Planting and proper care of parsley
Almost every owner of the land plot grows spicy plants. Parsley is a versatile product that is used for treatment, in cooking or for cosmetic procedures. Growing this culture is not difficult, but you must adhere to certain rules. Various methods are used to grow parsley.
How can you plant?
Parsley is a leafy vegetable. It has in its composition a lot of useful elements that have a positive effect on the body in winter and summer. The plant can use roots or leaves, as well as seeds to maintain the functioning of the human body all year round.
If parsley will be planted in open ground, then this should be done in the spring. These terms are the most optimal for her. It is also important that there are optimal weather conditions. If the plant will be planted with seedlings, then it is transferred to open ground at the age of one and a half months.
Also, some gardeners prefer to plant according to the lunar calendar. The most favorable numbers are:
- in March - 11-24;
- in April - 22-26;
- in June - 20-25;
- in July - 19-25.
Parsley loves the sun, and therefore the bed with it should be in open space. It is also important to observe the characteristics of the soil. It should be sufficiently moist and loose. If the soil is waterlogged, then a generous harvest will not work.The best option for parsley would be soil with loam and slight acidity. It is recommended to plant parsley in the place where potatoes or onions used to grow.
Seed and soil preparation
The seeds of the plant, like those of other members of the umbrella family, are covered with oils that prevent the sprouts from hatching ahead of time. To increase germination, it is recommended to pre-treat the seeds. This will speed up their germination.
For parsley to sprout, it must be soaked in liquid. To do this, they are soaked in warm water for 1-2 days, and then dried. This will help prepare the seeds and speed up germination.
Another soaking method is to place the seeds in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Initially, you need to pour a small amount of liquid into the container, and put a paper napkin on top and pour the seeds on it. This will help to disinfect the seeds.
The third way is to soak the seeds in a glass of potassium humate. To do this, take 1 gram of the substance and dilute it in a glass of water. Then the container is placed on the battery. On the second day, the seeds are taken out and dried well.
Soaking should be done 3-4 days before sowing. It is also important to first apply organic fertilizers to the soil, which will help the crop grow faster. To do this, make humus, manure or ash. The soil is fed both in spring and autumn.
If top dressing will be done in the fall, then the organic compounds are laid out on the surface of the soil, and then the site is dug up.
Seeding rules
To plant parsley, you need to initially germinate its seeds on the windowsill at home. You can do this at home on the balcony. After that, the seeds will germinate better.
Next, the seeds are transferred to shallow pits, the depth of which is not more than 2 centimeters. From above they are poured with warm water. Planting material is sown so that there is a distance of up to 1 cm between the seeds. The distance between rows is 50 cm.
At the end of sowing, the recesses should be sprinkled with a nutrient composition and tamped. After that, you need to wait for early shoots. It can be from 1 to 3 weeks. It all depends on the type of soil, temperature, humidity and age of the planting material.
The germination of parsley seeds is a long process, and therefore exact dates cannot be given. It depends on the variety, as well as weather conditions. If the seeds are of poor quality, then usually most of them do not germinate. Therefore, before buying seeds, they must be chosen correctly. You can also cook them yourself, leaving the resulting crop in dried form for the next season. Such seeds should be stored at a temperature of 2-3 degrees. Before planting, they will also need to be pre-treated and soaked.
In the apartment
When growing parsley at home, you need to know where to put the greens. You can use two places: a loggia or a window sill. When the landing will be made on the loggia, then this should be done in the spring. For this, small boxes are used, the depth of which is not less than 20 cm. The boxes must be taken from cardboard or wooden. The previously prepared mixture is poured into them. Usually it is peat mixed with soil in a ratio of one to one.
It is important to additionally apply universal formulations that are intended for deciduous crops. After the boxes are filled with the composition, it is necessary to water it and make small holes up to 1 cm deep.
When planting at home, it is also necessary to pre-soak and dry the seeds. After that, you need to monitor the timing of watering.
When the parsley sprouts, watering should be done every 2 days. You can cut the shoots at the moment when the shoots reach 10 cm. When planting, it is important to ensure that the parsley heads are at an angle of 45 degrees to the sun. The temperature must be maintained within 15-18 degrees.
In the open field
The culture grows well in open ground. Such sowing can be done several times during the whole season. The seed after planting will germinate on the 20th day. Also, the process can be accelerated if the seeds are pre-treated.
To do this, you need to take the seeds of the year before last, since they have a lot of energy. These seeds are prepared and soaked in warm water, which must be changed every three to four hours for two days. Then the seeds are placed in a special growth stimulator for a day.
If you need greens in large volumes, for example, for sale, then the seeds can be soaked in milk, and quicklime can be added in a small amount before planting in the soil. In this case, the first shoots will appear on the second day. You can sow several beds nearby at once.
Seeds are planted in grooves up to 2 cm deep. The grooves can be made solid, but then the seedlings will need to be thinned out. To avoid thinning, seeds should be placed at a distance of 7-10 cm from each other when planting. Before filling the seeds, the wells are watered. It is recommended to thin out seedlings when the seedlings reach a height of 3 cm. After 10 days, the greens are cut off and can be eaten.
In order for the seeds to germinate well, the temperature must be maintained within 25 degrees.Therefore, in the spring it is necessary to cover the area with a film at night. During the day, the film is lifted to allow air to enter inside.
Some gardeners plant parsley before winter. This is done in October, when frosts have not yet come. From above, the planted seeds are sprinkled with peat. In the spring, sprouts begin to sprout. At this time, it is also important to cover them with a film.
in the greenhouse
Parsley is a biennial plant, and therefore, for planting it, you need to choose a site that is not planned to be sown with other crops next year. Before planting, the soil must be dug up, fertilized and watered. Next, you need to compact the earth a little.
Preparation of parsley seeds for planting in the greenhouse is carried out in the same way as before planting in open ground. To do this, you need to prepare the seeds themselves and the soil. Then you need to make small indentations in the ground and place the seeds there, as when planting in open ground. Next, the area is covered with a film and well watered. The temperature inside the greenhouse should be between 20-25 degrees. Seedlings first appear after 7-10 days.
How to care for plants?
Only with proper care of parsley will it be possible to grow nutrient-rich and healthy plants. Seedlings look healthy after planting if there is no disease on them. When the pathology appears, it is necessary to fight it. It is not necessary to delay the treatment process for a long time.
Parsley has a fairly high immunity, and therefore is usually not exposed to diseases. The plant's defense mechanisms help it fight off bacteria, insects, and viruses on its own. But this does not give an absolute guarantee that the parsley will not get sick.
If the first symptoms of damage are detected, it is necessary to take timely measures to combat pests. In this case, the plant will be dull, yellow spots, rotting, and so on will appear on it. Means for the treatment of the disease should be used depending on the type of disease. Therefore, an individual approach is needed in each specific situation.
To prevent the occurrence of diseases, it is necessary, after the appearance of the first shoots, to treat them with potassium permanganate. So that the greens do not freeze, it must be covered with a film at night.
Experts note that the taste of parsley depends on timely watering. A juicy and bright culture can be obtained if it is watered a lot. If you need parsley for drying, then watering should be limited. In this case, it will be more fragrant.
Top dressing is usually done along with watering. Fertilizer should be applied 1 or 2 times a season. To do this, use saltpeter, which is scattered on the site in the amount of 6 grams per square meter. Nitrogen agents can also be added in the same amount.
When growth begins, parsley needs complex fertilizers. Closer to autumn, potash or phosphorus components are introduced. They are diluted in water in an amount of 7 grams per liter. This mixture is then poured onto the site.
Harvesting can begin after the first leaves appear on the sprouts. The exact timing depends on the plant variety. Usually, harvesting is done 2-3 weeks after the seeds are planted in the ground. When harvesting, it is necessary to cut the stems low. For fresh consumption, the plant is harvested as needed. You can store it in bags or plastic containers in the refrigerator.
Experienced gardeners adopt various agricultural practices to speed up germination. Since parsley is a biennial plant, agricultural technology does not require special care. To do this, the seeds must be planted in fertilized and loose soil. During planting, urea is also introduced in the amount of 10 grams per square meter. This will help to avoid the appearance of side roots. You can also add 50 g of superphosphate or sulfate per square meter.
To speed up growth, you can soak the seeds on sawdust. To do this, sawdust is pre-treated with boiling water with boric acid. Soaking is done for several hours, then the seeds are dried and planted in the ground.
At the end of the collection of parsley, you need to decide what will grow on the site next season. It is not recommended to plant parsley or other representatives of umbrella plants there again. Such crops can be planted on such a bed only after 4 years. It would be ideal to plant tomatoes, garlic, legumes or potatoes in the garden after parsley.
Today there are about 80 species of this culture. For an early harvest, it is recommended to use the following varieties:
- "Arlekino";
- "Poti";
- "Openwork";
- "Fidelio".
To prepare seeds on your own, you need to choose the most healthy plants that have a developed root system. They must be stored in a container with sand at a temperature of 0 degrees. In the spring, such material is additionally inspected and damaged specimens are discarded. Flowering will come in 30-40 days.
Usually cutting greenery occurs at the root. After a while, a new one grows in place of the remote shoot. The roots remain in the ground until frost. Fresh sprouts can be used for a long period.For long-term storage, the greens are heard, but at the same time it must be collected in warm and dry weather, when the dew has come down.
Seeds should be stored in a ventilated area, where the rays of the sun do not enter. It is not recommended to store and dry the material in the oven. After soaking, the seeds are laid out in paper bags or jars. They are stored in a dark place at room temperature in a room where the humidity is not more than 90%. With proper storage, the seeds can lie up to 4 years.
For information on how to sow parsley, see the video below.