Parsley
Petroselinum crispum
A vegetable, sown March to August.
In September: pick a few parsley leaves at a time and cover it with a cloche or fleece. Wear gloves to pick a lot of it: in sunlight it can redden and blister skin.
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Parsley, month by month
Bar: the usual months. Sprout: this month.
| Sowing, planting or job | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | 2027Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sow under cover. | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | none | none | none | none | none |
| Sow outdoors. | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual |
| Plant out. | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual | usual | none | none |
| Protect the parsley over winter. | none | none | none | usual | usual | usual | none | none | none | none | none | none |
| Sow another batch of parsley. | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual |
| Pick a few parsley leaves at a time. | usual | usual | usual | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual | usual | usual |
| Cover the parsley with a cloche or fleece. | usual | usual | usual | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none |
What to do, and when
The usual months for a UK garden. Your own plan gives the week.
Handle it with care
Wear gloves to pick a lot of it: in sunlight it can redden and blister skin.
Weaker source: DermNet (outside the UK).
Sowing and planting
Sow under cover in March, 1cm deep. Strong source: RHS.
Sow outdoors April to August, 1cm deep, 15 to 30cm apart, rows 20 to 30cm apart. Strong source: RHS.
Plant out April to June, 15 to 30cm apart. Strong source: RHS.
Protect the parsley over winter
Bring plants indoors or into a greenhouse or coldframe, or cover them in the ground with cloches.
Usually December to February. Strong source: RHS.
Sow another batch of parsley
Gardeners call this successional sowing.
Sow a small batch every few weeks for a steady supply of fresh leaves.
Usually April to August. Strong source: RHS.
Pick a few parsley leaves at a time
Gardeners call this cut-and-come-again harvesting.
Usually May to November. Strong source: RHS.
Cover the parsley with a cloche or fleece
Fleece in autumn makes the parsley harvest last longer.
Usually September to November. Moderate source: Garden Organic.
What the source words mean
Strong: the RHS page for this plant is among them.Moderate: another trusted UK source, or the RHS on its group.Weaker: a blog, a forum, a small website or a page from outside the UK. Treat it as a guide.
Every line above names the page it comes from. Where we found no good source for a job, we left it out. Where the name “Parsley” comes from.