The benefits of parsley for man is indisputable. In terms of frequency of use in cooking, it ranks first among the greens. It contains folic and ascorbic acid, potassium and calcium, selenium and iron. Do you have a piece of land or has the garden season ended? This is no reason to remain without parsley. Of course, it can be purchased in the store or on the market. However, it is much more interesting to grow seeds from seeds independently at home on the windowsill or on the balcony.
This can be done in any season. If you create normal conditions for the growth of seedlings, then you will harvest greenery both in winter and in early spring.
Table of contents
What grade to choose for cultivation on the balcony or windowsill
By the appearance of green parsley is divided into big leaf and curly. What to choose for growing at home, decide for yourself. It's a matter of taste.
By maturity parsley is divided into early, middle and late varieties. To grow on the windowsill of an apartment, choose early varieties.
Early ripe varieties of parsley
"Emerald lace" - height 15 cm, fragrant variety with curly leaves, quickly increases the green mass after cutting.
"Aster" - height is up to 15 cm, leaves of a grade corrugated, saturated-green color, quickly grow after cutting. Rosette bush dense, fluffy.
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- Emerald Lace
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- Aster
Early ripening
"Morning freshness" - the bush socket is strong, the height is up to 20 - 30 cm, new shoots grow quickly. After cutting the leaves remain fresh for a long time.
"Madam" - the bush is rather high, up to 35 cm. Juicy greens, dark green, up to 20 leaves are formed in the socket.
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- Morning freshness
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- Madam
Get greens at home by sprouting parsley roots from the garden. This method will allow to harvest in three to four weeks.
Preparing the soil for planting
The soil for planting parsley should be loose, without lumps. It is better to buy ready-mixed soil. You will be sure that it does not contain pest larvae and fungal spores, which will harm not only the parsley crops, but also all the indoor plants.
It is recommended to add biohumus (for fertility), perlite or vermiculite (to retain moisture in the soil) and coconut fiber (for loosening the soil).
Capacity Selection
This can be a pot, box or container. The height of the pot should be not less than 25 cm. Clay pots have a porous structure that allows air to penetrate to the roots of the plant. In addition, excess moisture will quickly evaporate in such a vessel.
Plastic vessels are more practical to use. Their disadvantage is that they do not allow air. Therefore, overflow will cause rotting of the roots of the plant.
Sowing seeds at home
Consider the steps of sowing parsley seeds:
- soak the seeds for a day in the stimulator for better germination. Zircon, Appin or Pennant may be used;
- a crate or pot for planting should have a drain hole for draining excess water. If there is no pallet in the container, it is possible to pour a layer of claydite from burned clay on its bottom. Thus, you protect the parsley roots from rotting;
- Lightly soil the soil before planting the seeds and tamp it down. Place parsley seeds in the soil. to a depth of 1cm. Plant seeds in grooves or loose;
- cover with seeds covered with foil. So the seeds will grow faster. It must be removed for a few hours a day for airing;
- seed germination capacity put in a dark place, and after emergence of shoots - to transfer to the illuminated window sill;
- turn the pot with shoots once every two or three days so that the seeds do not stretch to the sun.
Care rules
Watering
Watering moderate as the soil dries. It is better to water a little, but every other day, than to pour the plant once a week.
After the appearance of seedlings, water gently under the root. For irrigation use separated water at room temperature. Good will feel the shoots of parsley in the kitchen in conditions of high humidity. Lighting. Ideally, place the seed pot on the southeast window sill.
You can also use phytolamp to highlight and extend daylight. It is recommended to include it for 3-4 hours a day.
Phytolamp - a lamp for plants, which prolongs the light day, accelerates the growth of seedlings and the development of fruits. Lamps with cold, blue light are used when growing seedlings when the plant needs to increase the root mass. Lamps with warm, red light are used to end the growing season and to improve flowering.
Weeding and Loosening
This procedure is performed in one day. That is, one day - watering, the second - weed the soil.
Loosening the soil helps the air flow to the roots. It contains carbon dioxide, which enters the roots and participates in photosynthesis. Also, when loosening, the soil crust is removed, which contributes to the development of root rot.
Top dressing
For greens use complex fertilizers with a high nitrogen content. These may be drugs. Kemira Lux, Fertika, Master. Mineral fertilizers are preferably alternated with organic (Gumat7, Gumat potassium).
Need to carefully make mineral fertilizers when growing greens. Parsley plant quickly accumulates nitrates with irregular feeding.
Thinning
Necessary procedure in the care of seedlings. Thin out seedlings need in order to make room for the sun for each sprout. Oxygen will better penetrate the soil to the roots.
Harvesting
The first harvest of parsley grown on the windowsill will be collected in 1.5 months.
In the future, cut the greens with a height of 10 - 15 cm, once in two - three weeks. It is clear that large yields should not be expected. A couple of pots of parsley will provide you with fresh herbs for first courses and salads.
Parsley in room conditions, with proper care, can grow throughout the year. A year later, will have to plant new seeds.
As you can see, growing parsley on the windowsill is not difficult. To do this, just prepare the seeds, soil and capacity. Devote this business for some time to get home greens. You will know that parsley is grown without nitrates and has not been treated with chemicals. In addition, the process of growing very fascinating.