How to Sow Parsley

It is absolutely not difficult to sow parsley. Far more difficult for impatient gardeners is to have enough patience until the seeds germinate.

This can sometimes take several weeks. But it is somewhat faster if you water the seeds beforehand.

Interesting Facts About Sowing Parsley

If you want to successfully sow your parsley, you should know a few things about parsley, its seeds, and germination.

  • Parsley is a dark germinator
  • Parsley germinates slowly
  • It is best to soak seeds before sowing
  • The best time to sow parsley in a pot is in February
  • It is better to sow parsley outdoors only in August

The Best Time for Sowing Parsley

In a pot, you can sow parsley anytime from February to August.

In the open ground, parsley is sown from March. For this, the soil temperature must be at least 46 °F (8 °C).

But it is more favorable to put the parsley seeds in the ground only from August. Then pests no longer play such a major role, and the dreaded parsley disease can be largely avoided.

Parsley Germinates Very Slowly

Since the seasoning herb takes quite a long time before the first leaflets appear, soak the seed before sowing.

To do this, place it in lukewarm water for several hours. To make the wet seed easier to sow, mix it with some fine sand.

Mixing in radish seeds has also proven successful. Since radishes germinate much faster, you can take better care of the growing rows.

The radishes have long been harvested when the parsley needs the space.

Hot to Sow Parsley in the Open Ground

Choose a semi-shaded location with soil that is not too dry and has not grown umbellifers in the last three years.

Prepare a bed for the seasoning herb by thoroughly loosening the soil, clearing it of weeds, and enriching it with mature compost, horn meal, or horn shavings.

Prepare parsley rows at a distance of 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm). The sowing depth should be about 1 inch (2 cm), because, unlike other aromatic herbs, parsley is not a light germinator, but a dark germinator.

How to Sow Parsley in Rows

Sow the seed in the prepared grooves and cover it with at least 1 inch (2 cm) of soil.

Keep the surface well moist. It may take up to four weeks for the parsley to germinate.

Once the plants reach a height of 2 inches (5 cm), you need to prick them. The ideal planting distance for parsley plants is 4 inches (10 cm).

How to Sow Parsley in a Pot

Fill small pots with growing soil. Sow up to ten seeds per pot and cover them with soil. Moisten the surface and place the pots in a warm place.

Once the plants have sprouted, separate them into one parsley plant per pot. From a size of 3 inches (8 cm), you can also plant in the open ground without any problems.