Parsley-An Ideal Foliage Plant

When growing parsley in the kitchen gardens and edible landscapes, parsley leaves are ready to harvest about 70-85 days from the time the seeds are planted. You can easily tell whether it's ready by looking closely at the leaves. At that point, the leaf stalks will have three segments. Once you harvest the large, outer leaves, the inner ones will be free to develop to their full size.

Parsley is high in Vitamin C, calcium, potassium, and Vitamin A. However, most people don't eat enough to derive its full nutritional benefits. Parsley also makes an excellent breath freshener.

Its culinary uses aren't limited to its use as garnish. It is also made into jelly, batter-fried as a side dish, and as an ingredient in salsa verde. It is also added to cooked dishes, such as stews, soups, and sauces.

In the garden, parsley is seldom bothered by insects and diseases with the exception of the parsley worm. These caterpillars are the larvae of the lovely black swallowtail butterfly. For that reason, most gardeners try to grow extra plants so there will be some for the caterpillars.

This herb is a member of the Umbelliferae family, making it a relative of Queen Anne's lace.

Parsley has been in cultivation for thousands of years. It was used by the ancient Greeks and Romans for culinary and herbal purposes.

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