Parsley is an herb for many dishes. Sow parsley in pots and you will always have fresh leaves. Our instructions and the lunar calendar are guides to harvest success.
When can parsley be sown?
Parsley ( Petroselinum crispum ) can be sown in pots all year round if germination can occur in a warm room of the house. Sowing on the balcony is only recommended in the warmer months of the year. You can also sow parsley at temperatures around 3 °C. However, germination, which usually lasts four weeks, would take three to four times longer under these conditions. Meanwhile, the soil must remain moist throughout. This significantly increases the risk of seeds rotting or the soil becoming moldy.
The ideal time according to the lunar calendar
Even if no study has so far scientifically substantiated the importance of the moon for gardening. Many nature-loving gardeners have dared to approach this topic with curiosity and trust their own experiences. They report that the seed germinates more reliably, the parsley plants grow faster and stay healthy, and produce a richer harvest. How to find the ideal time for sowing parsley according to the rules of the lunar calendar:
- choose a day with a descending moon
- also pay attention to the zodiac sign of the day
- leaf days are ideal for leaf parsley
- these are days in Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces
- root days are ideal for root parsley
- these are days in Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn
vessel, substrate and seeds
For sowing, you can use simple small pots with drainage holes. Use potting soil or low-nutrient herb soil as a substrate. Vegetable soil is an alternative, but not potting soil. This is usually pre-fertilized with artificial fertilizer. Since the herb is intended for consumption, you would be doing yourself a disservice by doing so.
Parsley seeds are inexpensive and readily available at any hardware store or garden center. During the main planting season in spring, you will also find parsley seeds in every supermarket or discounter.
Instructions for sowing
- Let the seeds soak in lukewarm water overnight before sowing, then they will germinate more reliably and the long germination period will be shortened.
- Fill the pots with potting soil to about 2 cm below the rim.
- Sow about 10 seeds per container and press them down lightly.
- This herb is dark germinating. Therefore, cover the seeds with a 1-1.5 cm thick layer of potting soil and press it down lightly.
- Moisten the soil.
- Put the pots in a warm place . The ideal germination temperature is 22 °C. This means the temperature of the earth and not the air temperature. A stone window sill may be too cold. Place a wooden board or styrofoam underneath. For the duration of germination, the place does not have to be bright.
- Wait for the almost four weeks of germination. During this time, keep the soil constantly wet but not too moist, otherwise it can become moldy. If you don’t want to water the soil daily, put a clear bag over each pot. But here, too, you have to act daily and air them briefly.
- Once the cotyledons appear, move the pots to a bright spot if they aren’t already. It can also be sunny.
- When the young plants have reached a height of 5 cm, you can separate them.
