Flat leaf parsley is the most used herb in Italian cooking. Not basil. Not oregano. Parsley. It goes into soffritto, onto grilled fish, through pasta, over beans, into salsa verde. You will use it every single day once you have it growing.
This Vintage variety has a strong aroma and rich flavour with generous dark green leaves. It is cold resistant and can be harvested well into winter, which makes it one of the longest producing herbs you can grow.
Cut it and it grows back. Cut it again and it grows back again. One sowing keeps you going for months.
🌱 Sowing information
Sow February to October, about 1cm deep. Parsley is slow to germinate (14 to 28 days), so be patient. Soaking seeds overnight before sowing helps speed things up. Sow a pinch every few weeks for a continuous supply.
☀️ Light exposure
Full sun to partial shade. Parsley is one of the more shade tolerant herbs, which makes it useful for less sunny spots. It also grows well on a windowsill or in a pot by the kitchen door.
💧 Water needs
Keep soil consistently moist, especially during germination. Once established, parsley is fairly tough. Water regularly in dry weather. In pots, check daily as they dry out faster.
🌡️ Germination temperature and time
Germination takes 14 to 28 days at 10 to 25°C. Parsley is notoriously slow to germinate. Soaking seeds for 12 to 24 hours before sowing helps. Do not give up too early.
📏 Plant spacing and final size
Plants grow to 30 to 50cm tall. Space 20 to 25cm apart, or grow in pots on a windowsill. A 20cm pot will comfortably hold 3 to 4 plants and give you a steady supply.
🌼 Harvesting notes
Harvest from 10 to 12 weeks after sowing, then continuously. Cut outer stems first, leaving the centre to keep growing. The plant is biennial, meaning it produces leaves in year one and flowers in year two.
🍽️ In the kitchen
Chopped into everything. Salsa verde, gremolata, risotto, pasta aglio olio e peperoncino, scattered over roasted vegetables. Unlike dried parsley, fresh flat leaf actually tastes of something.
📖 Want to make the most of your herbs? Our recipe guide “Welly to Belly: Italian Herbs at Home” has simple, real Italian recipes for every herb you grow. Get your copy and start cooking with what you grow.
Technical Data
🌱 Sowing depth: 1cm
📅 Sow: February to October
☀️ Light: Full sun to partial shade
🌡️ Germination: 14 to 28 days at 10 to 25°C
📏 Height: 30 to 50cm. Space: 20 to 25cm
🪴 Container friendly: yes, windowsill or pot
⏳ First harvest: 10 to 12 weeks from sowing, then continuous
🧪 Approx. seed quantity: 15g per packet
Vintage 1928 variety from Franchi Sementi, est. 1783. Open pollinated, OGM free.
