How to Grow Parsley
Petroselinum crispum
A hardy, productive biennial herb that tolerates cold and even partial shade.
By the Plants by Zone Editorial Team · Reviewed June 1, 2026
About parsley
Parsley is a hardy, dependable herb grown as an annual for its fresh leaves. It’s slow to germinate but easygoing afterward, tolerating cold, partial shade, and container life. As a biennial it overwinters in many zones, offering early-spring greens before flowering in its second year.
When to plant and harvest parsley
Timing is relative to your frost dates. Find your USDA zone for exact dates, or browse the month-by-month calendars.
Start seeds indoors
8 weeks before last frost
Transplant outdoors
Around the last frost
Direct sow
Early spring (soak seed first)
Harvest
All season; survives into winter
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How to grow parsley step by step
- 1
Soak seed overnight to speed its slow germination.
- 2
Start indoors 8 weeks early or direct-sow ¼ in deep in spring.
- 3
Be patient — germination can take 3–4 weeks.
- 4
Harvest outer stems regularly; the plant keeps producing from the center.
Common problems growing parsley
⚠ Very slow / no germination
Normal — soak seed and keep soil moist and warm; allow up to a month.
⚠ Bolting in year two
Parsley is biennial; it flowers and turns bitter the second year — resow annually.
⚠ Black swallowtail caterpillars
They eat the foliage but become beautiful butterflies — relocate or share the plant.
✗ Keep away from
🧺 Harvesting parsley
Cut outer stems at the base, leaving the central growth to continue. Frequent harvesting encourages fresh, tender new growth all season.
Parsley: frequently asked questions
When should you plant parsley?＋
In most regions you start seeds indoors 8 weeks before last frost, then transplant around the last frost — or direct sow early spring (soak seed first). Timing is relative to your last frost, so find your USDA hardiness zone for the exact planting dates where you live.
Why is my parsley taking so long to sprout?＋
Parsley is naturally slow — up to 3–4 weeks. Soaking the seed overnight and keeping the soil moist speeds things up.
Does parsley come back every year?＋
It’s a biennial: leaves the first year, flowers the second. Most gardeners grow it fresh each year for the best leaves.
Sources & review
Written and maintained by the Plants by Zone Editorial Team. Planting times are based on USDA hardiness zones and NOAA frost-date normals, with care guidance drawn from Cooperative Extension sources. Last reviewed June 1, 2026.
USDA Plant Hardiness Zone MapNOAA U.S. climate normalsCooperative Extension
Grow parsley in your zone
See exactly when to plant and what else to grow alongside parsley, tailored to your USDA hardiness zone.
