I've got 3 superbly bountiful Parsley plants on my Lottie (Flat Leaf) and I would like to know if they can be over Wintered? It seems a shame to let them die...could I keep them under a Cloche??
"When sowing Parsley to stand the winter, a plain-leaved variety will often be found superior to the curled or mossy sorts, which are, perhaps, handsomer, but the leaves retain both snow and rain, and when frost follows, the plants soon succumb. A plainleaved Parsley is far hardier, and will survive even a severe winter and is equally good for cooking, though not so attractive for garnishing. Double the trouble is experienced in obtaining a supply of Parsley during the winter, when only the curled-leaved varieties are given.
Where curled Parsley is desired and is difficult to obtain, because there is no sufliciently sheltered spot in the garden for it, it may often be saved by placing a frame-light over the bed during severe weather to protect the plants, or they may be placed altogether in cold frames. Care must be taken with all Parsley plants grown thus in frames, to pick off all decaying leaves directly noticed, and the soil should be stirred occasionally with a pointed stick between the plants, to prevent its becoming sour. Abundance of air should be given on all favourable occasions, removing the light altogether on fine days." OK??
Flat leaf parsley usually survives the winter unharmed outside for me - guess it depends where you are, though. Usually pot up a few herbs, including parsley, at this time of year and bring them inside, as it saves going out in the cold and wet in the middle of cooking something.
Whatever you do, the parsley will set seed and die in the spring - I now have Parsley growing all along my paths as a result of being a bit too kind to it when letting it self-seed
My curly and flat survived last winter on the plot with no protection, finally bolting in spring just as the new germinated.
I've just put a plant in a pot n the house and moved the others under cover, all are curly leaved
My parsley, both curly and flat ones were ok outside without protection in Kent.
I sowed some seeds this autumn but snails keep eating them! :( Is it too late to sow them now? :-\
Deffinatley OK over the winter - mine tends to die off a bit later in the winter and become unuseable, but shoots out again in the spring. I've never managed to keep it going for a third year though. I always grow curley leaf parsley. Apparantly you can eat the roots too, which by the second year look a bit like small parsnips - never tried them though..
Kent, Essex, Cambridge -- you lucky people!!
Quote from: keef on October 13, 2006, 12:47:12
Apparantly you can eat the roots too, which by the second year look a bit like small parsnips - never tried them though..
this would be hamburg parsley?? :-\
In Derby I have a bit in the border of an unheated greenhouse over winter..
I'm fairly certain that the root is edible and that Hamburgh is just an improved one like the Student was the first improved Parsnip...
8)
I always have some flat leaved parsley - not only is it delicious, but it survives the winter and puts on a delicious spurt in the sping before running to seed.
Even then I have found that if you cut it down to the ground, it produces another crop of tender leaves.