GARDENING
T he question isn’t, do I want parsley? The question is, which parsley do I prefer? There are two main types – curly and flat leaf, which is also called Italian.
Most cooks prefer flat-leaf parsley, claiming it has better flavour and a softer texture than the tougher curly form. Curly-leaf parsley, however, is more decorative in the garden so I have both.
When you go to plant parsley, don’t think of it as just for the herb garden. Massed, it makes a dense, green edging plant that looks good, particularly around boldly coloured summer annuals or beds of lettuce.
It can also be grown in a container in any sunny spot. As it’s used so much in the kitchen, have some handy in a pot close to the kitchen door.
There’s always parsley growing somewhere in my garden as it self-seeds readily and grows year round, surviving even the coldest winters. If you don’t have any growing already, now is a good time to sow seeds.
Left to grow to maturity, the normally leafy plant produces a tall, thick stalk and heads of green-yellow flowers, which attract beneficial insects including native bees and hoverflies. Usually, flowering is the cue to pull up the plant and replace it, but don’t remove every mature parsley plant if you want more to grow. It is important to leave some to flower to ensure self-seeding occurs. The seed heads may also provide food for seed-eating birds including the European goldfinch, which is naturalised in Tasmania.
As the self-seeding proves, parsley grows easily from seed but is also sold in punnets as seedlings for those who want to get a headstart. It does best in a rich, moistureretentive soil in a sunny position but will spring up almost anywhere in subsequent years.
To keep it growing well, regularly apply liquid plant food and make sure it doesn’t want for water. Parsley can be liquid fed every two to three weeks.
The appearance of a flowering stem indicates the plant has reached the end of its life cycle and it’s time to start some seedlings elsewhere in the garden. Water stress may also cause the plant to begin flowering and when it begins to form a flowering stem the leaves lose their flavour and good looks.
This herb has few pests or diseases but one that can be annoying, as it disfigures the leaves, is leaf miner. Its larvae burrow through leaf tissue, leaving silver trails. The pest is more likely to be noticed in the flat-leaf forms. To control it, simply pick off affected leaves as this removes the pest, along with the damage. Water and fertilise to encourage new, pest-free growth.
White fly may also attack parsley, especially when it is hot and dry. These small, whitewinged insect pests fly up from the back of the leaves when they are disturbed. They are sap-sucking insects that can be trapped on sticky yellow boards to reduce their numbers. Water any affected plants extra well to keep them growing strongly when pest numbers are high.
Any gardener who receives regular nocturnal visits from possums also knows they love parsley. To beat possums, either cover pots at night or plant parsley in clumps throughout the garden in the hope that some goes unnoticed and survives. I’m not sure if the possums, like cooks, have a preference for flat over curly, but it may be worth a try.
Parsley is more than a garnish for spuds or scrambled eggs. Have it on hand in abundance for pesto, tabouli, salsa verde, gremolata, persillade or just old-fashioned parsley sauce.