Why can't I grow parsley ?

[Marb67]

Well for the life of me I just can't seem to get parsley going despite giving it deep compost in a raised bed (which I have seen them thrive in other gardens) It gets plenty of sun throughout the day and the compost around it is fresh so why does it discolour and fail to grow lush, dark green ? They were supermarket bought, potted on and later planted out when starting to go downhill in pot (with fresh compost)

I also sowed flat leaf, planted out and it failed failed failed. Never got going.

[veggiechicken]

I've seen a lot worse than those, Marb (mine!).
Cut off the old, yellow leaves for a start.
I've had more success with flat leaf than curly, both from supermarket plants. They both went to seed last year and self seeded, with several new flat leafed plants growing this year but only one curly one.

[ecudc]

Have you tried growing from seed? Super market herbs are very pampered and sown too close together and can struggle when put out. As long as you can protect from slugs and water well I’ve had surprisingly good plants. The one in the poly tunnel lasted a year before finally setting seed.

[Marb67]

The flat leaf was grown from seed but have had no joy trying to sow curly. I do cut off the yellowing stems and plant quite deep.

[self-contained]

I've not managed to get parsley past the just-germinated stage, if I manage to get it to germinate at all. My seed is pretty ancient though, so I was thinking I would have another go with fresher seed in the Autumn. I have also recently tried potting on a supermarket plant, and it looks similar to yours but floppier. I'm thinking I should buy sturdier seed, bred for the British outdoors.

[Runtpuppy]

I bought a pot of parsley 2-3 years ago, even though I don't really use it in cooking. Within a week or so, it started dying. I thought, 'oh well', and put the pot in a corner of the front garden.

That corner was a bit overgrown for quite a while so I completey forgot about the parsley pot sitting there. This year, when we tidied up the front garden, that pot emerged with beautiful, lush, green parsley growing in it.

I was thrilled and started taking care of it. It started yellowing again :| So I've left it in a corner and told it to go ahead and do what it wants. It's still plodding along, now that I ignore it.

[Thelma Sanders]

Parsley is one of the few herbs that is better with a bit of shade, so the soil doesn't get baked.

The trouble with supermarket herbs is that they've been sown too close together in the pot, so ultimately most of them die, unless you can separate them out and they survive transplanting.

[SarrissUK]

I never seem to have any luck with sowing either flat leaf or curly parsley. I have three pots of supermarket parsley of each type in the garden now and hoping some of them will survive.
Parsley is very finicky I think!

[annie8]

Have you tried buying it as a plant from a garden centre. I bought mine from there and it has done well. I struggle growing herbs from seeds.

[self-contained]

The slugs seem to like parsley a lot

[Bren In Pots]

Parsley is one of the few herbs that is better with a bit of shade, so the soil doesn't get baked.

That's what I've found as well Thelma, I grow both flat and curly parsley in buckets and troughs then they get moved into shade when its hot. Love how parsley self seeds all over the place

[veggiechicken]

According to Goggle, you can grow parsley from cuttings - stems cut from the mother plant and put in water to root. Not tried it myself but it may be a way to keep parsley growing?

[Marb67]

Parsley getting smaller (again)

Well for the life of me I just do not know how to grow parsley. This was a shop bought a few months ago potted in very high quality veg growing compost in large planter, sunshine for most of day. Started out fine but over time leaves are yellowing, plant isn't growing but shrinking. Thought it would give lush, dark green foliage. No idea why

[roitelet]

Did you, 1 give it a good soak before you planted it and 2 did you loosen the root ball so the roots could get out?

[veggiechicken]

Marb, I've merged your last year's thread with this one. The answers will be the same!!