How to grow parsley indoors, from seed to harvest

Parsley is easy to keep once it is growing. Most indoor failures happen at the start, with seed that looks dead and a pot too shallow for the root. For the short version, see parsley care at a glance.

Parsley growing conditions at a glance

Parsley wants a deep pot, bright light, cool air, and steady moisture.

Need	Indoors
Light	6 hours of direct sun, or 14 to 16 hours under a grow light
Pot	8 inches deep at least, 12 is better, with a drainage hole
Room temperature	60 to 70°F; cool is fine
Water	When the top inch of mix is dry
Food	Liquid plant food at low strength every 2 weeks
Seed to sprout	14 to 30 days at 65 to 70°F
Seed to first harvest	70 to 90 days
Life span	Leaves for about a year, flowers in year 2

Curly or flat-leaf parsley: which to grow

Grow flat-leaf parsley, also called Italian parsley, if you want it for cooking. It has the stronger taste, because curly types hold much less of the oil that gives parsley its flavor.^[1] Curly parsley is milder and makes a neat garnish. Both grow the same way indoors. Good seeds to look for are ‘Plain Italian Dark Green’ (flat) and ‘Moss Curled’ (curly).

Flat-leaf parsley looks a lot like cilantro, so smell a leaf if you are not sure. Chervil is a milder cousin with a hint of anise, and it likes more shade.

Flat-leaf parsley. Image: psychodelicacy

How to grow parsley indoors from seed

Sow parsley seed straight into the pot it will live in, and soak it overnight first. Then expect 2 to 4 weeks before anything shows.

1. Soak the seed in warm water overnight. Soaked seed sprouts better.
2. Fill a pot at least 8 inches deep with damp potting mix. Skip seed trays, because parsley grows one long root and does not like being moved.
3. Sow 4 or 5 seeds and cover them with 1/4 inch of mix.
4. Keep the top of the mix damp. Lay plastic wrap over the pot or mist it each day, and keep it at 65 to 70°F. Take the wrap off when sprouts appear.
5. Write the date on the pot, and do not dig to check. Sprouts take 14 to 30 days.^[2] If nothing shows by week 5, sow fresh seed. Parsley seed is short-lived, so an old packet is often the reason.
6. Wait for the first true leaves, the ones that look like parsley. Then keep the strongest seedling and snip the rest at soil level with scissors. Pulling them can tear the root of the one you keep.

Or start with a nursery plant

A plant from a nursery or grocery store skips the wait for seed and about 2 months of growing. Grocery store herb pots are often a tight clump of seedlings. Move the whole clump into a deep pot without breaking up the roots, then water it well. If it still looks crowded after a week or two, snip the weakest stems at soil level.

Growing parsley in pots: go deep

Use a pot at least 8 inches deep for parsley, and 10 to 12 inches for a big plant. Parsley is a cousin of the carrot, and like a carrot it grows one long main root, called a taproot. NC State suggests a pot 12 inches deep for herbs with a big taproot.^[3] Depth matters more than width, so skip wide, shallow pots.

• One plant fills an 8-inch pot. In a window box, space plants about 6 inches apart.
• Every pot needs a drainage hole.
• Glazed pots and plastic pots hold water longer than clay. That suits parsley, which likes steady moisture.
• Use bagged potting mix, never garden soil. Parsley wants richer soil than most herbs.

Our guide to the best potting mix for indoor herbs compares the options. For pots, see how to pick a pot for herbs. This glazed planter is 10 inches deep, with drainage holes and a saucer.

How much sun does parsley need indoors?

Parsley grows best with about 6 hours of direct sun a day. A south or west window gives it that. It copes with less light than most herbs, too. An east window with 3 to 4 hours of morning sun works, but growth is slower and the stems stretch.

A grow light fills the gap. In winter it is often the difference between a plant that grows and one that just hangs on. Run the light 14 to 16 hours a day, 6 to 12 inches above the leaves.^[4] Our guide to grow lights for herbs covers which kind to buy.

Turn the pot every few days so the plant does not lean. Keep it cool, away from heaters and warm air vents. The same setup works for most kitchen herbs, as our guide to growing herbs indoors explains.

How often to water parsley

Water parsley when the top inch of mix feels dry. Check with a finger every couple of days instead of watering on a set day. Pot size, light, and room heat all change how fast the mix dries.

Water until it runs out of the bottom, then empty the saucer. Parsley likes steady moisture, but its roots rot if they sit in water. A wilting plant in dry mix is thirsty. Yellow leaves in wet mix mean too much water.

Parsley is hungrier than rosemary or thyme. Feed it every 2 weeks with liquid plant food mixed at low strength.

How to harvest parsley so it keeps growing

Cut whole outer stems near the base, about 1 inch above the soil, and leave the small center stems alone. New stems grow from the center, where all the stems meet. Purdue’s guide says to cut at least 1 to 1 1/4 inches above that point if you want more harvests.^[5]

Always take the whole stem. If you snip only the leafy tops, you are left with bare stalks that never make new leaves.

• Start once the plant is bushy, about 70 to 90 days from seed.
• Take no more than a third of the plant at a time.
• Pull off yellow outer leaves as you go.

For more on cutting back, see how to prune herbs.

To keep cut parsley fresh, stand the stems in an inch of water in the fridge. Change the water every few days and it keeps for up to 3 weeks. For a big harvest, freeze fresh parsley, which keeps its taste well, or read how to dry herbs.

Is parsley a perennial? Why it turns bitter in year two

No. Parsley does not come back year after year. It is a biennial, which means it lives for 2 years. It makes leaves in year 1. In year 2 it sends up a tall flower stalk, and the leaves turn tough and bitter. Then it sets seed and dies.

Indoors, a first-year plant gives you leaves for most of a year. Once a thick stalk rises from the center, pinching it off buys little time. Replace the plant.

The fix is to start a new pot every spring, so a young plant is always coming on. A cold spell can also trick a young plant into flowering early. In winter, keep it off icy window glass. Our guide to why herbs bolt explains how that works.

Why is my parsley turning yellow? Common problems and fixes

Yellow parsley most often means too much water, old leaves, or a hungry plant. Find your symptom below.

Symptom	Likely cause	Fix
Nothing up after 3 weeks	Normal; parsley is slow	Keep it damp; resow fresh seed after week 5
Seedlings fall over at soil level	Damping off, a fungus in wet, stale mix	Use fresh bagged mix, water less, let air move, and sow again
A few outer leaves yellow, the rest green	Old leaves dying off	Cut them off at the base
Many leaves yellow, mix stays wet	Too much water or no drainage	Let the top inch dry, check the drainage hole, empty the saucer
New growth pale yellow-green, watering fine	Hungry	Feed at low strength every 2 weeks
Long, thin stems leaning to the window	Too little light	A brighter window, or a grow light for 14 to 16 hours
Wilting, mix dry	Thirsty; small pots dry fast	Water until it drains, and check more often
Tiny green or black bugs on new growth, sticky leaves	Aphids	Rinse them off under the tap and cut off badly hit stems
Tall center stalk, bitter leaves	Flowering, in year 2 or after a cold spell	Replace the plant

Aphids are the most common bug on parsley. Our guide to getting rid of aphids and other indoor pests has more ways to deal with them.

Questions & answers

How long does parsley take to grow from seed?

Parsley seed takes 14 to 30 days to sprout at 65 to 70°F. You can make your first cut about 70 to 90 days after you sow. Soaking the seed overnight helps it sprout.

Does parsley regrow after cutting?

Yes, if you cut the right stems. New growth comes from the center of the plant. Cut outer stems near the base and leave the small inner ones. A stalk you have cut does not grow back.

When should I start parsley seeds indoors?

If you plan to move the plants outside, sow 8 to 10 weeks before your last spring frost. For a pot that stays on the windowsill, you can start any time of year. A new pot each spring keeps a young plant coming on.

Can you grow parsley from cuttings?

Rarely, and it is not worth the effort. A cut stem sometimes grows roots in a glass of water, but it makes a weak plant. Seed or a nursery plant is the sure way to start.

Can you plant rosemary, basil, and parsley together?

Basil and parsley, yes. Both like steady moisture and about 6 hours of sun. Give rosemary its own pot, because it likes its mix to dry out a little between waterings.

Feature image: Forest and Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0 US

References

1. Wisconsin Horticulture, Division of Extension, Parsley, Petroselinum crispum. https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/parsley-petroselinum-crispum/ ↩︎

2. Johnny’s Selected Seeds, Parsley: Key Growing Information. https://www.johnnyseeds.com/growers-library/herbs/parsley/parsley-key-growing-information.html ↩︎

3. NC State Extension, Extension Gardener Handbook, Chapter 18: Plants Grown in Containers. https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/extension-gardener-handbook/18-plants-grown-in-containers ↩︎

4. Penn State Extension, Growing Herbs Indoors. https://extension.psu.edu/growing-herbs-indoors ↩︎

5. Purdue Extension, HO-202, Parsley: A Production Guide. https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/HO/HO-202.html ↩︎