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How to Grow Parsleys UK | Regional Planting Calendar

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Parsley (Petroselinum crispum)

A bunch of harvested curly parsley leaves — “Parsley leaves” by Jeffery Martin is licensed under CC0. Source: Wikimedia Commons

7 sources cited · Verified

The short answer

Plant
Early May to early August
Site
6+ hours of sun, soil pH 6–7
Biggest risk
Parsley leaf spot

In the UK, parsleys go in the ground early May to early August.

Parsleys (Petroselinum crispum) — biennial.

Timing is the decision that matters most in the UK: there are 4 separate regional sowing windows, ranging from early May in Southern England to early May in Scotland.

Core growing advice on this page is checked against named horticultural and university-extension sources — see References.

Regional Planting Calendar

A young parsley plant — “Starr 070308-5408 Petroselinum crispum” by Forest & Kim Starr is licensed under CC BY 3.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Starr 070308-5408 Petroselinum crispum” by Forest & Kim Starr is licensed under CC BY 3.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Region Sow
Southern England early May to early August
Midlands early May to early August
Northern England early May to early August
Scotland early May to early August
Southern England - detail & sources

RHS recommends succession sowing in situ from late spring through summer; a single broad window is applied uniformly across all four sub-regions since RHS gives no UK-region-specific gradient.

Midlands - detail & sources

RHS recommends succession sowing in situ from late spring through summer; a single broad window is applied uniformly across all four sub-regions since RHS gives no UK-region-specific gradient.

Northern England - detail & sources

RHS recommends succession sowing in situ from late spring through summer; a single broad window is applied uniformly across all four sub-regions since RHS gives no UK-region-specific gradient.

Scotland - detail & sources

RHS recommends succession sowing in situ from late spring through summer; a single broad window is applied uniformly across all four sub-regions since RHS gives no UK-region-specific gradient.

Quick Facts

Detail of triangular, aromatic parsley leaves — “Starr-080731-9590-Petroselinum crispum-leaves-makawao-Maui (24831382061)” by Forest and Kim Starr is licensed under CC BY 3.0 us. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Starr-080731-9590-Petroselinum crispum-leaves-makawao-Maui (24831382061)” by Forest and Kim Starr is licensed under CC BY 3.0 us. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Factor Value
Soil pH 6 - 7
Sunlight 6-6 hours direct sun
Optimal growing temp 11-20C
Minimum survivable temp -5C
Drainage Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand; rich, moist but well-drained soil
Lifecycle biennial
Edible parts leaves

At a Glance

Detail of triangular, aromatic parsley leaves — “Starr-080731-9590-Petroselinum crispum-leaves-makawao-Maui (24831382061)” by Forest and Kim Starr is licensed under CC BY 3.0 us. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Starr-080731-9590-Petroselinum crispum-leaves-makawao-Maui (24831382061)” by Forest and Kim Starr is licensed under CC BY 3.0 us. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Petroselinum crispum Parsley Parsley leaf spot (caus… Parsley virus diseases… Aphids Slugs Snails Carrot fly Celery leaf miner (cele… DISEASES PESTS

Soil & Growing Conditions

A young parsley plant growing in soil — “Starr 070308-5407 Petroselinum crispum” by Forest & Kim Starr is licensed under CC BY 3.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Starr 070308-5407 Petroselinum crispum” by Forest & Kim Starr is licensed under CC BY 3.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Soil pH range

6 7

Span reflects genuine variation between the cited authorities, not a single agreed figure.

Growth Stages

Parsley leaves at a plant nursery — “Starr-070906-8879-Petroselinum crispum-leaves-Kula Ace Hardware and Nursery-Maui (24264055374)” by Forest and Kim Starr is licensed under CC BY 3.0 us. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Starr-070906-8879-Petroselinum crispum-leaves-Kula Ace Hardware and Nursery-Maui (24264055374)” by Forest and Kim Starr is licensed under CC BY 3.0 us. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Stage BBCH Notes
Sowing 0 Sow seed in situ, in succession from late spring through summer (RHS).
First-year leaf growth 3 Develops rich-green, crisped, triangular aromatic leaves, harvested through the first year (RHS).
Overwintering 6 Can be overwintered, though leaves become coarser in the second year (RHS).
Second-year flowering 9 Produces small yellow-green flowers in its second year as a biennial (RHS).

Harvest & Storage

A bunch of harvested curly parsley leaves — “Parsley leaves” by Jeffery Martin is licensed under CC0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Parsley leaves” by Jeffery Martin is licensed under CC0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

When to pick: Cut-and-come-again herb; leaves harvested from late spring through autumn, best before flowering in second year; "seed is slow to germinate"

Diseases

A young parsley plant growing in soil — “Starr 070308-5407 Petroselinum crispum” by Forest & Kim Starr is licensed under CC BY 3.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Starr 070308-5407 Petroselinum crispum” by Forest & Kim Starr is licensed under CC BY 3.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Parsley leaf spot (causal agent not yet confirmed)
Parsley virus diseases (unspecified/unidentified)

Pests

A young parsley plant — “Starr 070308-5408 Petroselinum crispum” by Forest & Kim Starr is licensed under CC BY 3.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Starr 070308-5408 Petroselinum crispum” by Forest & Kim Starr is licensed under CC BY 3.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Aphididae (various spp.)

Slugs
low

Gastropoda (slugs, various spp.)

RHS names this directly.

Snails
low

Gastropoda (snails, various spp.)

RHS names this directly.

Psila rosae

Celery leaf miner (celery fly)

Euleia heraclei

References

  1. country=USA

  2. country=INTL

  3. country=UK

  4. country=UK

  5. country=UK

  6. country=UK

  7. Directly fetched and verified. RHS explicitly does not recommend pesticide use against aphids; recommends tolerance, manual squashing, and encouraging/purchasing natural predators (ladybirds, hoverflies, lacewings, parasitoid wasps, earwigs) as biological control, especially under glass.

7 independent sources are cited for this crop. Where they disagree - soil pH is the clearest case - every figure is preserved rather than averaged into false precision.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I sow parsleys in the UK?

In Southern England, from early May. In Scotland, wait until early May. Treat these as a guide rather than a fixed date — the governing rule is to sow only once frost risk has passed and temperatures are reliably warm enough.

When do I sow parsleys?

Sow early May to early August.

What soil pH do parsleys need?

A pH of about 6–7. That span reflects genuine variation between the authorities we cite rather than a single agreed figure — the References section lists each source's exact range.

What problems affect parsleys?

Our data links 2 diseases and 5 pests to this crop. See the sections above for each one and how to manage it.

Plan next season before the problems start

Most of the advice on this page comes down to timing and spacing — sowing at the right moment, rotating beds, and giving plants enough airflow. The UK Garden Planner lays your plot out month by month so those decisions are already made before the season starts.

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SoilCommander Editorial Team

UK vegetable growing guides · Checked against RHS & Met Office guidance

Every SoilCommander guide is written and maintained by our editorial team for real UK growing conditions, and reviewed against Royal Horticultural Society growing advice and Met Office climate data before publication.

Vegetable Growing Guides UK

Last verified 2026-08-29

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