Parsley is the most useful herb in the garden — not just a garnish but a genuine ingredient, the backbone of tabbouleh, gremolata, chimichurri and a hundred sauces, and a plant that produces for months on end. It is a biennial, which means it grows leaves in its first year and flowers in its second, and it is famously slow to germinate: three to four weeks of waiting, and then it grows steadily for a year or more.
Parsley takes 70–90 days to reach full size, but you can start picking long before that, and a few plants will keep a kitchen supplied all year. It is hardy, forgiving, and happy in sun or part shade. This guide covers the slow germination and how to speed it, the cut-and-come-again harvest, and how to keep a parsley plant productive through its first year and into its second.
Parsley at a glance
| Growing factor | What this crop needs |
|---|---|
| Sun | full sun |
| Soil pH | 6.0–7.0 |
| Days to germination | 14–28 |
| Days to maturity | 70–90 |
| Spacing | 6–8 inches |
| Water needs | moderate |
| Cold tolerance | hardy |
| Family | Apiaceae |
Starting seeds
Parsley can be started indoors or sown directly, and which you choose depends on your season. Indoor sowing gives you a head start in cold zones; direct sowing is simpler and avoids transplant shock. Either way, germination takes 14–28 days in warm, moist soil. Our seed-starting calculator can work out indoor sowing dates, and the seed-spacing calculator works out how many seeds you need for your bed.
This is a hardy crop, so it suits the cool parts of the year: in Zones 3–5 sow in early spring and again in late summer; in Zones 6–8 spring and autumn sowings do well, with summer sowings struggling in heat; in Zones 9–10 sow through autumn, winter and early spring; and in Zones 11–13, which are frost-free, grow it in the cooler months with afternoon shade. Check your dates with our frost-date calculator or the last-first frost lookup — and when in doubt, ask your local extension service.
Parsley can be started indoors or sown directly, and germination is slow — 14–28 days — so patience is essential. Soaking the seed overnight before sowing speeds things up, as does pouring boiling water along the drill before sowing (let it cool first).
Transplanting and planting out
Harden seedlings off for a week before planting out: put them outside for a few hours a day, increasing the time and exposure, and bring them back in at night. Plant out at the final spacing of 6–8 inches apart, in holes the same depth as the pot. Water each plant in well and mulch around (not against) the stems to hold moisture. Our plant-spacing calculator shows how many plants fit your bed at 6–8-inch spacing.
Soil and feeding
Parsley grows best in soil with a pH of 6.0–7.0, so test your soil before you plant — a cheap test kit tells you more than guessing ever will. Work in a little compost to improve structure, but keep the soil lean — herbs prefer soil that is not over-rich — and make sure the bed drains freely. Our soil-volume calculator and raised-bed soil calculator work out how much soil or compost your bed needs.
Feed lightly: herbs grown in soil that is too rich produce lots of soft leaf with diluted flavour. A little compost at planting time is usually enough, with at most a light feed in spring. Our fertiliser calculator works out how much to apply if your soil is genuinely poor.
Parsley likes rich, moist, well-drained soil with a pH of 6.0–7.0. Dig in plenty of compost before sowing — it is a hungry leafy herb and starved plants grow small, yellow leaves.
Watering
Water evenly and avoid letting the soil swing between soaked and bone dry. A deep soak once or twice a week beats a daily sprinkle, because it encourages roots to grow down where the soil stays cooler and moister. Mulch helps enormously here, holding moisture and keeping the soil temperature steady. Our watering calculator gives a starting point for your bed size and soil, and the watering schedule generator can build a routine around it.
Sunlight and temperature
Give Parsley full sun — at least six hours of direct sun a day, and more is better in most zones. Sun drives flavour and yield in this crop, and plants in shade stay leggy and unproductive. Our sunlight calculator can check whether your spot gets enough sun.
It is hardy and copes with cool weather and light frost. In cold zones it dies back and regrows in spring; in warm zones it grows through the year, with a little afternoon shade in the hottest weather.
Pests and diseases
The pests and diseases to watch for with Parsley are carrot rust fly, aphids and wireworms.
Carrot rust fly maggots tunnel into roots.
Aphids cluster on tender new growth and under leaves, sucking sap and leaving sticky honeydew.
Wireworms are the larvae of click beetles and bore into roots and tubers.
Prevention beats cure: rotate crops so the same family does not grow in the same bed year after year, clear debris at the end of the season, and inspect the undersides of leaves weekly. Our pest identifier helper can help you name a pest from its damage, and the plant-disease checker can narrow down a leaf problem.
Companion plants
Good companions for Parsley are tomatoes, peppers, marigolds and cabbage.
Tomatoes share this plant's love of sun and rich soil, and the pairing works well when both get enough space and airflow.
Peppers enjoy the same warm, sunny bed and similar watering, so they make a natural neighbour.
Marigolds are the classic companion: their roots and scent deter several soil pests, and their flowers bring in pollinators and beneficial insects.
Cabbage shares similar soil and water needs, and planting herbs nearby helps confuse the cabbage white butterfly.
Plant companions in the same bed rather than in a separate corner — that is how they do their work. Our companion-planting finder can suggest more pairings for your bed.
Harvesting
Parsley is ready about 70–90 days after sowing, but start picking outer stems once the plant has a good tuft of leaves. Cut the outer stems near the base, leaving the centre growing — parsley is a cut-and-come-again herb, and one plant can be picked from for months. Pick in the morning when the leaves are crisp, and take no more than a third of the plant at a time so it keeps regrowing.
In its second year, parsley flowers and sets seed, and the leaves turn coarse and bitter — that is the plant's natural cycle. Let one plant flower for the bees and for seed, and sow a fresh row each spring so there is always a first-year plant coming on. Parsley freezes well: chop it, pack it into ice-cube trays with a little water, and you have fresh-tasting parsley all winter. It does not dry well — the flavour fades.
Common problems and fixes
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Seed fails to germinate | slow germination and dry seedbed | Soak seed overnight, keep the seedbed moist for 14–28 days, and be patient. |
| Leaves turn yellow | drought, hunger or old age | Water evenly, feed lightly, and replace second-year plants. |
| Plants bolt in the first year | stress, usually drought or a cold snap | Keep soil moist and mulch; sow again if the plant has bolted. |
Seed fails to germinate
Likely cause: slow germination and dry seedbed. Parsley seed takes 14–28 days to germinate and fails if the seedbed dries out even once. Soak the seed overnight before sowing, water gently every day, and cover the row with a board or fleece to hold moisture.
Leaves turn yellow
Likely cause: drought, hunger or old age. Yellow parsley leaves usually mean the plant is dry or hungry — it is a heavy feeder for a herb. Water deeply, give a light liquid feed, and mulch.
Plants bolt in the first year
Likely cause: stress, usually drought or a cold snap. Parsley is biennial and should not flower until its second year, but stress — drought or a cold shock — can push it to bolt early. Bolted plants turn bitter and will not recover, so pull them and sow again.
Frequently asked questions
How long does parsley take to grow?
Parsley takes 70–90 days from sowing to full size, but germination alone takes 14–28 days — it is one of the slowest herbs to start. You can begin picking outer stems once the plant has a good tuft of leaves, usually within two months of sowing.
Why is my parsley seed not germinating?
Parsley seed is slow and needs constant moisture for up to four weeks. If the seedbed dries out, germination fails.
Does parsley come back every year?
Parsley is biennial: it grows leaves in its first year, survives winter in mild zones, then flowers and sets seed in its second year and dies. Sow a fresh row every spring so you always have first-year plants, which have the best leaves.
How do you harvest parsley so it keeps growing?
Cut the outer stems near the base and leave the centre growing. Take no more than a third of the plant at a time, and it will regrow within a week or two.