|
|
The parsley plant is a biennial herb, which means it must be grown from seed every year. In its second year, the parsley plant blooms, sets seed and dies. In order to keep a good dependable supply of parsley plants growing, it's best to plant fresh every year. There are three types of parsley plants: curly, plain or Italian, and turnip-rooted. Each variety also contains several different cultivars, all of which are easily started from seed. If you don't care to start your own parsley plants, the curly and plain varieties of parsley plants are widely available in most garden centers. In European cuisine, parsley is a staple and is used extensively in the kitchen. It is readily available in any supermarket, both fresh and dried, but it's quite happy to grow in a pot year-round. Parsley plants resent drying out completely and require full sun to grow and maintain a deep, healthy green color. Parsley plants blend well with other annual container plantings on a sunny deck or patio and will do well on a sunny windowsill. Besides being used in the kitchen for its flavor, parsley plants are also used in medicine. In the garden, parsley plants are an insecticide effective against onion and carrot fly and an essential oil is extracted from its seed for use in the perfume industry.
|