How do you cut parsley so that it grows back?

If you’re a foodie who enjoys cooking up delicious meals or simply loves savouring them, you’ll probably know that parsley features in many simple and tasty recipes. And if you have green fingers and want to know everything about how and when to harvest your parsley once it’s fully grown so that it grows back properly, you’ve come to the right place.

How do you sow and grow parsley?

Parsley is relatively easy to grow at home, in your garden or vegetable patch. It doesn’t take much effort to grow lovely, lush green clumps, though it’s true that the seeds germinate slowly. To give them a helping hand, you could, for example, soak them in water overnight. For successful sowing, aim for a depth of 0.5 cm, with rows spaced approximately 40 cm apart. Make sure to leave about 15 cm between the seeds. It’s worth noting that parsley needs sunlight for 6 to 8 hours a day, although it is possible to grow it in a relatively shaded spot.

Once you’ve successfully grown your parsley by following all these simple guidelines, all that remains is to harvest it with the necessary care. You’ll need to wait between 70 days and 3 months for this long-awaited moment. When the seeds are sown in the autumn, it’s time to harvest in early spring, whilst parsley will be ready to harvest in the early days of summer if it was sown towards the end of winter. You’ll know your parsley plants are ready to be cut by their full foliage.

The art of cutting: how do you go about it?

You need to do it the right way so as not to ruin your work and then have to replant the parsley. It’s not really difficult to do: simply gather the nearest stems together, along with the leaves, and cut them right at ground level. A simple pair of kitchen scissors will do the job perfectly. It’s essentially the same method as for encouraging basil to regrow when it goes to seed.

You can also do this gradually, cutting the sprigs one by one, starting with those on the outside of the clump. The key is to make sure you cut right at ground level. And you should avoid cutting only the leafy tops of the parsley whilst leaving the bare stems standing: this risks making your parsley much less productive.

All that’s left to do is use your parsley in your cooking! To store it for later use, simply place the sprigs in a bowl of water and put it in the fridge. Of course, another option is to dry the parsley in a well-ventilated place. You can then remove the stalks and store your parsley leaves in a tightly sealed jar.