Grow by Season

When to Plant Parsley

Start parsley indoors 8 to 10 weeks before your last frost, then plant them out from 2 weeks before to 2 weeks after your last frost.

Parsley at a glance

Start indoors
8 to 10 weeks before your last frost
Plant out
from 2 weeks before to 2 weeks after your last frost
Time to harvest
45 to 70 days from planting out
Harvest lasts
about 24 weeks
Spacing
4 per square foot
Frost
Takes hard frosts

Growing parsley

Parsley grows in sun or light shade in rich, moist soil. It is slow to start from seed but steady once established. Pick the outer stems first and the plant keeps making new leaves from the center.

Dates by hardiness zone

Typical dates for each zone; your ZIP code gives your own.

When to plant parsley in each USDA hardiness zone
ZoneStart indoorsPlant outPick
Zone 3aMar 19 – Apr 2May 14 – Jun 11Jun 28 – Oct 26
Zone 3bMar 8–22May 3–31Jun 17 – Nov 6
Zone 4aMar 3–17Apr 28 – May 26Jun 12 – Nov 9
Zone 4bFeb 27 – Mar 13Apr 24 – May 22Jun 8 – Nov 12
Zone 5aFeb 22 – Mar 8Apr 19 – May 17Jun 3 – Nov 16
Zone 5bFeb 20 – Mar 6Apr 17 – May 15Jun 1 – Nov 16
Zone 6aFeb 18 – Mar 4Apr 15 – May 13May 30 – Nov 14
Zone 6bFeb 12–26Apr 9 – May 7May 24 – Nov 8
Zone 7aFeb 5–19Apr 2–30May 17 – Nov 1
Zone 7bJan 25 – Feb 8Mar 22 – Apr 19May 6 – Oct 21
Zone 8aJan 18 – Feb 1Mar 15 – Apr 12Apr 29 – Oct 14
Zone 8bJan 6–20Mar 3–31Apr 17 – Oct 2
Zone 9aDec 22 – Jan 5Feb 16 – Mar 16Apr 2 – Sep 17
Zone 9bNov 23 – Dec 7Jan 18 – Feb 15Mar 4 – Aug 19
Zone 10aNov 15–29Jan 10 – Feb 7Feb 24 – Aug 11
Zones 10b–11bFrost is rare here, so grow parsley in the cooler months, from fall to early spring.

Good neighbors

Questions about parsley

Flat-leaf or curly parsley?

Flat-leaf parsley has more flavor for cooking; curly parsley is pretty as a garnish and as an edging. Both grow the same way.

Does parsley come back next year?

Parsley lives two years: leaves the first year, flowers the second. Most gardeners sow it fresh each year for the best leaves.

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