Description
Key Facts
- The type you will find most often in supermarkets.
- Easy to grow
- Takes about 3 months to grow
- Available from Amazon
Background
When you grow french or curley leaved parsley then this is the variety you will find most often in major supermarkets.
- Originally from the central Mediterranean region (Cyprus, Sardinia, Malta, etc.).
- Slightly fresh, ‘grassy’ earthly flavour.
- Ideal as a garnish to dishes – especially as it ‘looks more interesting’.
- Days from seed to harvest – about 70 to 90 (3 months)
- About 30 to 40 cm high
Example French parsley recipes
French parsley (curley leaved parsley) is often used as a garnish for dishes, as it looks the most interesting of the parsley varieties. In addition (depending on type and variety) it can add a lovely fresh flavour to your dish – although some varieties might be bitter instead.
The problem with French parsley when using it for cooking is that it’s difficult to wash, and might be difficult to chop when used as an ingredient.
Typical recipes:
- Tabbouleh Salad Recipe (see video)
- Pan Roasted Salmon with Parsley Pineapple Relish
- Carrot and Parsley Soup
How to grow French parsley at home
The seeds are easy to plant and you can grow parsley indoors in pots any time of the year.
If you want to grow parsley outdoors or on the balcony you will need to
- Sow it between early spring and the start of summer
- In well-drained soil in sun or partial shade.
Please note that parsley tends to be slow to germinate, and can take anything up to 6 weeks.
If you are using pots then sow the seeds thinly across a 25cm pot filled with soil, cover with a 1cm (½in) layer of compost and water. Leave in a cool spot to germinate and make sure the compost doesn’t dry out.
Germination can take up to six weeks, then when they are large enough to handle, thin out seedlings, leaving about 2cm (¾in) between plants.
Aquaponic or Hydroponics Parsley
Parsley is ideal for hyroponic or aquaponic growing.
A key advantage is that it will have a great yield and low nutrient requirement.
Starting aquaponic or hydroponic parsley
The most difficult element will be propagation from seed.
If you want to ‘cheat’ then an easy solution is to buy a ready made parsley plug – the problem (especially in places like the UK and USA) is that most plugs will be of the French or Curly Parsley variety.
Propogation from seed will take up to 6 weeks, and you can either use the option of growing parsley in pots (as above) or an easier option could be to use organic moistened propagation cubes like to ones available from Amazon
Transplanting Parsley plants
Once your seeds have germinated and are showing leaves, then you can move them into your hydropnic or aquaponic system.
Once you’ve moved them it will take about 20 to 30 days before you start using the parsley ingredients.
Minze Vries –
It is a very popular herb and very easy to grow. But trying growing Italian parsley if you can, it does taste better