Parsley Italian Giant Seeds

Why grow Parsley Italian Giant?

Italian Giant is a flat-leaf parsley: a vigorous plant with large, bright green, plain leaves and a strong flavour. Flat-leaved parsley has more flavour than the curly sort, and this one is hardier than curled types too, so it should come through a typical UK winter.

Parsley is a biennial, but it’s normally grown for one year: in its second year it puts its energy into flowering and setting seed rather than leaves.

Where does parsley grow well?

Parsley does well in full sun or partial shade, in fertile soil that holds moisture. If your soil is poor or drains very quickly, dig in some well-rotted organic matter first. In a container, use a pot at least 25cm wide and deep, filled with peat-free multi-purpose compost.

When and how do you sow parsley?

Sowing period: Sow indoors from early spring, or outdoors from May, once the ground has warmed, until late summer.
Indoors: Sow thinly in modules or pots about 1cm deep, and keep them moist at around 20°C.
Outdoors: Sow thinly in a drill about 1cm deep, cover with fine soil and keep it watered while you wait.
Spacing: Space rows 20–30cm apart and thin the seedlings to 15–30cm apart. The thinnings can go in a salad.
Germination: Parsley is slow, often taking a month or more, so don’t give up on it too soon. Outdoor seedlings should be up within six weeks.
Planting out: Harden indoor-raised plants off and plant them out from mid-spring to early summer.

How do you look after it?

Watering: Keep the soil moist but not waterlogged, especially for young plants and in hot, dry spells. Pots dry out quickly, so check them often and move them into the shade in hot weather.
Feeding: Plants in the ground rarely need it. In containers, a balanced liquid feed every few weeks in the growing season helps.
Winter: Outdoor plants die back in winter. A cloche or cold frame keeps them going for longer, or you can bring a pot indoors.
Pests: Parsley’s related to carrots and celery, so carrot fly and celery leaf miner can find it, along with aphids, slugs and snails. Growing it in pots helps keep slugs off.

When and how do you pick parsley?

Timing: From an early spring sowing, the first leaves are usually ready from June, about three months later, and you can keep picking through to autumn.
Method: Cut a few of the outer stems at the base. This encourages new growth from the centre.
Storage: Use it fresh where you can. Chop and freeze it in ice-cube trays with a little water, or hang bunches to dry; dried parsley has less flavour.

How can you use it?

Flat-leaf parsley has a strong, clean taste, and the leaves are easy to chop:

• Raw: Tabbouleh, salsa verde, gremolata and salads.
• Cooked: Soups, stews and sauces, and in a bouquet garni.
• Finishing: Scattered over fish, potatoes and pasta just before serving.