Parsley

Question: How many parsley plants can I put in a 16 inch diameter container? I have a container that is 16 inches in diameter and about 10 inches deep. I would like to plant parsley in it, but I don't know how many I should put. (I'd like as many as it can handle but not so many that they don't survive).

Answer: I usually plant 3 in a 12" pot so you should be able to get 5 in the larger 16", one in the center and four at 'compass points' around it. Of course, the variety has a lot to do with it; some grow wider than others. Good luck and enjoy!

Question: Why are tomatoes a good companion with parsley? I'm doing a lab with tomato seeds, squash seeds, and parsley. My hypothesis is that tomato seeds have a more beneficial effect with parsley, but I can't find any information on why parsley is a good companion with tomato seeds. Please help ? Thank you. I'm supposed to do background information & explain why in my hypothesis but there is no information on it .

Answer: They have no effect on much of anything. You're doing a project! Prove it, either way!

Question: Im a novice cook. Can you use potato and parsley in the same dish? Im making potato wedges and would like to add a herb to flavour. Can you use parsley?

Answer: Why not? Ofcourse you can!Here is a sample recipe; New Potato Packets with Parsley and Onions In a large bowl big enough to hold all the potatoes add a few teaspoons of Dijon then several healthy grinds of pepper and a large pinch of salt per person. Add a few good glugs of olive oil slowly while whisking it to form an emulsion. Take enough new potatoes to feed your group and chop the big ones in half or thirds so they are all about the same size. Add a sliced onion to the mix. Toss the onions and potatoes with the dressing. Wash, dry and chop a good handful of parsley and throw that on as well. Toss the bowl around to get a little bit of all the spices on all the potatoes. Get yourself several big pieces of aluminum foil and make a star (i.e. Lay one down, lay the next down perpendicular to it and then another piece to fill the two gaps). Gently pour the potato mixture onto the middle of our star and gather the aluminum foil at the top. Close, scrunching flat enough to fit in your bbq. Grill it for 30-40 minutes while you are cooking other things. Don't forget to be careful when you open it up as there will be steam, toss onto a serving dish and away you go.

Question: whats the best and fastest way to grow curled parsley? i have a "curled parsley" plant and its small, i just got it 2 days ago...whats the best\fastest way to grow it so i can feed some of it to my rabbbit and gerbils? any hints or tips?

Answer: if you live somewhere that has frost free nights right now, then you can plant it out doors. but if its still winter where you live then the fastest way to grow it would be under artificial flourescent light. give it 16 hours a day of light and 8 hours of dark. you could set it in a bright south window, but the days are not long enough or bright enough right noe for it to grow very fast.

Question: why does my parsley have a white powder on it? I'm growing parsley indoors, and it's been doing very well. Just in the last few weeks, there's a white powder on the leaves and it's spreading. Did I over feed it? (I use Miracle Grow) Is it from other plants in the conservatory? Very new to gardening and appreciate any advice.

Answer: Mildew or spots from foliar fertilizing/spritzing. If mildew, you need better air circulation in the growing area, it's too wet or your daily temperature changes are too great.......only about 10-15 degrees between day and night ....if possible. If the plants are in pots, you can wash mildew spores off the plants, truck them to the sink and rub with fingers. The mildew is actually within the upper cell layers of the leaves. You might want to remove those. Wash your hands! Of course the spores are throughout the growing area.......so will take some clean up (weak chlorine bleach) for pot outsides, benches, etc) and really improving the air circulation. Fungicides will help curtail spead but do nothing for infected plants. If water spots from misting.....stop. the spots rub off.

Question: Has anyone ever used parsley to clear intestinal parasites from dogs? Has anyone ever had parsley water clear their dogs of intestinal parasites? I just read this online and I have never heard of it before. Just for clarification... My dogs are not having any problems it's just something I read. I would never try it.

Answer: There are a lot of these holistic methods of treatments out there, but very few of them are very effective. I also don't think the taste of parsley would agree with a dog. The best thing to do is go get a dose of dewormer (strongid, drontal, droncit, etc.) from your veterinarian. They're fairly cheap, and will do a much better job, and keep your dog much healthier.

Question: It is necessary to wash and disinfect vegetables such as parsley, coriander in United States? Always in Mexico you have to wash and disinfect vegetables such as parsley, coriander and lettuce. It's the same in United States.

Answer: yes because most vegetables are not grown in the United States and are shipped from other countries. Farm grown vegetables are usually grown with harsh chemicals and pesticides which need to be rinsed. Dirt should be rinsed off. And if you are getting them from a grocery store, many people have been touching the vegetables with germy hands, and you will want to wash that off to keep your family healthy.

Question: How do i go about growing my own herbs like basil and parsley? I watch alot of the cooking shows on the food network and they always have basil and parsley in pots on their cabinets...I would love to have my own but dont know how to go about it.

Answer: go to your local nursery or home depot or somethin and buy them - rosemary is nice too, it will eventually grow into a nice bush that smells wonderful in the summer if you like or need a good groundcover, you could get some creeping thyme but they will also have your basil and parsley, and it beats growing it from a seed

Question: Anyone know of a recipe for fresh parsley and garlic sauce? From Cook's Illustrated? I just had a great Argentinian style Fresh Parsley and Garlic sauce..... chimichurri. It's a recipe from Cook's Illustrated, but I don't have a membership. Anyone know the recipe?

Answer: Here it is. For best results use flat-leaf parsley. INGREDIENTS 1 cup packed fresh parsley leaves from one large bunch, washed and dried 5 medium cloves garlic , peeled 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 cup red wine vinegar 2 tablespoons water 1/4 cup red onion , finely minced 1 teaspoon table salt 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes Process parsley and garlic in workbowl of food processor fitted with steel blade, stopping as necessary to scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula, until garlic and parsley are chopped fine (20 one-second pulses); transfer to medium bowl. Whisk in remaining ingredients until thoroughly blended. Spoon about 2 tablespoons over each steak and serve. (Sauce tastes best when used fresh but can be refrigerated, with plastic wrap pressed directly on surface, up to 3 days.)

Question: What can I use instead of dried parsley? The recipe calls for dried parsley buy I'm out of that and fresh. I have marjaram (sp?), rosemary, oregano and others. Please help.

Answer: You do not want to substitute any strong herbs like rosemary or oregano. Parsley is very bland. Smell all of your dried herbs and see which one is the weakest.

Question: How much parsley should we eat each day? I've just about parsley nutritional values and I'm amazed, but how many grams should we at each day?

Answer: Parsley is very high in Vitamin C. As Vitamin C is water soluble, you can eat as much parsley as you like and the excess Vitamin C will just be excreted by the kidneys. Remember - all things in moderation.

Question: Whats the diffrence between parsley and cilantro? My boyfriend insnt sure which one he bought. I need parsley for a turkry burger recepie Im trying. Im not sure how to tell the diffrence since when I googled the image they look the same. Are they the same?

Answer: There are only two types of parsley: curly-leaf and flat-leaf. Curly parsley has a pleasant grassy flavor and decorative ruffled leaves that make it the perfect garnish. When a stronger flavor is desired, recipes usually call for flat-leaf or Italian parsley (they're the same), which features broad, serrated leaves Chinese parsley, on the other hand, is not parsley at all! It's actually cilantro (which also is called coriander). Although cilantro is related to the parsley family and looks a lot like flat-leaf parsley, its leaves have a distinctly different smell, a deeper emerald color, and a much stronger flavor. Cilantro is a popular ingredient in Asian, Middle Eastern, Indian, and Latin American cuisines. They're used around the world to add lively color, fresh taste, and delightful aroma to many different dishes

Question: My parsley "bolted", is it done or will it continue to grow? I've had this parsley plant since last summer and have enjoyed harvesting from it all winter. Now it has bolted. Should I have pinched back its seed stalk? II know that doesn't work for cilantro, but am not sure about parsley. Will it continue to grow or has it ended it's life cycle like cilantro does? I know it ws re-seeding itself, but I hate to wait that long for more to grow and want to know if I should buy another plant.

Answer: If you let it go to seed, it is done. Mine just sent up a seed branch and I cut it off and my parsley revitalized. If you let it go too long, the rest of the plant will die off as all the energy went into producing seed. Try lopping off the seed branches and maybe it will come back. If not, parsely is real easy to start from seed.

Question: How do you harvest parsley and cilantro? Where do you cut them? Will they get new growth? My cilantro and parsley are in an herb container I bought. I would like to have these herbs all summer. Will frequent cutting help or will I need to get new plants or grow from seed?

Answer: Cilantro is short lived. They like it cool and once it warms up, they will flower and that's the end of it. BUT...they go to seed very easily and once the seeds fall from the original plant..you will see baby cilantro plants growing : ) Parsley you will cut back to control/use If you want cilantro to last longer..keep it inside where it is cooler

Question: What kind of store can you buy fresh parsley at? I'm in the US, and I went to both Kroger and Publix today, but can't find parsley anywhere! They had like 10 other common herbs, but no parsley. What kind of store can you usually get it from? oh, I didn't know it didn't come in one of those plastic containers! I just assumed it wasn't there at all when I didn't see it there.

Answer: Are you sure you looked in the right spot because pretty much ALL grocery stores sell fresh flat leaf parsley. Its near the other herbs that are in the little plastic containers but parsley does not come in one of those containers, its sold like in bunches that are open, you need to put them in plastic bags yourself. They are usually in the produce section by carrots, cale, lettuce, green onions and other non-packaged fresh produce. Just go look again or better yet...just ask the service desk. Grocery stores keep a list of what they have and exactly where it is so they would be able to tell you.

Question: What kind of natural vegetation can hens eat other Dandelions,chickweed,parsley etc ? Can they eat Fat Hen or cow parsley. Parsley, sorry about the misprint !

Answer: I don't know what fat hen or cow parsley is. But I do know that my free range chickens are like demon spawn. They eat everything in their sight and look for more. If yours are free range, don't worry about it. They will eat what appeals to them and leave the rest. They are scavengers.