Parsley...Hardy Perennial Herb?

[kippers garden]

Last year some free Parsley seeds came with my Amateur Gardening mag.  I grew them and they were lovely.

It says on the packet that they are hardy perennials, however everything i have read about parsley states they it is an annual.  It is growing lovely again at the moment .... is it going to be woody & horrid when i use it though?  Does anyone know or grow it as a perennial?

[kippers garden]

[Mrs Ava]

My flat leaf survived the winter on the plot as the fresh new leaves are wonderful.  If it is still growing, the soft central growth will be soft and delicious.  The thing that will probably happen is the plants will flower and stop producing leaves - I grow mine more like biennials than annuals and they seem to be okay.  Hope this helps.

[kippers garden]

Thanks

[Debs]

Same as EJ.

I grew flat leaf parsley from seed last year and it grew well and survived the north-east winter.

The growth is very lush at the moment & Inow have 4 terracota pots full of parsley.

Question is, what am I going to DO with all of it?

Answers on a postcard please!  ;D

Debs

[tim]

Chop & freeze.

We lost all our flat-leafed plants in the winter. And I've never had them do more than a second season without going to seed. I prefer to renew annually.

[jennym]

My parsley is re-growing away nicely too.
I follow a tip I read somewhere and chop up herbs, freeze them with water in ice cube trays and then store the cubes in plastic bags in the freezer, it's very easy to add them when cooking then.

[Hyacinth]

Both curled and flat-leaf go to seed in the second year I'd always thought? Certainly mine do!

Thank goodness it freezes well. I had some plastic drinking beakers from Poundland - 100 for £1.....cut these down to appropriate size and used those.

[luath]

All parsleys are biennial; if you have room, leave at least one plant to flower - the flowers and seeds will attract all sorts of insects etc. In addition, parsley needs to be sown with fresh seed for good germination, so leaving one of your plants to seed would facilitate this.  Parsley only grows well in the house where the wife wears the trousers. When sowing, make a drill and water with boiling water to help germination.
If you have a lot, parsley wine is one of the very best home made wines you can make.  Failing that, freezing is better than drying.
Hope this helps.

[Hyacinth]

Or parsley soup? Putting the recipe up..

[DenBee]

Parsley only grows well in the house where the wife wears the trousers.

I sowed parsley less than a fortnight ago, but had heard so many stories about how difficult it was to germinate that I didn't hold out much hope.

Checked a couple of days ago, and yup, it's showing nicely.  Now I know why.  ;D

(I must be that wife  ;) )

[tim]

And only freeze (chopped) in smallbags - or whatever - so that you don't thaw a mass of it every time you use some.

[supersprout]

chop up herbs, freeze them with water in ice cube trays and then store the cubes in plastic bags in the freezer

Once the herbs are whizzed they freeze well in the ice cube trays without added water. I just cram them down. You might need water if you hand chop though.

[Dixie]

Question is, what am I going to DO with all of it?

Answers on a postcard please!  ;D

Debs

PARSLEY WINE - I have a recipe if you want it, its quite a sweet wine :)