Parsley - the Work-Horse of Herbs

Growing Parsley – petroselinum crispum

I do love parsley. It seems like a miracle food although I did read years ago that the gypsies always advised that you shouldn’t eat too much parsley as it was ‘ageing’. I don’t know if this meant one’s appearance or that it had a detrimental effect on the physical body.

Another ‘Old Saying’ which I also chose to ignore was that if you successfully sowed and germinated parsley you would be pregnant within the year. This might be good news for some but, probably not for others. However, I have been sowing and germinating this plant successfully for years and I can guarantee I have not become pregnant !

However, please use this herb generously and not just as a decoration on your Hors d’oeuvre!

Sowing and Growing

Parsley is a biennial which it is grown from seed one year then will flower and run to seen in the second year. However, that doesn’t really mean you can crop it for two years. I do find that I must sow every spring and hopefully the new plants will be just about ready for harvesting when the old plants have put on their flowers and are no longer providing harvestable leaves. It is possible to prolong the production a little by removing the flower heading stems as they appear but, eventually they will win, that is their nature.

Parsley is fairly hardy and in mild winters it will continue to grow slowly which means you can continue to harvest frugally during the winter. I have found that the roots stay alive during harsh winters but the top growth dies back. They should recover in spring.

Sow from March to April or even into early May. Unless it is a very mild spring, I would avoid early March. Parsley is very slow to germinate and can take up to 4 weeks in a cold spring. It can be helpful to soak the seeds in luke-warm water overnight, before sowing, to help speed up the process but the sowing process can then be quite difficult and irritating as the seeds stick together and to your fingers ending up with the seeds sown in clumps.

Sow the seeds thinly in a drill 1cm [½ inch] deep. Cover with fine compost and water well. If you have, as I have, very heavy clay soil where it is next door to impossible to achieve a ‘fine tilth’, try creating a drill and filling with a bought in bagged compost [which usually comes with some fertiliser to help the young plants along]. Cover the seeds with a shallow layer of the same compost. Water well! The downside of the compost is that it can be very dry and is likely to dry out quickly.

Once the young plants are at the 2^nd true-leaf stage, thin them out to allow those left to develop into strong productive plants.

Don’t allow the plants to dry out, especially Hamburg parsley as the root are like to fork [fang].

Parsley can be grown in pots on the kitchen window sill and this can be useful for the winter months – try later sowings from August until February. It can also be grown in large pots or tubs on a patio or terrace where it can be picked freshly whenever needed.

Types of Parsley

·         Moss Curled – of which there are now several named varieties available in our seed houses, is probably the most common, the most readily available in shops and supermarkets [even as the young potted plants for growing on the kitchen window sill], and the most easily recognised from the garnishes used in restaurants. It is a shame as it devalues this wonderful herb except as a source of colour or decoration. It has a wonderful flavour and is absolutely superb in all dishes which require parsley and in many dishes where the herb was never considered.

·         Flat-leaved Parsley – [also called – plain leaved, French or Italian parsley]. This variety has, as the name suggests, flatter leaves and a somewhat stronger flavour. It isn’t so pretty as a garnish but, is excellent in all recipes where parsley is an essential or enjoyable ingredient.

·         Hamburg Parsley – [also called turnip-rooted parsley or parsnip-rooted parsley]. It is usually grown for its parsnip-like roots used as a vegetable and is excellent roasted. The leaves can also be eaten as with other parsleys although it is the only parsley which provides edible roots

Nutritional Value of Parsley

Parsley is low in fat and very low in cholesterol.

A rich source of anti-oxidents

Uncooked it is an excellent source of, particularly Vitamins A, C and K – vitamin C can be destroyed by cooking so the parsley is best added at the end of the cooking process. Parsley is also an excellent source of Dietary fibre, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, copper and manganese.

Parsley is a good source of Vitamin E, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, B6 and pantothenic acid and the minerals phosphorus and zinc.

Harvesting and Storing

When harvesting parsley, always choose the greenest and freshest stems – avoid any stems which appear wilted or yellowed. The fresh parsley will easily keep well in a refrigerator for a week – wash, shake dry and put in a suitable plastic bag.

I’m not a big fan of dried parsley. Drying gives the herb a flavour which I don’t like. However, in late summer, I will chop lots of my excess parsley and put in tubs in the freezer. Much of the flavour is lost – though not all, I have to use quite a bit more for the flavour, but most of the nutrients and the colour are available when there is no fresh parsley during the winter.

Uses of Parsley

Use in soups,  sauces and stuffings.

Pasta dishes and casseroles

Omelettes, herb butters and salads

I suppose I must say that it makes a colourful and attractive garnish

Biennial herbs - grown for culinary use

Growing and using Biennial Herbs for culinary purposes

There is a difference between biennial and biannual.

*  Biennial refers to something which happens every two years, In the case of herbs, they will germinate from seed and produce leaves in the first year. In the second year they will produce flowers, go to seed, then die.

*  Biannual refers to something which happens twice each year. In the case of herbs or, in fact any plant, I can’t offhand, think of any examples.

I guess the most common biennial we grow is Parsley- the world’s most popular herb, I believe. It is a relation of celery. Parsley provides useful quantities of most of the B vitamins, also Vitamins C & K. It is a good source of Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc. It has been suggested that it can be used as a diuretic and for lowering high blood pressure. However, for any medicinal purposes, please use with care.

As I have mentioned in a previous Blog, there are different types of parsley, most of which will grow fairly easily in temperate climates on a range of soils, though it does prefer a fairly rich soil. The most common of these is Moss Curled – quite a sharp leaved, strongly flavoured parsley often, unfortunately just used for garnishing dishes, then discarded. What a shame for, as well as being a decorative bright green, it is a flavoursome, healthy plant that no kitchen should be without. Use in sauces, (I think parsley sauce is my favourite with vegetables, fish, any meat dish really – I love it!), soups, in salads.

Somewhat less common is Flat-leaved or Italian Parsley (I have even heard it referred to as French Parsley – though this might be a different type again – do let me know if you have more information on this). I have grown this very successfully in my back garden where, so far, I have failed to produce good crops of Moss-curled. It was brilliant and available all winter in huge quantities every time I stepped outside my back door. Some people think it has a stronger flavour than Moss-curled – it’s debateable.

Let’s not forget about turnip rooted or Hamburg Parsley. I’ve only tried to grow it once, with limited success. Its roots are a bit like parsnips, though I prefer parsnips which are also more reliable (and they’re not always so reliable!).

Parsley can be very tricky to germinate though, once germinated it is usually easy enough to grow on. It has been suggested that should propagated in pots in a propagator then planted out. This really wouldn’t do for me. I like to use it extravagantly so, I sow a whole row each year across my plot. Try soaking the seeds in warm water for 24hours before you sow. Although a biennial, grow it as an annual. In its first year, once it is established, it is at its best. It will overwinter in mild winters and will provide you with a reliable supply until the new season’s crop is ready. However, during the last two winters it has been so cold here that I’ve had no fresh parsley. A few of last year’s plants have now recovered enough to give me a small supply again but, I’m glad I had the foresight to freeze several tubs of it last year – and that, only because the previous year caused complete devastation to my crop.

To freeze, chop it finely (loads of it, I use my food processor for this) and pack it into tubs. It is not as flavoursome as fresh but, it can do the job and so much better than a little pot bought at the supermarket for several £’s which disappears in one sauce.

Chervil -It’s a shame that I won’t give my next biennial herb the same space I have given to parsley. I have only lately come to Chervil so, I really don’t know so much about it or it’s uses. Please do contact me if you have more useful information on this wonderful herb.

It is a relation of carrots and is reputed to be good for digestion, high blood pressure and it has been suggested – for curing hiccups! As before, for any medicinal uses, please use with care and only if you know what you are doing. It is a good source of many of the B vitamins, also Vitamins A and C. It provides useful amounts of Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Iron, Zinc, Selenium and Calcium.

Chervil has a delicate flavour easily lost in cooking so, if you do intend to add it to cooked dishes, only add at the last minute. In salad it is delicious, where it’s slightly aniseed flavour adds a touch of magic.

As its flavour is so easily lost, it doesn’t store well either frozen or dried so, enjoy it when it is available as a fresh herb.

Like parsley, it can be tricky to germinate. I sowed some two seasons ago but, not appreciating it excellence, I didn’t re-sow last year. However, I do have a plant which has obviously reseeded last year – it is presently running to flower but it is a fresh green exuberant plant all ready for enjoying, in spite of our present drought. Do give it a try.

Sow between May and August – so plenty of time!