The Citizen, 1999-05-05, Page 18PAGE 18. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 1999.
Jdome Garden 1999
The uses of parsley Come in and ask Jim about the
Parsley, (Petroselinum crispum)
a member of the carrot family, is a
lot more than a decorative green bit
on the side of a restaurant plate.
The Greeks and Romans knew
parsley well as a medicinal plant
and a seasoning. In fact, it is one of
the most nutritious of all herbs.
An excellent source of vitamins
A and C. it also contains niacin,
riboflavin and calcium. Rich in
chlorophyll, parsley is also a breath
freshener.
Parsley's taste appeal is world
wide. The Japanese deep fry it in
tempura batter. Greeks mix large
amounts of it with tomato sauce to
create the unique moussaka
flavouring.
Spaniards use parsley as the
prime ingredient in salsa verde, and
the English make parsley jelly.
Both the common, (curly), and
Italian (flat-leaved) parsleys are
ideal for garnishes and for
flavouring soups, stews, salad
dressings, and sauces, but Italian
parsley reportedly has the best
flavour. Grow both types in the
kitchen or herb garden.
Parsley as Ornamental
Parsley is so attractive that it also
integrates easily into ornamental
plantings in residential landscapes.
This is especially fortunate where
sunny space is at a premium for
both flowers and food plants. Its
fin-textured foliage is attractive as
neat edging or foliage fillers in
flower beds, its rich green colour
setting off the bright blooms of
pansies, petunias and other annuals.
Plant parsley along the edges of
window boxes or planters stuffed
with colourful annual flowers. It
provides a soft foliage contrast to
upright, broader leaved container
staples such as geraniums.
Parsley’s drooping stems
simultaneously soften the edges of
pots and boxes.
Because parsley likes cool
weather, it can be depended on to
provide perky foliage and rich
green accents in both spring and
fall gardens or container
ensembles.
Recognizing Parsley
Parsley leaves are comprised of
three leaflets on short stems, that
branch in threes at the tips of eight
inch long bare stalks. Leaves of
common parsley are dark green
with divided tips which curl tightly.
Those of Italian parsley are a
lighter green and more deeply
divided and feathery, resembling
celery foliage.
A common parsley plant
typically grows nine -18 inches tall
and spreads about six - nine inches.
An Italian type may grow to three
feet tall.
Although parsley is a biennial -
its life spanning two seasons - it is
usually treated as an annual and is
pulled up at the end of the first
season.
That is why its flowers, which
appear in early summer of its
second year, are seldom seen.
They are flat clusters composed of
tiny, greenish yellow florets, and
resemble Queen Anne's lace.
As with most herbs, flowering
tends to make the foliage bitter and
less useful for cooking. However,
parsley flowers host many
beneficial insects, including
butterfly larvae, so it may be worth
allowing some plants to winter over
and flower the next season.
Growing Parsley
Parsley grows best in all day sun
in cooler areas of the country, but
appreciates some afternoon shade
in warmer climates. The ideal soil
is moderately rich, moist, and well-
drained, although parsley plants
tolerate poorer soils having less
organic matter as long as drainage
is adequate. Soil should be loose to
accommodate parsley's taproot and
mildly acidic (pH 6.0 to 7.0).
To direct sow seeds in rows,
trace a shallow indentation in the
soil with a stick or pencil to guide
planting. Then sow the seeds by
dribbling them through your thumb
and forefinger into the indented
rows. Plant seeds 1/4 to 1/2 an inch
deep.
After three or four weeks, when
sprouts are a few inches tall and
show their first true leaves, thin
them to allow eight - 10 inches of
space between the remaining ones
so they can grow freely.
Depending on the variety, parsley
plants will grow to maturity in
about 70 - 90 days.
Plant home grown or
commercially raised seedlings on
an overcast day or late in the day to
minimize transplant stress. Dig
holes in the planting bed about 10 -
12 inches apart and about the size
of the containers the seedlings are
growing in. Gently pop each
seedling from its container and set
one in each hole. Firm the soil over
the rootball and water immediately.
Continued on page 19
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