[Olwas2013]

I filled an old rectangular Supervalu cake tin with compost. I sowed the seeds without soaking or anything. I then covered them with a very thin layer of compost and closed the lid. I poked some small holes for air. I an thinking that this will act as some sort of greenhouse for the seeds to provide warmth. Am I doing everything right. How long will it take the seeds to sprout? Thank you, Olly.

[Margo]

I've never had much success growing parsley from seed. So I've always bought a pot in the supermarket and you get loads of plants in one pot.

[Olwas2013]

Thanks anyone have any more success

[Kim]

I grew parsley from seed once, I cannot remember the method for parsley, sorry.

The parsley I grew has been self-sowing in the veg. patch every year since. I usually transplant a few when they are very small so I have a few in good places where I will let them self-seed the following year.

I guess this does not help you now, but hopefully what you have sown will come through for you. I would keep an eye on them as they will need light once they come through.

[Olwas2013]

Thanks for all your replies.

[Sive]

I also use the supermarket pots as I can get lots of plants out of the one pot and they establish quite quickly.
Speaking of herbs, I am waging war on my marjoram ( I think that's what it is anyway ) as it is spreading rampantly.......I never realised it was as bad as mint....it is a right thug. Never again...or else only in a pot from now on.......

[Kim]

Oh I love Marjoram! but I love self-seeders! Plants that do the work for me! But I realise everyone has different kinds of gardens and I am on the wild side!

I also love marjoram as I love butterfly and bee plants. I am moving self-sown seedlings from where I don't want them to the edges of our gravel. I find Marjoram is easy to pull up. My garden tactic is to replace weeds with vigorous plants. Weeds were always coming up on the edge of the gravel beside the flower bed. Marjoram is tough and does well in the poor gravel/soil and takes light traffic.

Sive, The above is not in contradiction to your experience, just wanted to share my own perspective. You must have a good sunny space for marjoram to thrive, I would have it everywhere but some of our garden is too shady and damp for it.

Perhaps I would assign Marjoram "favourite weed" status!

and here is a confession! I have mints, all kinds, in my flower beds! and I put them there! but that is another story...

... does this all discredit me from being a gardener??? LOL

[tippben]

My parsley began as plants from the supermarket. I let them bolt and seed, unless I want the space for something else. Right now, I have lots of seedlings that have germinated. I can either leave them, move them, give them away, or put them in the compost. I'd go with the strategy of letting them go to seed when they bolt.

[Sive]

Hi Kim.....I, too, loved marjoram as a good plant for bees and I like a wild look with plants self-seeding, so all was well for a few years.
I just wonder if the good summer last year ( for setting seed ?? ), the mild winter and wet spring provided the perfect growing condition for my marjoram to go crazy this year......wherever it's spread to, it is now trying to take over rather than snuggling in amongst other plants, so I'm having to dig up several clumps.
Yes, we have very high light levels here....and day-long sunshine ( when we have it ) so herbs do well.
You're brave to put mint into your beds, but maybe some mints are less invasive than others ?

[Kim]

Reading your post I can see exactly what you mean and I do have places where I have other plants struggling to compete with it and yes I do push it over or down and sometimes pull it up and move it. This is a common theme for me as I like strong plants that compete with weeds and don't need fussing over.

I followed the advice for mint for several years, "Keep it under control!" and it never thrived. I like mint tea in summer and one year I put it in the bed at the front door. It is so easy to pull up and it moves. It moves like raspberries move, if they are let. It stops growing where it was planted and moves along the bed, not taking over the bed, leaving one place, going to another. Our hens and turkeys roam free-range (another reason for robust strong plants) and they make a lovely mint scent when they go through the bed. I had the thought that I weed anyway, so why not weed something nicely scented. I Leave it in between plants and the flowers are good for bees.

A plant I am more hesitant to deliberately put in a flowerbed is lemon balm! I find lemon balm very vigorous. I do have lots and a few clumps in the back of beds as they have found their own way in.

About time I started my own thread and stopped changing topic! It is hard with plants,not to wander off. This thread is for parsley tips!

[Olwas2013]

Can ye please stay on topic. I would greatly appreciate it.

[Sive]

Soirry, Olly...it's the nature of discussions that they develop in random ways.....just like plants do !
I'm sure your parsley seed packet should give some idea of how long it will take to germinate.
One tip I have used in the past ( before I started using the supermarket pots ) was to water the seed drill with boiling water.
Parsley can be very erratic in germinating...it apparently does well in households where the woman wears the trousers ! I'm not sure if that is of any help !
Let us know how you get on.

[Margo]

[Olwas2013]

[Margo]