Proper planting and care for parsley in the open field
Planting and care for parsley

It is difficult to imagine a farmer who does not grow greens on his plot. Any gardener will definitely allocate a bed for sowing parsley. No summer dish can do without this greenery. Parsley has a fairly wide range of applications. It is added to hot dishes, salads, used for decoration, making preparations for the winter in dry or frozen form, eaten raw as a spicy herb. With proper care, planting in open ground and before winter, and in the spring is not difficult.

Characteristics and useful properties of parsley

Parsley is of two kinds - root and leaf. Contains a large number of nutrients:

  • vitamins PP, E, C (5 times more than in lemon and rosehip);
  • the elements P (phosphorus), Ce (selenium), K (potassium);
  • calcium, iron, magnesium;
  • complex of water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins thiamine, riboflavin, retinol.

The root is different from the leaf that is used in food root vegetableformed at the end of the season. It has the same taste properties as the sheet.

Used for cooking marinades and pickles.

Sheet may be - normal and curly. Curly is used to add to dishes and as decoration.

Properly sowing parsley seeds in the spring garden

Seeding is necessary to carry out in Aprilas soon as the frost passes and the earth warms up to +5 degrees.

Soaking for successful germination

It should be noted that the seeds contain essential oils that prevent germination. In order for the seeds to sprout faster before planting it is necessary to soak them.

You can do this in one of the following ways:

  • Method 1. Before soaking, seeds are dipped in hot water (not boiling water). Under the influence of hot water from the seeds will wash off the essential oils. Then pour water at room temperature (19-23 degrees) to the bottom of the saucer, pour out the seeds and leave for 12 hours. Then the seeds need to soak in a growth stimulator. In the process of soaking, they need to be pulled out every 3 hours so that oxygen gets to the seeds. After three days, the seeds are ready for planting.
  • Method 2. Before soaking, pour vodka on the bottom of the saucer and dip seeds wrapped in cheesecloth for 15-20 minutes into it. You should carefully observe the time that the seeds did not get burned. Removing the vodka from the saucer, rinse the seeds thoroughly with water and dry.
Soaking parsley seeds
Soaking parsley seeds
Both methods will help seeds germinate faster.

Also, some gardeners use soaking parsley, carrot or dill seeds in milk, and are satisfied with the result.

How to make the treatment and preparation of the soil for cultivation

Before planting seeds in the garden it is necessary to prepare and process the soil. The soil begins to prepare in the fall. Garden beds are dug up and applied to the soil. mullein.

If the soil is predominantly clayy add sifted river sand and sawdust. In the spring of the earth must be well loosen and make mineral fertilizers (it is better to plant parsley in fertile soil).

For the growth of greenery is best suited garden, where previously grown tomatoes, zucchini, onions, cucumbers. Garden beds should be in the sun, or slightly shaded. It is necessary to sow the seeds no deeper than 1 cm. Dust the grooves with earth, water well, mulch with humus or cover with polyethylene.

Care after planting in open ground

When the first shoots will ascend loosen the soil and thin out the seedlings. The first thinning is carried out in the presence of 2-3 sheets. The distance between the bushes should be more than 2 cm.

The second thinning must be performed in the presence of 5-6 sheets. Leave between plants no more than 6 cm.

Loosening the soil and removing weeds should be done at least 4 times.
Loosening the soil and removing weeds should be done at least 4 times.

For the season you need to make feeding 2 times and be sure to loosen no less than 4 times. The first dressing is applied to the soil if the seedlings have 2-3 leaves. Nitrogen-rich fertilizers are best suited for this purpose.

Cut stalks necessary as close to the ground as possible. It is not recommended to immediately cut a large number of leaves from a bush in one day. You need to cut 1/3 of the bush to give the bush time to recover. If you do not plan to collect seeds, the stem with buds must be removed, since new leaves will not grow.

A prerequisite for growing a good crop is regular watering, weeding and loosening the soil. Watering should be carried out in the evening. Loosening is necessary to give oxygen access to the roots of the plant. If there is a need for harvesting late parsley, it is recommended to sow twice a month.

To plant in the spring are recommended such varieties:

  1. Parsley leaf "Ordinary". Refers to early ripening varieties. Matures in 70 days. The taste is spicy, the leaves are dissected, the socket is powerful. Only leaves are good for food.
  2. «Breeze"- sheet. The term of aging is 80 days. Taste is gentle, retains freshness and taste for a long time after cutting.
  3. «Aster"- variety curly. Matures after 65 days.After cutting, the bush quickly recovers and grows.
  4. «Fruitful"- a variety of root greens, has a pointed root. The term of aging is 130 days;
  5. «Festival”- leaf parsley. Ripening period 56-65 days. The leaves have a dark green color, fragrant, strongly dissected. After cutting it grows well.

How to sow seeds for the winter

Sowing parsley for the winter is good because the greens will begin to appear as soon as the snow has settled and it becomes warm.

Seeds, wintered in the ground, germinate very active. Cutting and the first greens, garden can be used again.

The soil for planting should be prepared in the fall. Having dug a bed it is necessary to apply fertilizer. For this purpose it is better to use mullein.

In November, after the onset of frost, when the topsoil is frozen by 2 cm, you can sow the seeds. Seeds not recommended to soakso that they do not ascend before the onset of frost.

In the soil it is necessary to make grooves with a depth of 2 cm with a distance between rows of 15-20 cm. Pour a layer of quick lime of 0.5 cm thick into the grooves and sow parsley seeds densely in them.Fill the grooves with earth and mulch with humus. Humus will keep warm and protect from wind.

In the spring, as soon as shoots appear, it is necessary to water 3 times a week with warm water. Water the plants should be in the evening.

When planting before winter, after emergence of shoots, watering 3 times a week
When planting before winter, after emergence of shoots, watering 3 times a week

After the appearance of 2 leaflets on the seedlings, the first thinning must be performed. Leave only the strongest shoots. The second thinning is carried out when there are 5-6 leaflets on the shoots. The distance honey bushes leave 10 cm.

Feeding is necessary to make twice. The first time after the leaves appear. The second feeding is carried out in two weeks. After applying the dressing, watering is necessary so that the nutrients penetrate well into the soil and dissolve there.

If the soil is not depleted in top dressing is not necessary, as the parsley does not like the abundance of fertilizers.

Causes of poor seed germination

Even experienced gardeners sometimes face the problem of poor parsley germination. Let's try to understand the reasons for what it can not ascend:

  1. Increased soil acidity. Normalize the level of acidity by adding ash to the soil;
  2. Heavy soil. If parsley seeds are deeply planted, it cannot penetrate a thick layer of soil. It is necessary to sow to a depth of no more than 1 cm in the spring and 1.5 cm for the winter. In the event that the soil is clayey, it is necessary to add sifted river sand and sawdust to the soil;
  3. Shade Bed. Greens grow well in sunny beds. In the shadows can not ascend at all. In the case of seedlings on shaded beds, it will be very pale, with a weak aroma and poorly pronounced taste;
  4. Seeds with a poor shelf life. Saves germination for only three years. To get a good harvest you need to sow only fresh seeds;
  5. Long germination period. The high content in the seeds of essential oils repels water and makes germination difficult. To speed up the process, seeds are soaked in hot water.
One reason for poor germination is seeds with a poor shelf life.
One reason for poor germination is seeds with a poor shelf life.

Harvesting and storage

Parsley can be harvested throughout the season.

The best way to store parsley leaves is considered freezing. Why? - When frozen, parsley does not lose its flavor, the color remains the same, the taste is not changed.

Wash the parsley leaves, towel dry, chop finely.Sliced ​​leaves folded in a plastic bag and put in the freezer, even when frozen, they will look great.

If necessary, the right amount is easily separated from the total mass (frozen parsley is cut easily). Parsley stalks to collect in small bunches and freeze.

Their used in the preparation of any hot dishes. It is enough for 5 minutes before the end of preparation to lower a bunch of stems into a hot dish. It will improve its taste. Also parsley can be stored in a dry form, having previously dried it in a dry room with poor lighting.

Root parsley is harvested in the late autumn, before the onset of frost. Cut the leaves and stored in the basement, sprinkled it with sand.

This spicy and healthy plant with proper planting and proper care will surely please with a rich, full of vitamins harvest. Planting and growing it is easy, the main thing is to carry out seed treatment and care for it properly.