Parsley: Valuable tips for planting and caring for healthy herbs

Parsley is a culture that can be found in almost any garden, its leaves and roots are widely used in various national cuisines - it is combined with all products (except sweets). In terms of vitamin A content, it surpasses carrots, it contains more vitamin C than citrus fruits, as well as potassium, iron, phosphorus and calcium, which are extremely useful for the heart muscle.

Parsley: beneficial properties and uses

Parsley can be consumed not only fresh, but also dried and frozen, while it retains all the beneficial properties of parsley. In cosmetology, products based on this miraculous spice are used to improve the condition of the hair, rejuvenate the skin, and combat acne. If you pour parsley greens with water, insist a little and freeze (adding green leaves to each ice cube), you get an excellent broth of parsley against wrinkles. Speaking about the benefits of the product, it is impossible not to mention some "pitfalls": it is not recommended to abuse parsley for urolithiasis, as well as during pregnancy.

Parsley varieties

There are many varieties of parsley, but they usually choose between root and leaf. And if leafy, then ordinary or curly... If you ask me - definitely curly. In terms of taste, it is no different, it is also fragrant, but at the same time of extraordinary beauty, especially the "Astra" variety. Some plant only root varieties of parsley, hoping to use both tops and roots, and remain somewhat disappointed: the greens are fragrant and edible, but they are quite tough and cannot be torn until the root is ripe. So the best solution would be to plant both options: enjoy the greens all summer, and make preparations for the winter from the root.

How to plant parsley?

When choosing a place to plant parsley, place it after zucchini, cucumber, potatoes or cabbage. As a neighbor, it can be planted in a garden bed with radishes, peas, peppers and tomatoes. Do not plant it after celery, carrots, cilantro.
You can sow parsley seeds from mid-April, young sprouts are not afraid of frosts down to -8C. Shallow grooves should be well shed with water, sowed, covered with earth and slightly compacted. Seedlings should appear in about two and a half weeks. Leafy varieties of parsley can be sown every three weeks to keep fresh herbs on the table all the time.

Parsley: outdoor cultivation

Be sure to thin out the planting of parsley, this is especially important for the root species. The rest of the care consists in watering and weeding. Inspect the leaves regularly to detect disease or pest attacks in time. Parsley can be threatened by carrot flies, aphids, flies. To combat them, use a soapy solution, the aisles can be sprinkled with ash or ground pepper. If you plant garlic, basil or marigolds nearby, this will prevent the appearance of harmful insects. It is worth fearing powdery mildew, rust and various forms of rot. To be honest, it is easier to prevent diseases than to cure them, since it is impossible to spray herbs with chemicals. Follow the rules of crop rotation, thin out the planting and do not allow excessive soil moisture.

Harvesting and storage

Leaf parsley can be pinched throughout the summer, there are no specific deadlines and rules for harvesting. The root is harvested in the fall, before the onset of persistent cold weather.You can store it like carrots, in the refrigerator or in the basement in wooden boxes (for this, roots are chosen without damage). Also, the roots can be dried in the oven (at 40C) or frozen (of course, after washing, drying and finely chopping).
The greens should be sorted out well, discarding the drying or yellowing leaves, rinsed, dried, finely chopped and further of your choice: dry in the oven or at room temperature, freeze, pickle (mix with salt, put in jars and store in the refrigerator). And also it can be pickled, canned in oil, make amazingly delicious seasonings, which can then be added to salad, soup or meat. Here is a recipe for such a seasoning: finely chop one kilogram of dill, parsley and celery. 2 pcs. hot pepper and 2 pieces of sweet (if medium, then 3) cut into thin strips. Stir everything in a deep bowl, add 300 g of salt, arrange in prepared containers, store in the refrigerator. Good harvest and bon appetit!