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How to grow parsley

Frost-hardy · Carrot family

When to sow and plant

  • Start indoors 22 February – 8 March
  • Sow outdoors 19 April – 3 May

Based on: average for Germany, last frost 19 April, safe from 6 May

Planting calendar for your area
Where the dates come from

The weeks come from our sources; the dates use the average frost in Germany. Enter a German postcode to get dates for your area.

  • Start indoors: 6–8 weeks before the last frost (UMN Extension: Growing parsley)
  • Sow outdoors: 0–2 weeks after the last frost (UMN Extension: Growing parsley)

Good and bad neighbours

Good neighbours · 1

  • Coriander (cilantro)Study· B

    According to the RHS, coriander sometimes kept pests off basil and parsley – not reliably.

    B: Hint from one study

    Coriander (cilantro)

Gardeners’ lore, not proven · 1

  • TomatoLore: good· D

    Traditional advice, not tested.

    D: Tradition, named by at least two sources

    Tomato

Crop rotation

After the carrot family, leave the bed free of it for at least 4 years (sources: 4–5 years).

  • The same species should go back to the same spot after a break of 3 years at the earliest.
  • Example: grown here in 2026, again from 2031.

At a glance

Family
Carrot family (Apiaceae)
Nutrient needs
Light feeder
Frost
Hardy, tolerates frost
Spacing (row × plant)
20–30 × 15–30 cm (8–12 × 6–12 in)
Plants per m²
33.3
Per square foot (30 × 30 cm)
4 plants
Life cycle
Biennial
Harvest
After 75 days from sowing

Spacing according to RHS Grow your own: Parsley. Other sources: – × 25–30 cm (– × 10–12 in) (UMN Extension: Growing parsley).

Questions and answers

When can I sow parsley?

Sow outdoors, average for Germany: 19 April – 3 May. Enter a German postcode above for your area, or your own frost date in the planting calendar.

How far apart should I plant parsley?

20–30 × 15–30 cm (8–12 × 6–12 in) (row × plant), according to RHS Grow your own: Parsley.

What grows well next to parsley?

Coriander (cilantro): Good neighbour (B) and Tomato: Gardeners’ lore, not proven (D).

How long a break do parsley need in the same bed?

After the carrot family, leave the bed free of it for at least 4 years (sources: 4–5 years). The same species should go back to the same spot after a break of 3 years at the earliest.

More from the carrot family

Sources

Show 11 sources
  1. Landwirtschaftskammer Schleswig-Holstein: Fruchtfolge im Garten (Gartenmerkblatt, 2020)
  2. UMD Extension: Vegetables for Spring and Fall Planting
  3. RHS Grow your own: Parsley
  4. UMN Extension: Growing parsley
  5. UC Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners Tulare-Kings: How to Square Foot Garden
  6. NC State Extension Gardener Handbook, Ch. 16, Table 16–4
  7. Südtiroler Bauernbund: Merkblatt Fruchtfolgen im Gemüsebau (Oktober 2022)
  8. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy (über die GBIF-API, species/match)
  9. RHS (Guy Barter): Three ways to use companion planting
  10. BUND: Mischkultur – Gute und schlechte Nachbarn (August 2026)
  11. Oregon State University Extension: Herbs and Flowers in the Vegetable Garden (o. J.)

Retrieved on 23 October 2026. Facts in our own words, one source per value.