 Parsley, Petroselinum crispum, is a biennial herb but grown as an annual. Its popular curled variety is most recognizable as a fresh garnish for American food. The sprigs used from growing parsley are also edible and add flavor to soups, salads, and main courses.
In Medieval times, hungry people placed parsley on the tables and around their necks to absorb food odors. This practice leaves you to wonder exactly what they were eating. It was also used as a poison antidote. This would prove valuable to have handy for those at risk of food poisoning consuming rancid meat!
The growing parsley seed needs high temperatures to germinate. It could take several weeks for the seeds to sprout. Soak the seeds in warm water overnight before planting. Seeds can be sown in pots and kept warm indoors until the seedlings have sprouted.
Plant the herbs outdoors in early spring in rows a foot apart. Cover the bed 1/2 inch deep. Add bonemeal to the top layer of soil. The seedlings can be planted outside when they are about three inches tall.
Pick a spot for growing parsley that will receive at least six to eight hours of sunlight per day. It performs best in full sun to part shade.
Provide the growing parsley with soil rich in organic matter. Your efforts will be rewarded in a healthy crop gathered from the garden. Consider planting in a container if you have poor soil conditions or not enough space. Growing parsley indoors requires a minimum five hours of sunlight everyday.
Growing parsley should get a monthly dose of fertilizer to sustain growth through the season. Water often during the summer months to make certain the soil does not dry out. Add mulch to the soil to reduce moisture loss and prevent growing weeds.
Later thin the plants to stand about six inches apart.
Parsley is an all season herb. From planting time until harvest is about twelve weeks.
Because it is a biennial, the herbs will begin to produce seed, which ends the plants use as an herb.
In the fall, leaves may be dried and stored in tight jars. Roots may be transplanted into pots for growing parsley indoors. The following spring remove the flower stems as soon as they appear to keep the plants active.
Growing parsley tips
Growing parsley in a deep pot benefits its long taproot system.
If lightly mulched, parsley can tolerate colder temperatures.
Parsley medical uses
Parsley is a nutritious food, full of vitamins and minerals that our bodies need.
The use of parsley is believed to be a relief for arthritis. The herb is a known diuretic used to treat the symptoms of patients suffering kidney and liver problems.
A tea made from parsley seeds is a natural remedy for colic, and indigestion. Parsley snips are nature's breath mints. Others uses in herbal medicine are as a cough expectorant. It is also claimed to be a mild aphrodisiac.
When growing parsley it is important to keep them warm, fed regularly, and be sure to wet the bed! The herb will repay you in a green presentation to adorn your culinary creations.
Michael Floren has been [http://grow-herbs.net/growing_parsley.php]Growing Parsley for more than a decade. Visit his website at http://grow-herbs.net/ to learn more about growing parsley and other great herbs.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Floren http://EzineArticles.com/?Growing-Parsley&id=1767119
Parsley Image by jean froidevaux
 |
Subscribe to this comment's feed