7 things you need to know if you're growing parsley

Parsley is a great addition to any garden. Find out the best ways to grow it, and how to use it year-round.

Whether it has tightly curled leaves or thicker, flat ones, parsley is a hardy biennial often grown as an annual.

• It prefers well-drained soil and partial shade and will reward your efforts with lavish amounts of vitamin-packed leaves you can chop to season butter, sauces, salads, or any type of vegetable, grilled meat, or fish.
• Parsley is also rich in iron.

• Flat-leaf parsley has a stronger flavour, so it's preferred for cooked dishes. Seeds or plants that are labelled as Italian parsley are of this type.
• Curled-leaf parsley has a milder flavour, makes an attractive garnish, and adds a fresh "green" taste to cold dishes. You can even use dwarf types as edible edging for your flower garden.

Parsley seeds can take several weeks to sprout and need moisture to break dormancy.

• Speed germination by soaking the seeds in lukewarm water for two days before sowing.
• Or purchase seedlings and set them out gently, disturbing the roots as little as possible.

Sow some fast-sprouting radish seeds in with parsley.

• Radishes sprout first, marking the row so you won't disturb the parsley seeds while weeding.

A true biennial, parsley produces flowers and seeds after it has been through a spell of cold winter weather.

• The flowers make good filler for cut flower arrangements.

Mulch parsley plants with straw to keep soil from splashing on the leaves during rainstorms or watering. To dislodge any grit before using parsley, swish your harvested stems in cool water.

• Before you leave, cut parsley tops and freeze them for later use.
• Water the remaining stems well with dilute liquid fertilizer to encourage new leaves.

To preserve parsley's delicate flavour, freeze it in plastic bags.

• Gather some sprigs, trim off long stems, wash the parsley and pat it dry, and then pack it into freezer bags.
• When you need some, simply rub the bag from the outside to crumble the leaves and scoop them out.