Parsley

How to grow Parsley

Written by Steve Davis · Last reviewed 21 July 2026 · Written for UK gardens · How we research our guidance

Planting

Sow from March to July where it is to grow, or in modules. Germination is slow and uneven — three to five weeks is normal, and warm soil helps. Sow a second batch in midsummer for autumn and winter picking, and thin to about 15 cm apart.

Pruning

Pick outer stems from the base rather than shearing the top, and the plant keeps producing. Remove flowering stems if they appear in the first year.

Propagation

From seed only. It does not transplant well once the taproot is established, so sow direct or use modules and plant out young.

Pests and diseases

Carrot fly attacks the roots of parsley as well as carrots; a fine mesh cover or a fleece barrier is the practical answer. Slugs take seedlings, and aphids gather on flowering stems.

Value to wildlife

If left to flower in its second year the flat umbels attract hoverflies and small parasitic wasps.

Notes

Parsley is biennial: it makes leaf in year one, flowers and sets seed in year two, then dies. Sow fresh every year rather than trying to keep old plants going. Flat-leaved types generally have more flavour, curled types stand winter better.

This guidance was researched and written by GardenDecoded — see our editorial policy for how guides are checked and reviewed.

Other names for this plant

These names have all been used for Petroselinum crispum but are no longer the accepted name. You may still meet them on old labels, in books, or in nursery catalogues.

Others in Petroselinum