When to pick parsley?
One of the most popular herbs on the site is the parsley plant. Herb leaves are ideal for preparing a variety of dishes.
Contents
Features of the parsley plant
Before proceeding to study the issue, you should familiarize yourself with the peculiarities of the culture.
Parsley is a biennial plant, so you only need to plant parsley once every 2 years. Parsley plants were first cultivated in Mediterranean countries. Today, the culture is used as a decoration for dishes.
Fresh herb is ideal for salads, soups, or vegetable stews.
Parsley leaves have a mild taste and a specific aroma that leaves you with a pleasant experience. You can use both fresh parsley and a dried plant.
Parsley varieties
A parsley plant can be of several types, and all of them are in great demand among gardeners.
Curly leaf parsley
Curly leaf parsley is also often referred to as French parsley. This type of herb can be used as a garnish.
The culture is distinguished by its original curly leaves. In curly parsley, dark green leaves may be slightly bitter, which is normal. Curly parsley is often used as a decoration.
Parsley with flat leaves
Flat-leaf parsley is also called Italian parsley. It has a rich taste and can be used in different ways in cooking.
Flat-leaf parsley is distinguished by its original leaves, on which there are small notches. Sheet plates are saturated in shade and have a glossy surface.
Flat-leaf parsley, along with curly parsley, can be used in different ways in cooking. Italian parsley can be used as a garnish.
Best time to harvest parsley
If you decide to grow parsley, you need to know exactly when to harvest parsley. Even though a biennial plant can grow in one place for several years, parsley can be harvested in the first year after planting.
Collecting parsley does not cause any difficulties, and work can be done at any time.
The parsley crop can be harvested once the parsley plants have reached the desired stage of development.
The parsley crop from the moment of planting must ripen for about 3 months. When harvesting parsley for the first time, it is best to wait until the parsley plants are 6 inches tall.
This allows you to get an excellent crop of parsley.
Parsley is a biennial, and you can start harvesting after the parsley leaves are very developed and large. The more often parsley is harvested, the more massive the leaves grow.
Frequency of picking
If you decide to harvest parsley, it is recommended that you cut no more than a third of the bush each time.
This enhances the growth rate of plants. For the first time, you have to harvest parsley very plentifully, cutting off almost half of the bush. After that, you need to give the parsley plant about a week to regrow.
How to harvest parsley?
You need to understand that the rules for harvesting parsley depend on what exactly you use the culture for. You can harvest parsley as leaves, or you can let it fully mature before seeds appear.
Leaves
If you decide to harvest parsley leaves, it is recommended to choose the right parsley plants. Opt for young plants, as they have a more pronounced aroma. Leaf stems must have at least three segments.
If parsley has not yet reached this stage, it makes sense to wait a few days. There are several ways to harvest parsley. You can cut leaves separately, or whole stems. If you prefer the first option, then the leaves can simply be plucked.
If you plan to harvest the parsley stalks, then the cut should be performed at the base. An incision in the upper part can negatively affect the quality of the growth of plants. If you cut off the tender stems at the base, the bushes become dense. You need to work with sharp tools so as not to damage the bushes.
It is recommended to harvest parsley from the outside of the bush. After all, these parts are considered the oldest. In the center, the stems are always formed later, so they differ in tenderness. This has a positive effect on yields.
If planting was carried out outdoors, it is recommended to harvest parsley at the end of the season. If you have planted bushes in the room, then harvesting is available even in winter.
Collect seeds
Many people like to harvest seeds, which can be used for various purposes. Parsley seeds are the best option for making marinades and pickles. You can also use them to plant parsley next year. In the first year of development, you can not harvest parsley seeds, because they do not form.
As soon as the second year of development of the bushes begins, you should carefully monitor them. After all, seeds can form at any time. For the maximum return of parsley, weak bushes are recommended to be removed. As soon as parsley flowers form in the bushes, it is recommended to keep a close eye on them.
Over time, the seed heads darken. This indicates that they are ready to be removed. It is necessary to cut off the heads with scissors or a knife. The cut should be under the seed head. Support it so that the parsley seeds do not crumble.
As soon as you manage to collect young seeds, it is recommended to place them in a paper bag. This allows them to dry. Once the seed heads are dry, you need to shake the bag vigorously to loosen the seeds and become crumbly.
If some seeds are left inside the boxes, do not throw them away. Leave them in the bag for a while to ripen. On average, the full maturation process occurs within a few days. Try to protect parsley seeds from excessive moisture, as well as birds and insects.
Storing parsley features
Storing parsley is possible in several ways.
In the room
Fresh parsley can be stored in the room for a short time and using water. You need to tie all the stems together and cut off the ends. Place the shaped bouquet of parsley fresh in water so that it only fills the stems 1 to 2 inches.
Cover the greens with a bag, and place them away from sunlight. Thanks to these simple steps, fresh parsley is stored for several days. Be sure to rinse parsley before using it.
How to store parsley in the refrigerator?
Many people like to store leaves in the refrigerator. First, they need to be rinsed abundantly to get rid of contaminants. Dry parsley leaves with paper towels, then wrap the sprigs of fresh herbs in them.
You can also store parsley in an airtight container. On average, fresh herbs are kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The parsley is fresh, and it has a rich color. As soon as it begins to turn yellow and wither, it should be thrown away.
How to freeze parsley?
If you plan to harvest parsley for a long time, then you need to harvest it from the herb garden and freeze it. You can freeze greens in several ways. You can use whole sprigs, or pre-cut the parsley into small pieces. Try to cut everything into a few leaves so that there are no large elements.
Fill ice cube trays with chopped parsley and sprinkle some water. This forms cubes that can then be added to soups. Frozen parsley retains its flavor and aroma, but loses its crunchy texture. The shelf life of frozen parsley is six months.
You can also freeze parsley in a container. In this case, it is better to refuse to use water.
Drying
You can dry leaves. This is perfect for pickles. Rinse the twigs and hang them in a dark place with good ventilation. To prevent dust from accumulating on the surface of the greens, you can cover them with a paper towel.
You receive dried parsley in 1-2 weeks. All you have to do is to crush the dry leaves and place them in an airtight container. After that, it remains to mix them with olive oil to get the perfect salad dressing. The shelf life of dried parsley is about 2-3 years.
FAQ
When it comes to harvesting parsley, you may be faced with different questions.
Does parsley grow back after cutting?
Yes, if you cut parsley, it grows back. This happens within a few weeks.
How do you know when you can harvest parsley?
Once the leaves have formed on the stems, having 3 sections, you can start harvesting. You need to collect parsley at intervals of 15-20 days.
When should you cut parsley?
It is recommended to harvest the crop completely as soon as arrows form on the bushes. Cut off the stems at the base.
How do you harvest and store fresh parsley?
It is recommended to collect the parsley along with the stems and put them in a container filled with water. Cover the plants with a bag and store them for several days.
Results
As you can see, harvesting parsley is easy. The main thing is to monitor the development of the bush carefully, as well as use sharp tools.
