Potted Parsley: The Secrets To Growing It Lushly

All you need is a small outdoor space to grow parsley in pots and always have this fragrant herb on hand. ad With its beautiful bright green color,   parsley   is one of the typical ingredients of Mediterranean cuisine: it is an aromatic herb capable of giving flavor to any dish, widely used also for its benefits. For example, it contains an essential oil that stimulates the secretion of gastric juices, thus facilitating digestion even after a copious meal. In short, it is truly a precious ally in all situations: why not keep some on the balcony? Here’s   how to grow parsley in a pot   , to always have it available, fresh and zero km away. 1. Parsley, characteristics of the plant ad Among the many   aromatic herbs   that our cuisine is rich in, parsley takes pride of place. A small tuft is enough to perfume any dish and make it special, giving it not only a particular taste, but also many beneficial properties, especially digestive, as we have seen. Parsley (   Petroselinum crispum   ) is a biennial plant belonging to the   Apiaceae family  , which includes many other valuable ingredients such as cumin, carrot, celery, parsnip and fennel. Native to the   Mediterranean regions   , it grows spontaneously in woods and meadows: in appearance, it has a robust root and triangular leaves with a jagged edge, while the flowers are white or slightly blue, grouped to form small umbels. Parsley cultivation is not particularly demanding, provided that some precautions are taken: for example, this plant particularly fears   intense cold and heat   and grows best where the climate is temperate (in Italy, in general, there are no problems). The ideal place to plant it is therefore cool and   sheltered from direct sunlight   (at least during the summer season), possibly in areas where winters are quite short and never too harsh. When it starts to get colder, you can choose to place the plant indoors, perhaps on a windowsill to provide it with the light it needs. Alternatively, if you have to leave it on the balcony,   mulch the soil   with dry leaves or some straw, in order to protect the roots from low temperatures. 2. How to plant parsley If you have a balcony or a small terrace, you can easily grow your   parsley in a pot   . It is a plant that adapts well even to the smallest spaces, because it does not grow excessively. But how to do it? First of all, you will need to prepare everything you need to sow. Get a pot of at least 20 cm in diameter (up to three small plants can grow in it), choosing one of the tallest:   the roots of parsley   grow deep and need space. As for the soil, this aromatic herb has no particular needs. You can buy   soil for horticultural crops   by mixing it with a little sand. Even better if, at the bottom of the pot, place a layer of expanded clay to promote good water drainage: in this way you will avoid the risk of water stagnation, one of the first causes of the plant wilting (when this happens). (in   fact   , it is likely that the water has rotted the roots). Once the pot is prepared, you can   sow your parsley   . When to do it? In reality, there is no best time, you just have to make sure that the temperatures never drop below 14°/15°C (even at night): this is why it is advisable to do it   between March and October   in warm areas, while the storm window is slightly narrower in colder places. Now let’s see how to plant parsley. Move the soil a little on the surface and   spread the seeds   so that they are evenly distributed over all the soil you have. Then cover with a thin layer of soil and moisten it, then place the pot in the sun. If you want to speed up the process a little, first let the seeds germinate indoors , using techniques such as germinating in cotton or absorbent paper, and only then   place them in the soil   , with the same procedure we have just seen. Alternatively, you can buy a ready-grown parsley plant and transplant it into your pot. In this case, we are talking about   planting   : this procedure should also be carried out when temperatures no longer drop below 15°C, so usually from spring to late autumn. Simply dig a small hole in the ground and place the plant in it, then compact it with your hands. And now that you have   planted parsley   , all you have to do is wait for the results of your efforts: let’s discover some tips for growing this plant so that it grows luxuriantly. 3. Growing parsley in pots: tips Caring for a parsley plant   is really very simple. After sowing, in a few weeks you will see the first leaves that will reward all your sacrifices. The first thing to do, when the plant reaches 5 cm in height, is to thin it out: prune the   smaller branches   , so that the branches that are already better developed can receive more light, air and food. Also check that there are no dried or diseased ones, in which case eliminate them so as not to create problems for the rest of the plant. As for watering   ,   parsley needs water, but don’t overdo it. Keep an eye on the soil, watering it before it is completely dry, otherwise you risk seeing your plant burn (especially in summer). Be careful, however, not to give too much water, because you could form dangerous stagnations for the roots. The first sign that allows you to notice excess water is the   yellowing of the parsley leaves   , which should not be underestimated at all. As the plant grows,   periodically prune the weakest or most diseased branches   , so as to make the remaining ones even more robust and productive. Finally, the most beautiful (and most awaited) moment: the harvest. When can it be done? Generally, the plant is ready when it reaches 15 to 20 cm in height. If you only need a few leaves, cut them with scissors if necessary. Alternatively, you can   cut a tuft of stems   , taking care to start a few centimeters above the base of the plant, to ensure that it regenerates the following season.