To avoid being left without fresh herbs, some gardeners grow parsley in a greenhouse in winter. This method allows you to obtain the desired amount of seasoning for culinary and medicinal purposes. Parsley is not a fussy plant. It requires minimal care, and favorable conditions are very easy to create in any greenhouse. This method is used to grow root or regular parsley varieties from seeds or by forcing the greens from root vegetables.
Features of growing parsley in a greenhouse
Even a novice gardener can grow herbs. Unlike other crops, parsley is easy to care for. Sowing is straightforward. With proper care, the herbs grow vigorously. Therefore, several harvests can be harvested over the winter. Parsley tolerates short frosts well, even if they occur regularly.
Parsley is planted in a heated greenhouse starting in late January. If the greenhouse is unheated, planting parsley there in the fall before winter is not recommended. In southern regions, this herb can be grown in an unheated greenhouse until the onset of winter frosts.
You may be interested in:Seeds are sown early in the greenhouse soil in the spring. They then begin to germinate at temperatures between 0 and 5 degrees Celsius. For an ultra-early harvest, parsley is sown before winter, at the end of October. Leafy varieties are sown every two weeks. This allows for a continuous harvest of fresh herbs.
While the plant is growing green mass, it requires temperatures no higher than 12 degrees Celsius. At temperatures of 20 degrees Celsius or higher, parsley begins to feel uncomfortable and wilt.
To grow lush and tasty greens in a greenhouse, the following conditions are created:
- Artificial lighting is provided, as the short daylight hours in winter mean the plant doesn't receive enough sunlight.
- The bushes are watered after cutting, only when the top layer of soil dries out.
- Parsley thrives when the humidity in the greenhouse is 75%.
- There should be no sudden temperature changes or drafts.
- To maintain the temperature and humidity at an optimal level, the greenhouse is periodically ventilated.
Selecting a species and variety
Parsley is divided into root and leaf parsley. The former has a dense, thick root portion. These roots are used as a seasoning for preserving vegetables and making sauces. The green part of the plant is also used for culinary purposes, but only after the roots have ripened.
The most delicious varieties of this group:
- Sugar;
- Spicy;
- Final;
- Konika;
- Alba.
Only the green part of leafy varieties is edible. It has a very delicate flavor. These plants grow up to 50 cm tall and up to 30 cm wide. Leaf parsley is eaten raw, dried, or frozen. The following varieties are popular in this group of herbs:
- Aster;
- Bogatyr;
- Breeze;
- Carnival;
- Rosava;
- Appetizing;
- Green crystal.
Preparing the soil in the greenhouse
Before growing parsley, prepare the soil. This largely determines the yield per square meter. It's more convenient to prepare the soil in the spring for sowing seeds in the fall. If parsley is to be planted before winter, complete all preparatory work a month before sowing. At this time, apply beneficial fertilizers along with the tilling.
Compost, humus, or rotted leaves are used as fertilizer. Apply 5 kg per square meter. Organic fertilizers are particularly effective in promoting growth and increasing the yield of leafy parsley varieties. After applying the fertilizer, water the soil thoroughly and cover with plastic.
How to grow parsley from seeds
Parsley seeds contain essential oils that delay germination. To reduce germination time, the seedlings are specially treated.
The selected seeds are soaked in purified, warm water for 72 hours. The water is changed for fresh water twice a day. A pinkish solution of potassium permanganate is then prepared and the seeds are soaked in it for half an hour. This procedure is necessary to disinfect the seed material.
The seeds are placed in a folded, water-soaked gauze to germinate. They are left in this state until white sprouts appear. After this, the seeds are dried and planted.
In the beds, furrows are dug 1.5 cm deep, leaving 10 cm between rows. They are watered generously with warm water. The seeds are distributed along the furrows at 4 cm intervals, covered with soil, and lightly compacted. After sowing, the soil is moistened with warm water from a spray bottle to prevent soil from being washed away. The first shoots appear within two weeks.
How to plant parsley from rhizomes
Seed preparation and germination take several days. To save time, many gardeners grow parsley from rhizomes in a greenhouse or hothouse.
Several large root vegetables are harvested in the fall as planting material. They are dug up at the end of October, along with the root ball, and placed in a wooden box. The rhizomes are stored in this form in a basement or cellar until spring.
With the arrival of spring, begin planting the root vegetables in pre-prepared soil. They are planted 10 cm deep, at a 45-degree angle. Leave 5 cm between individual plants. Rows are spaced 10 cm apart. The rhizomes are positioned so that their necks remain exposed to the soil.
Care
With proper care, parsley yields abundantly. Fertilizing the soil further increases the yield. Parsley requires regular watering and weed control. The herb is particularly sensitive to weeds during the early stages of growth. Between waterings, loosen the soil to improve air access to the roots.
You may be interested in:Watering
Regular watering helps prevent the soil from drying out. However, avoid overwatering the plants. Leafy parsley varieties require the most water. Water the plants in the morning or evening. Use settled, soft water warmed to room temperature.
Fertilization
Plants are fertilized at a frequency determined by the specific species and variety of spice being grown. Parsley is fertilized twice during the growing season. To do this, apply 50 grams of saltpeter per square meter of the plot.
Root parsley varieties are fertilized with potassium and phosphorus. In the spring, mineral fertilizers are applied. During root ripening, the soil is enriched with potassium salt and superphosphate. The amounts of these fertilizers are 50 g and 70 g, respectively, per meter.
Possible diseases and pests
Parsley diseases usually develop due to poor agricultural practices. Black rot and powdery mildew are common. To combat these diseases, plants are treated with fungicides containing high levels of copper.
Parsley is often attacked by melon aphids and carrot flies. These insects parasitize the bushes, laying clutches of eggs; the hatched insects feed on the roots and green parts of the plants. To combat them, use a solution made from onion peel decoction. Add liquid soap to improve adhesion. Insect attacks can be prevented by dusting with tobacco dust, wood ash, or red pepper.
Harvesting
Depending on how long the parsley grows and the variety being grown, the greens are harvested once or several times. This crop produces consistently high yields. If the seeds were pre-treated at planting, the first harvest of the greens is done 20 days after sowing. If sowing with dry seeds, this period increases to 45 days.
In an unheated greenhouse, when frost sets in, root vegetables are dug up and stored or eaten. The greens are cut and used in cooking. When grown in a heated shelter, the greens are cut throughout the winter. They are used for cooking, stored fresh in the refrigerator, dried, or frozen.
You may be interested in:Reviews
Mikhail, 44 years old:
After harvesting, we plant parsley in the greenhouse so it doesn't go dormant. It grows quickly and produces a good harvest. As a result, we always have fresh and delicious herbs on the table.
Evgeniy, 38 years old:
I plant parsley in a greenhouse in the fall and into winter. I like this method because I get fresh greens in the spring a few weeks earlier than with conventional growing. And the plants require minimal care.
In conclusion
Growing easy-to-grow parsley in a greenhouse or hotbed requires little effort. With proper agricultural practices and temperature control, growing the crop is very profitable. Several harvests can easily be harvested in a single season.

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