Parsley is a very, very used herb in the kitchen. It grows quite fast, can live for several years and the best thing is that its germination rate (ie the percentage of seeds that germinate) is high. And precisely for this reason we are going to see how to get new plants at a really low cost.
And it is that the packets of seeds cost about a euro, and since they contain a lot of them (I have never counted them, but depending on the brands there can be more than 20), it is easy to have some plants . But, of course, for this you need to know how to plant parsley in a pot.
Contents
When is parsley planted?
It is important to know what time of year it is best to sow parsley seeds to grow them as much as possible. And good, the most suitable time to sow them in the spring, but since it’s not a herb that needs full sun, it really can be done any time of the year. Of course, if it is winter, I recommend having the seedbed in a greenhouse or even at home, because if ice or snow falls and there is a sprout that push, she will die.
But also, if it is to be kept indoors, there should be no drafts in that room, or at least it should not be exposed to them, otherwise the seedlings will dry out.
What do you need to plant parsley in a pot?
Image – Wikimedia/Jacopo Werther
Now that we know when to sow the seeds, it’s time to get serious. For proper planting, you will need the following:
- Flower pot: of course, but not just any. It is very important that there are holes at its base, otherwise the seeds will drown if the soil is wet for too long. Also, if you want to plant a lot, it is important that the container is large.
- Substrate or soil: Although parsley is a very resistant plant, when it comes to sowing seeds, it is advisable to choose a good quality substrate, since it will depend, to a large extent, on their good growth. For this reason, we will fill the pot with a specific substrate for seedlings, or with a universal substrate that we know in advance is good, such as Fertiberia or Westland.
- watering can: It can be a small, 1 liter, like the one they sell here. The water should be hot; that is to say neither very cold nor very hot, around 25-28ºC.
- Seeds: parsley seeds can be bought here for example.
- label for plants: it’s really optional, but if we are among those who sow several types of seeds, it is interesting to put the name of the plant and the date of sowing on a label. So you have good control over everything you’ve planted so far and how long it takes them to sprout.
How is it sown?
Planting parsley seeds is simple. And if you don’t believe me you just need to follow this step by step What do I explain to you now:
- The first thing to do is to almost completely fill the pot with the substrate. You must leave a centimeter or a centimeter and a half (or two at most) between the surface of the rim of the container and the surface of the substrate. This should be done so that when watering, the water remains inside the pot and can be absorbed by the soil.
- Then water. Water should be poured until the soil is very wet.
- Next, take some parsley seeds and place them on the surface of the substrate. They must be separated from each other. Indeed, it is preferable that if, for example, the pot measures approximately 10 centimeters in diameter, one does not put more than four seeds.
- Finally, cover them with a very thin layer of soil. And if necessary, insert the label after writing in indelible marker the date of planting and the name of the plant.
Now you need to put the pot in a place where there is plenty of light (it does not need to be in direct sunlight).
How to care for the parsley seedbed?
Image – Wikimedia/Maurocatanese86
After the seeds are sown, all you have to do is water when the soil is dry. And how is it done? Well, since the seeds are small, it is advisable to put a plate under the pot and fill it with water whenever you see that the soil is no longer moist.
As you have to be very careful not to overwater, we will check the humidity before doing so. And this can be done in a very simple way, with a simple wooden or plastic stick. If you put it in the pot, when you take it out you can see either that there is a lot of soil that has stuck (in which case you won’t water), or that it comes out practically clean. You have more information in this video:
How long does parsley take to sprout?
Much depends on the temperatures there are and if these seeds are fresh or not. A) Yes, the normal thing is that if they are harvested from the plant and planted soon after, they will germinate after a few days; but if not, and if it is also autumn or winter, it can take up to a month.
In any case, once they do, we will immediately see that their growth rate is quite rapid, so much so that maybe after a few months we will have to plant them in bigger pots. We will know if the roots come out through the holes in the seedbed. If this happens then transplanting will be something we will need to do so they can continue to grow.
Related article:
How to take care of parsley
So nothing, I hope you enjoy sowing parsley and watching the seedlings grow.