Parsley planting dates by zone

Flat-leaf or curly

University of Illinois Extension calls parsley (Petroselinum crispum) a hardy biennial grown like an annual, and the most widely grown herb for garnish and flavoring. Moss-curled parsley, with finely cut, tightly curled leaves, is often used as a garnish; flat-leaf parsley is the one Illinois prefers for cooking, because it has more flavor.

University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension says curly types have much less essential oil than broad-leaved types, so flat-leaf types have a more pungent, sweet flavor, and that Hamburg or turnip-rooted parsley is grown for its leaves and its enlarged root. University of Minnesota Extension says Italian flat-leaf parsley can grow two to three feet tall and is gangly in habit.

Sowing and planting out

The sources agree that parsley is slow to come up. Minnesota says germination takes two to five weeks depending on seed freshness and soaks seed in warm water for up to 24 hours first; Illinois and Wisconsin soak seed overnight. Illinois sows radish seed with it to mark the row, so the parsley seedlings are not hoed out by accident.

Minnesota calls direct seeding the easiest start: sow after the danger of spring frost has passed, cover the seed with one-eighth inch of soil, keep it moist, and thin to 10 to 12 inches apart. Wisconsin sows outdoors in spring once the soil has warmed and makes a few sowings through mid-summer for a continuous harvest. NC State’s Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox says parsley is easier to grow from seedlings, planted 8 to 12 inches apart after the spring frost.

For an indoor start, the sources differ: Minnesota starts seed six to eight weeks before the last frost date, Wisconsin eight to ten weeks before. The table above spans both. Wisconsin and Illinois say parsley’s taproot does not like being moved, so disturb it as little as possible when transplanting.

In the South, plant for fall and winter

UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions says parsley grows in Florida as a cool-season annual: plant it in the cooler months of fall and winter, and it will thrive through winter, then flower, set seed and die in late spring. A little afternoon shade protects it from intense sun, and light shade may prolong its life. UF/IFAS says the seed takes 7 to 12 days to germinate there, soaking it overnight helps, and seedlings are thinned to 6 inches apart.

UF/IFAS Extension Pasco County grows parsley in raised beds in Central Florida, in soil rich in organic matter with a pH of 5.5 to 6.7, with 4 to 6 hours of sun and protection from the afternoon sun, and protects it from frost in winter.

Mississippi State’s Vegetable Gardener’s Guide says to plant in early spring or fall, that parsley tolerates light frost, and that fall-planted parsley overwinters in Mississippi; its tables set out plants between January 15 and April 15 in spring and between September 1 and November 1 in fall, depending on the part of the state. Clemson’s Home & Garden Information Center says cold-hardy herbs such as parsley may be sown in fall, and grows parsley in light shade with rich, moist soil. NC State says parsley grows better where summers are cool and can wilt in the hot, humid Deep South.

Watering and feeding

Minnesota waters deeply at least once a week, does not let the plants dry out completely between waterings, and uses a light mulch to hold moisture and keep weeds down. UGA’s Herbs in Southern Gardens says parsley needs unfailing moisture for continuous growth. Wisconsin grows it in relatively fertile soil, more fertile than most herbs want, and Minnesota fertilizes once or twice in the season.

Harvesting for the kitchen

Minnesota snips stalks close to the ground, starting with the outside stalks, so the plant keeps growing through the season; cutting off only the tops and leaving the stalks makes it less productive. NC State starts harvesting at about 8 inches tall. UF/IFAS takes a few leaves at a time or a whole bunch, and its fall herb guide pinches off flower buds and cuts no more than a third of the plant at a time.

Illinois stores fresh parsley by washing the leaves, letting them drip, and keeping them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. UGA says freshly chopped parsley is essential to French and Cajun cooking.

The second year, and parsley indoors

Minnesota says parsley stays green and productive into fall and handles light frosts. Leave plants in place after frost kills the leaves: they may resprout in spring, depending on the winter, and can be harvested until they send up a seed stalk and die. Second-year parsley is more bitter. Illinois says the same, which is why it starts new plants each season; Wisconsin says a fall sowing can sometimes come through winter for an early spring harvest, and that flat-leaf types may overwinter better than curly ones.

For winter indoors, Illinois digs plants in fall, pots them, grows them in high light and a cool spot, and discards them in spring. Wisconsin keeps indoor parsley in bright light, waters well and fertilizes regularly.

Common problems

Wisconsin says aphids are the most common pest, often kept in check by natural predators or by hosing the plants off. Parsley is a host plant for black swallowtail caterpillars, which Wisconsin says are seldom numerous enough to do real damage and can be moved to other carrot-family plants such as Queen Anne’s lace or fennel. Its most common disease is Septoria leaf spot, which can be seed-borne, so Wisconsin buys quality seed. UGA says leaf miners can be controlled to a degree by cutting off and destroying the infested leaves.

NC State’s plant toolbox lists parsley as a problem for cats, dogs and horses, and as low severity for people, saying large amounts are needed to cause photosensitization. NC State also says parsley seeds are poisonous to birds.

Common mistakes

• Giving up on the seed too soon. Minnesota says germination takes two to five weeks.
• Moving seedlings roughly. Wisconsin and Illinois say to disturb the taproot as little as possible.
• Cutting off the tops. Minnesota says to snip whole outside stalks close to the ground instead.
• Keeping last year’s plants for leaves. Illinois says second-season parsley bolts, with tough, bitter leaves.
• Planting for summer in Florida. UF/IFAS says to plant in the cooler months of fall and winter.

We found no Texas source with parsley sowing dates: Texas A&M’s Growing Herbs in Texas says only to seed in early spring in full sun.

Questions

Why is my parsley so slow to come up?

Parsley seed germinates slowly: Minnesota says two to five weeks, depending on seed freshness. Minnesota soaks seed in warm water for up to 24 hours before sowing, and Illinois and Wisconsin soak it overnight.

Is parsley an annual or a perennial?

Neither: Illinois and Wisconsin call it a biennial that is grown as an annual. Minnesota says it may resprout in spring, then sends up a seed stalk and dies, and second-year leaves are more bitter.

When should I plant parsley in the South?

UF/IFAS says to plant in the cooler months of fall and winter in Florida. Mississippi State says to plant in early spring or fall and that fall-planted parsley overwinters there; NC State says it can wilt in the hot, humid Deep South.

How do I harvest parsley so it keeps growing?

Minnesota snips the outside stalks close to the ground first, so new growth keeps coming; cutting off only the tops makes the plant less productive. UF/IFAS cuts no more than a third of the plant at a time.

When should I start parsley seed indoors?

Minnesota starts it six to eight weeks before the last frost date and Wisconsin eight to ten weeks before. The table on this page counts that window back from your zone’s median last spring freeze.

Sources

Freeze dates on this page are NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals, for every station the ZIP codes in each zone cite. Zones are the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. The planting rules are named beside the table. Growing advice is quoted from the extension publications below, each written for its own area.

• University of Minnesota Extension, Growing parsley in home gardens (Reviewed 2026). Written for: Minnesota (USDA zones 3a–5a).
• University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension, Parsley, Petroselinum crispum , by Susan Mahr (Revised August 2026). Written for: Wisconsin (USDA zones 4a–6a).
• University of Illinois Extension, Herb Gardening: Parsley . Written for: Illinois (USDA zones 5a–7a).
• NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, Petroselinum crispum (parsley) . Written for: North Carolina (USDA zones 6b–9a).
• UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions, Parsley (Accessed October 2026). Written for: Florida (USDA zones 8b–11b).
• UF/IFAS Extension Pasco County, Spice Up Your Life: A Beginners Guide to Growing Parsley (March 26, 2024). Written for: Central Florida (Pasco County) (USDA zones 9b–10a).
• UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions, Culinary Herbs to Plant This Fall (Accessed October 2026). Written for: Florida (USDA zones 8b–11b).
• Clemson Cooperative Extension, Home & Garden Information Center, Herbs (HGIC 1311) , by Millie Davenport (Updated November 25, 2019). Written for: South Carolina (USDA zones 8a–9b).
• UGA Cooperative Extension, Herbs in Southern Gardens (B1170) , by Sheri Dorn; original authors Wayne J. McLaurin and Sylvia R. McLaurin (Published with minor revisions September 11, 2025). Written for: Georgia and the Deep South (USDA zones 7b–9a).
• Mississippi State University Extension, Mississippi Vegetable Gardener’s Guide (P3616) , by Revised by Shaun Broderick, Jeff Wilson and others (POD-06-25). Written for: Mississippi (USDA zones 7b–9a).
• Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Growing Herbs in Texas (E-561) , by Joseph G. Masabni (April 2009). Written for: Texas (USDA zones 6b–10b).

How we write our guides

Published October 25, 2026