Last Updated on May 13, 2017
If you’ve been thinking about growing parsley indoors, you’ll be pleased to know that doing so is neither complicated nor expensive. As an extensively cultivated herb in many parts of Europe and around the world, parsley has for a long time been used for ornamental and practical purposes.
Lately, its cultivation is becoming a common practice of growing plants indoors. As long as you have sufficient grow lights in the area you are looking to grow the plants, the rest should be easy. Having said that, it is crucial to know what the requirements of gardening parsley are as well as how to go about it Here’s a simple guide to growing parsley indoors successfully.
Create the Best Lighting Environment
Parsley grows best in sunny conditions. The plants require at least 8 hours of direct sunlight when grown outdoors. For them to do well indoors, therefore, you will need to provide sufficient fluorescent lighting to complement the light they receive from your windows.
Ensure that you keep turning the pots where you have grown the plants in so that they don’t grow leaning in one direction towards the sunlight. The best intervals to turn the pots are once every three or four days. Ensure that the containers you use for growing the parsley fit comfortably on the window sills.
Use Good Quality Soil
Parsley does best when grown in soil that has the right amount of nutrients. Fill the growing pots with good soil and add some amount of sand so that you increase the drainage of the soil. In case you notice that the leaves of the plants look dry or brittle, you can add some pebbles to the soil so that the water in the soil can evaporate to create a humid condition around the plants thus hydrating them.
Choosing the Seeds
Buy quality seeds from a good outlet before sowing them in the pot directly. Some people prefer to transplant the seedlings from another place, but this practice is discouraged as parsley seedlings have long taproots and do not transplant properly.
Once you have added the right amount of soil in your pots, sow a few seeds on the soil’s surface before adding a thin layer of soil to cover them. Then add the right amount of water to the container so that the soil feels damp but not soggy. In about three weeks the plants will start to appear. Should they be too many plants, you could use a pair of scissors to eliminate the excess ones. Desist from uprooting them as this might damage the taproots of neighboring plants.
Maintain the Proper Amount of Humidity
If you are growing your parsley in the kitchen, you will not experience a problem with humidity since much of the steam released as you cook will keep the environment moist. However, should you notice that the plants need additional water, add the appropriate amount. Remember to add half-strength liquid fertilizer to maintain the proper amount of nutrients for you parsley.
You can successfully cultivate parsley indoors as long as you have the right amount of space, light and soil. Should you stumble along the process, you can always consult a specialist for guidance.
Happy gardening!
Author Bio
Shary Saunders is a blogger at sharycherry.com. Gardening and landscaping have been her passion for years. You can find Shary on Twitter at @SharySaunders