All you need is a small outdoor space to grow parsley in pots and keep this fragrant aromatic herb on hand With its beautiful light green color, parsley is one of the typical ingredients of Mediterranean cuisine: it is an aromatic herb that can add flavor to any dish and is also widely used for its benefits. For example, it contains an essential oil that stimulates the secretion of gastric juices and promotes digestion even after a large meal. In short, it is really a valuable ally in any situation: why not keep something on the balcony? Here’s how to grow parsley in pots to always have it available, fresh and at zero km.
Parsley, properties of the plant
Among the many aromatic herbs in which our cuisine is rich, parsley takes pride of place. A small sprig is enough to flavor any dish and make it special, giving it not only a special flavor, but also numerous beneficial properties, including digestive ones, as we have seen. Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) is a biennial plant in the Apiaceae family, which includes many other valuable ingredients such as cumin, carrot, celery, parsnips, and fennel. Native to the Mediterranean, it grows spontaneously in forests and meadows: it has a robust root and triangular leaves with serrated edges, while the flowers are white or slightly blue and form small umbels. Growing parsley is not particularly challenging as long as you take a few precautions: for example, this plant is particularly afraid of too intense cold and heat and grows best when the weather is mild (there are usually no problems in Italy). Therefore, the ideal place to plant is cool and protected from direct sunlight (at least during the summer season), possibly in regions where winters are quite short and never too harsh. When it starts to get colder, you can choose to move the plant indoors, perhaps on a windowsill, to provide it with the light it needs. If you have to leave it on the balcony, cover the soil with dry leaves or a little straw to protect the roots from low temperatures.
How to Plant Parsley
If you have a balcony or small terrace, you can safely grow parsley in pots. It is a plant that adapts well to even the smallest spaces, as it does not grow excessively. But how do you do that? First, you need to prepare everything you need to plant. Get a pot with a diameter of at least 20 cm (up to three small seedlings can grow there) and choose it from the tallest ones: parsley roots, in fact, develop deeply and need space. As for the soil, this aromatic herb has no special needs. You can buy gardening soil by mixing it with a little sand. Even better, if you put a layer of expanded clay at the bottom of the pot to promote good water drainage: this way you can avoid the risk of water stagnation, one of the main causes of plant wilting (if this happens, it is likely that the water has rotted the roots). Once the pot is ready, you can sow your parsley. When should you do it? Actually, there is no best time, just make sure that temperatures never drop below 14°/15°C (even at night): it is therefore advisable to do this in warm regions between March and October, while the window is a little narrower in colder places. Now let’s look at how to plant parsley. Move the soil a little on the surface and spread the seeds so that they are evenly distributed throughout the soil you have available. Then cover with a thin layer of soil and moisten, then place the pot in the sun. If you want to speed up the process a bit, first germinate the seeds indoors using techniques such as germination in cotton or paper towels, and only then place them in the soil, using the same procedure we just saw. Alternatively, you can buy a parsley seedling that has already grown and transplant it into its pot. In this case, we are talking about planting: this process must also be carried out when temperatures no longer drop below 15°C, i.e. generally from spring to late autumn. Simply dig a small hole in the ground and place the plant inside, then compact everything again with your hands. And now that you’ve planted parsley, all you have to do is wait for the results of your efforts: let’s figure out a few tricks for growing this plant so that it grows lushly.
Growing parsley in pots: the tricks
Caring for a parsley plant is actually very simple. After planting, you will see the first leaves in a few weeks, which will make up for all your sacrifices. The first thing to do when the seedling has reached a height of 5 cm is to thin: cut the smaller branches so that the already more developed branches receive more light, air and food. Also make sure there are no dry or diseased plants, if there are, remove them so you don’t cause problems to the rest of the plant. When it comes to watering, parsley needs water, but don’t overdo it. Keep an eye on the soil and water it before it dries out completely, otherwise, you risk burning your seedling (especially in summer). However, be careful not to give too much water, otherwise dangerous root stagnation could form. The first sign that will allow you to notice excess water is the yellowing of parsley leaves, which should not be underestimated. As the plant grows, regularly cut back the weakest or diseased branches so that the remaining branches are even more robust and productive. Finally, the most beautiful (and most eagerly awaited) moment: the harvest. When can this be possible? In general, the plant is ready to reach a height of 15-20 cm. If you only need a few leaves, cut them off with scissors if necessary. Alternatively, you can cut off the head of a stem, making sure they start a few inches above the base of the plant to ensure it regenerates the following season.
