HERB, Parsley, Italian, Org

Description

Italian Giant Parsley

Petroselinum crispum

The deep rich flavor of this heirloom from Italy has made it a prized ingredient in a wide variety of dishes. The large, flat, dark green, serrated leaves are more flavorful and sweeter than the curly types. This plant grows quickly and can tolerate regular picking.  So flavorful that it is much more than a garnish, use it as a major ingredient in all of your hot dishes, salads and sauces.

Companion Plants
Plant parsley nearby chives, carrots, corn, chili and sweet peppers, onions, peas, tomatoes and particularly asparagus. Roses will smell more fragrant when parsley is planted at their base, however growing mint or lettuce near parsley is not a good idea.

When allowed to go to seed, parsley will attract hoverflies to your garden. Some species of hoverflies larvae are known to eat aphids, thrips and other destructive insects and parsley is believed to repel harmful beetles.

Germ:  12-28 days at 70-75° F
Maturity:  85-90 days
Net Wt. per Packet: 500 milligrams
Approximate Seed Count: 170 Seeds/Packet

Planting and Care  Directly sow into well-drained garden soil rich in organic matter after danger of frost is past, or start indoors in late winter and transplant early spring into full sun or light shade.  Barely cover the seeds, as they are tiny and mark the row since germination is slow. Soaking overnight in warm water before planting may help speed up germination time.  Germination temperature:  50-75 deg. Water regularly and thin when seedlings are 2″. Parsley can overwinter in mild areas cover with straw to protect from slightly freezing temperatures. In mild climates, plant again in fall for early winter harvests.

Harvest  Snip off the outside stems close to the ground as needed, this will encourage new growth from the center.  Use stems from several plants to avoid stressing individual plants.

Your Health  High in Vitamins K, C and A, as well as a good source of folic acid and antioxidants.