter. For the summer, Italian flat-leafed parsley is a bit more heat tolerant than curly parsley.
Set plants in full sun or partial shade, and rich, moist soil with a pH between 5.5 and 6.7. Keep the soil moist. Keep roots cool and moist by mulching around the plant, but don’t cover the crown of the plant or the plant will risk getting rot. In September, promote new foliage by cutting back plants set out in the spring; this is especially true for plants grown in vegetable and herb beds strictly for their harvest.
Companion Plants for Curled Parsley
Parsley Companion Planting. When growing chives, carrots, corn, chili and sweet peppers, onions, peas, roses and tomatoes plant parsley nearby. Asparagus is believed to be particularly benefited when companion planted with parsley. Companion planting parsley with mint or lettuce is a bad idea.
Harvesting
When the leaf stems have three segments, parsley is ready to be harvested. Gather parsley stems and leaves as needed. Harvest parsley by cutting the leafy stems from the base of the plant – this will also serve to make the plant grow back bushier.
One method of storing the parsley fresh is to put the leaf stalks in water and keep them in the refrigerator.
Another method of storage is drying the parsley. Cut the parsley at the base and hang it in a well-ventilated, shady, and warm place. Once it’s completely dry, crumble it up and store it in an airtight container.
If you want fresh parsley throughout the winter, replant a parsley plant in a pot and keep it in a sunny window. Also, freeze parsley for winter use; although it is easily dried, it does not keep its flavor well.
