Local Parsley Seeds

Local Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) is the everyday flat-leaf herb of the Egyptian kitchen, prized for its deep-green, broad and aromatic leaves and its clean, fresh flavour. Unlike curly types grown mainly for garnish, this local strain is grown to be eaten by the handful, perfect for tabbouleh, salads, soups, stews and a final scatter over any dish.

Planting

Best grown in Egypt as a cool-season crop. In the Nile Delta and Lower Egypt sow roughly September to November, then grow on through the mild winter; an early-spring sowing (February to March) is possible before the heat builds. Hotter Upper Egypt suits a later sowing from October to December. Avoid sowing from May to August, when heat causes poor germination and bolting. Sow seed about 1 cm deep, cover lightly and keep the surface moist. Germination is slow, often 14 to 30 days at around 18 to 21 degrees Celsius, so soaking the seed in warm water for up to 24 hours before sowing speeds things up. Choose a spot in full sun or partial shade.

Fertilizing

In garden beds, apply a 5-10-5 fertilizer once or twice during the growing season. In containers, feed with a liquid fertilizer at half the labelled strength every 3 to 4 weeks outdoors, or every 4 to 6 weeks indoors. Alternatively, side-dress with compost or a balanced fertilizer once or twice during the season as needed.

Care

Thin seedlings to a final spacing of about 15 to 30 cm once they reach 5 to 8 cm tall. Keep the soil evenly moist but never waterlogged, watering deeply at least once a week and checking container plants often. Watch for aphids, the most common pest, and occasional black swallowtail caterpillars; rotate crops and keep the bed clean to limit Septoria leaf spot. Cut roughly 70 to 90 days after sowing, picking outer leaves first to keep the centre producing.