Learning how to save parsley seed at home is a great way to become a more self-sufficient gardener or homesteader. When your parsley plant begins to bloom, then you’re on your way to saving your own parsley seed!
Parsley is one of the most popular garden herbs grown around the globe. It is a biennial plant, which means it blooms in its second year, with bright green foliage. Rich in a variety of nutrients, this herb is very easy to grow and does not require much care and maintenance from home gardeners.
Why save parsley seeds
First, saved parsley seeds can come in handy if you ever decide to re-grow this popular herb. The parsley seeds you save at home are well adapted to the growing conditions of your environment and should grow without any problems.
This post may contain affiliate links, which simply means I may earn a commission off of links at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my site!
Additionally, saving seeds saves money and allows you to know exactly what you’re growing in your garden. You can even share seeds with others since each plant will produce hundreds of parsley seeds!
When is the best time to save parsley seeds
Since it is a biennial, parsley does not produce seeds during its first year of growth. During its second year, the seed heads (flowers) will indicate when to start saving them. Typically, you will see seeds at the end of the plant’s life cycle.
How to collect and store parsley seeds
- Once the blooms have dried up and the remaining seed heads have darkened, carefully cut the stem below the seed heads.
- Use a pair of sharp scissors or a good pair of pruning shears to cut them, or delicately used your hands to pluck them from the stem.
- Rub the seed heads over a paper plate or towel to collect all of the seeds.
- Pick out any stem pieces that may be mixed in with the parsley seeds.
- Store seeds in an envelope or a container with a tight fitting lid. (See my post on Easy Seed Storage Ideas!)
- Store in a cool dry place until ready to use the following year.
To maximize your seed saving, try to keep them still during this process. Parsley seeds are small- you’ll have a hard time finding scattered seeds.
Health benefits of parsley
Parsley is one of the most useful and versatile herbs you can grow in your backyard. These low-maintenance flowering plants have several medicinal benefits.
They are known to alleviate the effects of asthma, UTIs, constipation, and diabetes. Along with this, they are also potent sources of nutrients like Vitamin A and C. They improve blood circulation, glucose levels, and kidney function.
Using parsley in the kitchen
Chopped parsley can strengthen the taste of a variety of foods. It is an active ingredient of soups, stews, salads, pasta, and other regional delights.
Sprinkle parsley on top of roasted mushrooms, vegetables, and green salads to introduce a variety of new flavors to your cooking. Parsley remains fresh for about two days after harvesting. As for dry parsley, it remains edible even after six months of harvesting!
This is all you need to know about saving parsley seeds from your home garden. If you haven’t started growing parsley, now is the right time to fill your backyard with this useful herb- and don’t forget to save their seeds; they will come handy in the future.