Latest / The Beanstalk : A Podcast for Gardeners / Episode 17 – Parsley - More Than a Garnish

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Episode 17 – Parsley - More Than a Garnish · The Beanstalk : A Podcast for Gardeners

• 0:28
  Welcome back to the Beanstalk. My name is John, and today we're
• 0:34
  diving into one of the most underrated herbs in the garden,
• 0:38
  parsley. Now I know what you're thinking,
• 0:42
  Parsley really isn't that just the green fluff that restaurants
• 0:47
  throw on your plate so it doesn't look empty.
• 0:50
  But let me tell you, parsley is one of those plants that has
• 0:54
  been unfairly typecast. It's not just a garnish, it is a
• 0:59
  nutrient packed, flavorful and surprisingly versatile herb that
• 1:04
  deserves a spotlight in your garden and your kitchen.
• 1:11
  I'll admit, parsley isn't always the most exciting plant to look
• 1:15
  at, but once you start growing it, you'll find yourself using
• 1:19
  it everywhere from soups and salads to sauces and even teas.
• 1:26
  And today we're going to go through everything why it's
• 1:30
  worth growing, how to grow well, how to harvest it, it's pros and
• 1:37
  cons, common problems, a recipe you'll love, and a few fun nerdy
• 1:43
  tidbits you probably didn't know.
• 1:48
  Why grow parsley? Parsley has been around for
• 1:52
  centuries. It was prized in ancient Greece
• 1:56
  in Rome, where they used it not just in food but also as a
• 2:01
  medicine and even in crowns for athletes.
• 2:06
  Fun fact, in Greek mythology, parsley was said to have sprung
• 2:10
  from the blood of Arcimorus, a child linked to the legend of
• 2:15
  the Seven against Thebes. Pretty dramatic origin story for
• 2:20
  a plant most people just push to the side of their plate.
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  Nutritionally, parsley is a powerhouse.
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  It's loaded with vitamins, AC and K, plus iron and folate.
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  Eating a handful of parsley is like taking a natural
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  multivitamin. And here's something most people
• 2:43
  don't realize. Parsley has more vitamin C per
• 2:48
  gram than an orange. So next time someone gets sick,
• 2:52
  you might consider parsley soup instead of orange juice.
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  Another reason to grow it. Parsley is a companion plant
• 3:03
  superstar. It attracts beneficial insects
• 3:07
  like hoverflies and parasitic Wasps, which in turn help
• 3:12
  control pests in your garden. It also pairs beautifully in the
• 3:18
  soil with tomatoes, Peppers and asparagus.
• 3:23
  It's a quiet little garden helper.
• 3:28
  Now for how to grow parsley. Parsley comes in two main types,
• 3:35
  curly leaf and flat leaf, which are the Italian varieties.
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  Curly is that decorative 1 you often see in grocery stores.
• 3:47
  It looks nice, but it's milder in flavor.
• 3:52
  Flat leaf on the other hand has a stronger taste and it's the go
• 3:55
  to for cooking. Personally, I like the idea of
• 4:00
  growing both curly for garnish and flat for the kitchen.
• 4:08
  Parsley likes full sun but will tolerate partial shade,
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  especially in hot summers. Rich, well draining soil is best
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  with a touch of compost mixed in.
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  Seeds are famously slow to germinate.
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  Some gardeners even joke that the parsley has to travel to the
• 4:32
  underworld and back before it sprouts.
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  In reality, you can take two to three weeks to speed it up.
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  Soak your seeds overnight before planting.
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  Thin seedlings so they're about 8 to 10 inches apart.
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  They don't need a ton of space, but they do appreciate good
• 4:56
  airflow. Consistent moisture is key.
• 5:02
  If parsley dries out, it tends to bolt or get bitter.
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  Mulching helps keep it happy. Parsley does very well in pots.
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  If you're short on space or just want some fresh greens near your
• 5:19
  kitchen, stick a pot of parsley on the porch or even a sunny
• 5:24
  window sill. Fun fact, parsley is related to
• 5:30
  carrots, celery, and dill. They're all in the same plant
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  family, APACA. If you look closely, you'll
• 5:41
  notice similarities in their feathery leaves and umbrella
• 5:44
  shaped flowers. Now, how to harvest parsley?
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  Patience pays off with parsley. Once the plant is about 6 to 8
• 5:57
  inches tall, you can start harvesting.
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  The trick is to always cut the outer stems close to the base,
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  leaving the inner shoots to keep growing.
• 6:09
  This way, your plant will keep producing fresh leaves for
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  months. For storage, treat it like cut
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  flowers. Stand fresh stems in a glass of
• 6:22
  water in the fridge. If you want to preserve it
• 6:25
  longer, chop it up and freeze it in ice cube trays with olive oil
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  or water. When you're cooking, just toss
• 6:33
  the cube right into your dish. Dried parsley is OK, but it
• 6:39
  loses a lot of flavor. Frozen parsley is much closer to
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  fresh. And a little bonus tip, if you
• 6:49
  let parsley overwinter and your insulin 6 Be Like Me or similar,
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  it will pop back up in the spring before bolting to flower
• 6:59
  in its second year. So plant it once and you might
• 7:03
  just get a bonus crop. And now for some pros and cons
• 7:10
  of growing parsley, starting with some pros.
• 7:15
  Parsley is extremely nutritious, it's easy to grow indoors or
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  outdoors, it's great for succession harvesting.
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  Parsley attracts pollinators and beneficial insects when it
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  bolts, and it's extremely versatile in cooking and ending
• 7:42
  off with the cons. It's slow to germinate, it can
• 7:49
  bolt in heat or stress, parsley does not like to dry out, and
• 7:59
  it's easily overlooked compared to fancier herbs.
• 8:06
  Now let's take a look at some common pests and problems.
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  One of the most common problems with parsley is actually a
• 8:16
  blessing in disguise, the black swallowtail butterfly
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  Caterpillar. These little green, black and
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  yellow striped worms love parsley, dill, and fennel.
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  While they can strip a plant, they eventually turn into
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  butterflies. I usually plant a little extra
• 8:40
  parsley just for them. It's a win win.
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  Other issues include aphids and leaf miners.
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  To deal with those, a strong spray of water or some neem oil
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  or insecticidal soap usually does the trick.
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  Powdery mildew can also show up in damp conditions, so give your
• 9:05
  plants plenty of airflow. And now for a recipe.
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  Chimichurri sauce. All right, let's give parsley
• 9:19
  its moment in the kitchen spotlight.
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  One of my all time favorite ways to use it is in a chimichurri
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  sauce. This bright, garlicky
• 9:31
  Argentinian sauce is incredible on grilled meats, roasted
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  veggies, or even just spread on bread.
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  Here's how you make it One Cup of tightly packed fresh parsley.
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  3 to 4 cloves of garlic. Half a cup of olive oil. 2
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  tablespoons red wine vinegar. One teaspoon dried oregano.
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  Half of a teaspoon red pepper flakes, and lastly salt and
• 10:14
  pepper to taste and to prepare it, chop the parsley and garlic
• 10:23
  finely or pulse them in a food processor.
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  Then stir everything together. Let it sit for at least 30
• 10:33
  minutes so the flavors meld together.
• 10:37
  The result is fresh, tangy, and a little spicy, proving parsley
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  is way more than just a garnish and a little variation tip.
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  Add a handful of cilantro if you like a brighter, more citrusy
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  flavor. Now let's jump into the fun
• 11:00
  facts corner. Here's where parsley gets
• 11:06
  interesting. It's a biennial, meaning it
• 11:09
  grows leaves in its first year and flowers in its second.
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  When it flowers, it sends up tall stalks with umbels.
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  These are umbrella shaped clusters of tiny blooms.
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  They are a magnet for beneficial insects like hover flies, which
• 11:29
  eat aphids. Another fun fact, parsley seeds
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  were once believed to be cursed. Old folklore said they had to
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  travel to the devil 7 times before sprouting, which is why
• 11:47
  they took so long. That myth actually stuck around
• 11:52
  for centuries, and even today some gardeners jokingly
• 11:56
  reference it when they're waiting for seeds to pop.
• 12:02
  And here's one more little nerdy detail.
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  Parsley isn't just for humans. Chickens love it too, and it's
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  thought to help with egg production.
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  So if you've got backyard chickens, they'll appreciate a
• 12:19
  little parsley snack. Thanks again for hanging out
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  with me today on the Beanstalk, fellow Beans.
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  If you want to keep the conversation going, we've got a
• 12:31
  growing community over at the Mean Stock Garden Club on
• 12:34
  Facebook. Come join us, share your garden
• 12:39
  photos, swap ideas, and let's nerd out over plants together.
• 12:46
  If you're enjoying the podcast, don't forget to hit Fall out on
• 12:50
  Spotify so you never miss an episode.
• 12:53
  We'd also love to hear your feedback or questions for future
• 12:57
  episodes from our patched years. Keep on climbing.