Leaf parsleyis a biennial plant that produces a rosette of aromatic leaves. They can be used for direct consumption and as a seasoning for dishes. Find out more about the valuableproperties of leaf parsley , which are worth using in the kitchen. See what it is likegrowing flat-leaf parsleyand choose the bestvarieties of parsleyfor your garden!
Leaf parsley
Leaf parsley - properties
Parsley leavesare used to season dishes, but most of all they are famous for their aromatic properties.The specific taste and smell of parsleyis mainly given by the essential oil, i.e. apiol.
Leaf parsley is easy to grow and contains a lot of vitamins . Parsley leaves are rich in mineral s alts, especially calcium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, vitamins A, B1, B2. In addition,leaf parsley is one of the richest sources of vitamin C!
Good to knowThe root of parsley is not suitable for consumption because it is hard and stringy. However, the roots can be used for forcing.
Recommended varieties of parsley
Leaf parsley comes in varieties with curly and smooth leaves.
Withcurly-leaved flat-leaf parsleythe 'Moss curled' variety is very popular, as it does not form a tap root and is suitable for sowing at all dates, also in autumn.
Anothervariety of curly leaf parsleyis the variety 'Astra'. This variety is recommended for the year-round harvesting of leaves, because the leaves regenerate quickly. It can be eaten fresh, frozen and dried.
On the other hand,proven smooth-leaved parsley varietiesare 'Festival' and 'Karnaval'.
'Karnaval' is avariety of flat-leaf parsley recommended for year-round cultivation , it grows back quickly, is medium tall and spreading, with large leaves with a strong aroma. Karnaval is especially recommended for direct consumption, but also for drying and freezing.
The variety of flat-leaf parsley 'Festival'is characterized by intensely green, aromatic leaves resistant to yellowing and tolerant to powdery mildew. Festival is a variety with intensive growth and high yield, it winters well in the ground.
People looking for high-qualityparsley seeds to grow in a garden or in pots , we recommend the store of our guide. We sell varieties of parsley that yield very well and are resistant to diseases and unfavorable growing conditions. By sowing these seeds you will see how easy it can be to grow leaf parsley :-) To see the seeds offer, click on the image below.
Growing flat-leaf parsley
Leaf parsley requires a fertile, humus-free, structural soil that does not contain crusts.In the cultivation of flat-leaf parsley, it is important to weed it regularlyIt is not advisable to cultivate flat-leaf parsley after plants of the same botanical group and all root vegetables.
Leaf parsley grows well in the field in the second year after the manure . When growing parsley, potassium and phosphorus fertilizers are best used in autumn, as this will avoid possible salinization of the substrate, to which parsley reacts very unfavorably.
Leaf parsley
Parsley can be sown into the groundat the end of March or April at a spacing of 20-25 cm. If, on the other hand, we want to grow flat-leaf parsley for the winter, sowing should be done in July.
Parsley leaves can be harvestedwhile the plant is growing, starting with the oldest, or waiting and harvesting from July to November. The first harvest is usually carried out 4 months after sowing, another two or three every 4 weeks.
Parsley can also be rushedIn order to get roots for rushing, harvesting the leaves should be completed 2-3 weeks before the planned root ditching, usually in September or October. Cut the parsley leaves and dig out the roots with a large lump of soil. Then we move it to the room and plant it in the ground with a spacing of 15x10 cm.
Roots that are at least 0.5 cm in diameter at the neck and 6-8 cm long are suitable for forcing.Rolling parsley should be carried out in full light , at a temperature of 10-15 ° C, in a moist substrate. Leaf parsley, which has no access to light during forcing, grows less, runs out and turns yellow.
The firstharvest of parsley leaves from forcingis obtained after 12 weeks, the next ones every 2-3 weeks.
MSc Eng. Joanna Białowąs
