4. Common or Curly Leaf Parsley – Parsley is another herb that has been used for thousands of years. It originated in Italy and the Mediterranean region as far as I can tell from my research. Other common varieties are Italian flat leaf and Hamberg. 

Starting – Parsley is well suited to growing in containers from cups to pots. Just make sure the containers have good drainage. When starting parsley from seed, soak the seeds overnight in warm water to shorten the germination time. If using a 6 inch pot, plant the seeds about 1/8 inch deep and spritz with water from a spray bottle. Cover the pot with plastic wrap and secure with a rubber band or string. Set the pot in a windowsill with good indirect sunlight. (This method makes the pot into a mini green house. Poke two or three holes to allow some moisture to escape). Every two to three days loosen the plastic wrap to check the soil. It should be just moist to the touch and not wet. Germination should happen in 4 to 6 weeks. The seedlings look like blades of grass as they get above ground. At this stage, thin to 2 to 3 plants per pot. If growing in a cup, thin to one plant.  Parsley tolerates full sun or part shade. But indoors, I would try to set it to get at least 5 to 6 hours of sun per day.

 

Harvesting – Cut individual shoots of parsley at ground level to stimulate new growth. Otherwise cut individual leaves for use.

Storing – While parsley will freeze well, it loses a lot of taste this way. Drying for storage is a better method.

Uses – For many years, parsley was used mostly as a garnish before actually being used in cooking. It can be used in salads as it is a good source of Vitamins A, C and especially K. Use it in soups, stews, on steaks or other meats, in meatloaf, in omelets, on most vegetables. I even use parsley in my tuna salad recipe.


Curly Leaf Parsley 4/15/2012